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Winter Wonderland: 12 Retreats To Satisfy Every Athlete
by Carrie Miner
Through The Woods
With Pennsylvania's history of trailblazing, it shouldn't come as a big surprise that that the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa takes its name from the Delaware Indian Chief that first carved a permanent pathway though the Laurel Highland Mountains more than 250 years ago.
 The resort has a long tradition as a family-friendly destination. It offers a blizzard of winter activities—all easily accessed after a quick landing at the property's private 3,900-foot runway at Nemacolin Airport [PA88].
Five slopes, tied to eight trails veering down Mystic Mountain, make the cut with everyone from powder puffs to downhill daredevils. There are alpine activities ranging from beginning ski instruction to taking air on a half pipe.
Couples can get out in the open by skiing cross country or taking a romantic moonlit snowshoe hike through the 2,800-acre resort. And best of all, the chances are that the kids won't even know you are gone. The resort's acclaimed children's programs keep the younger set from toddlers to teens engaged in a mind-numbing array of activities.
In addition to the menu of activities, dining at Nemacolin offers an array of casual and fine dining experiences. In fact, you can get everything from French fries to foie gras at the resort's ten restaurants, eateries and lounges.
This relaxed retreat continues the choices with lodging options ranging from spacious suites to private homes.
 Wintry West Virginia
If you think that you have to head north in order to hit the slopes, think again. Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia might not be the highest mountain in the eastern United States, but the 4,848-summit surprises skiers with its 1,500-foot vertical drop and 57 slopes and trails.
Featuring the most expansive terrain park systems in the region, Snowshoe Mountain offers snowboarding specialties including riding rails, daring jumps and even a 400-foot-long half pipe.
If that's not enough of a thrill, this glittering gem features 11,000-acres of wooded wilderness that is perfect for snowmobile tours, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, SnowCat tours and sleigh rides.
Snowshoe Mountain Resort, a short drive from Roanoke Regional Airport/Woodrum
Field [KROA], offers everything from roomy hotel suites to four-bedroom homes in six distinct neighborhoods-making Snowshoe Mountain the largest ski destination resort in the Southeast.
Living Large
Leave it to California to create one of the largest ski resorts in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. This area originally started out as a gold mining town, but now it reaps a different kind of treasure—more than 150 trails sprawling across 3,500 skiable acres on a mountain stretching to up an elevation of 11,053-feet.
 With 400 inches of snow and 300 days of sunshine a year, this stunning snowscape offers a mixed terrain suitable for all levels of alpine skiing and snowboarding.
With nearby access at Mammoth Yosemite Airport [KMMH], these sunny slopes are favored by the rich and famous for their diverse mix of staggering steeps and undulating bowls.
The region's first skiers attempted to tame the mountain used portable tow ropes and Ford Model A truck motors. Today, an amazing network of 27 lifts and an extensive trail system make Mammoth Mountain a world-class destination.
Resort guests can choose from a diverse selection of slope-side lodging options— everything from a rustic mountain lodge to a full-service luxury hotel. Other on-site winter activities include cross country skiing, snowmobiling, tobogganing and dog-sledding.
And after a day of running moguls or mushing a sled, a trip to the Village at Mammoth offers après-skis activities ranging from dining and dancing to boutique shopping and artistic wanderings—proving that bigger may be better after all.
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