Winterplace Open From the Top

An inch of snow did fall at the Ghent, W. Va., resort Monday night softening the mountain's 16 open slopes. Temperatures are currently in the low 30s and expected to remain below freezing for the next several days. With 121 guns running close to capacity, the mountain hopes to open more terrain soon. Besides 100 percent snowmaking capability on all of their trails, Winterplace also offers the longest ski days in the southeast: 14 hours on weekends and 13 hours on weekdays. New for this season is an expanded teaching area for beginners. Eight times larger than last year, the space also boasts two new carpet lifts to transport skiing and boarding neophytes to the top with ease.