West Virginia's Winter Wonderland

It's a cold winter day in West Virginia. Over a foot of snow has accumulated outside, but you aren't worried: you have nowhere to be. Inside a yurt high in the mountains, you sit beside a wood burning fireplace watching the sun rise. As the steam rises from your coffee cup, you spend a moment taking it all in. This truly is a winter wonderland.

It sounds too good to be true right? I thought so too, until I was lucky enough to experience it. Deep in the forest of Pendleton County sits an oasis among the trees known as the Spruce Knob Mountain Center. Their campus of yurts sits on the shoulder of Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia. This past Winter, I was able to visit and experience it myself. Over the course of a long weekend I got to practice wilderness survival techniques, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and learn all about the incredible history and stories that surround the mountain center.

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Our group left from West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon late on the evening of February 19th. It was a cool evening, free of snow and wind. There were only five of us in the van and we were all excited to spend a weekend away from campus. Despite a clear weather forecast for the night, snow started falling around Elkins. A light snow isn't unexpected in this area of the state, especially during the colder months, so we pressed on.

While the snow was bearable at first, it got more intense as we traveled further into the Monongahela National Forest. Against our best instincts, we pressed on to Alpena in hopes of crossing paths with a snow plow. We were already past the halfway point, so it would have been too far for us to turn back. Unfortunately, there was no sign of any road workers that night. The snow continued to fall, so we pulled off at the Alpine Motel where we would remain stuck for the night. While we were disappointed that we were unable to reach our destination, the hospitality of the owners of the Alpine Motel saved us from having to travel any longer in the storm.

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In the morning, we woke up early to assess the conditions. To our surprise, around 8-12 inches of snow had fallen that night. Luckily the snowplows had been through that morning and cleared the roads, so our journey continued. The rest of our drive brought clear skies and roads, so we reached our destination with no further struggles. Unfortunately for us, the journey was not yet over. In the Winter months, the last mile of road to the Mountain Center is closed due to the massive accumulation of snow. For us, that meant we had to hike the last mile into our camp in freezing conditions and over a foot of snow drifts. The hike was both beautiful and exhausting, but our destination was worth the struggle.

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When we arrived at the Mountain Center, I was instantly in love. The yurts were warm, inviting, and quirky. We unpacked our gear in the main yurt, and headed out to explore for the day. We hiked into to the forest to learn some winter survival skills with the help of our guide, Kyle. He taught us how to build a fire, how to shape an igloo, and some basic orienteering techniques. After our Winter survival course, we were ready to venture off on our own. We took turns with the cross-country skis and snowshoes and headed out to explore the campus of the Mountain Center. As I was skiing along through the forest that evening, I felt renewed. There's truly no better feeling than being immersed in the beauty of nature, especially when you get to experience it in wild & wonderful West Virginia.

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While I enjoyed many aspects of this trip, my favorite by far was sleeping under the stars. Spruce Knob features some of the darkest night skies in the Eastern United States, and words can't explain their beauty. While waking up in the middle of the night would usually annoy me, that weekend it was a welcome surprise. That night was the brightest I have ever seen the stars shine.

The next morning, we ate breakfast and packed our stuff to prepare for the hike out that afternoon. Although our time there was short, it was an experience I will never forget. To the staff at the Mountain Center, thank you for your hospitality. Your hard work and dedication keeps the place running. To Kyle, thank you for planning the trip and getting us there safely! And finally to Dan'l Taylor, the founder of the Spruce Knob Mountain Center, thank you for your vision. Without you, the Mountain Center wouldn't exist!

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This place truly is a hidden gem of West Virginia. If you haven't been to the Spruce Knob area, I would highly recommend checking out the Mountain Center. While my group was offered a private excursion due to Kyle's ties to the institution, anyone who wants to is able to visit and stay! The Mountain Center hosts numerous camps, events, and field trips for all ages throughout the year. You can visit their website here. They also host an Airbnb in one of their private yurts, which I will link here as well. I loved my time at the Mountain Center, and will certainly be back to visit again!