Winter in WV: Ski it while you can ⛷

Feb 10, 2023 6:19 pm

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The Winter Warrior's Way

If you want to ski this winter in West Virginia, you must adopt a warrior mindset and strike while the iron is... cold? The two-day snowfalls, which seem to be the rule and not the exception, have offered some exceptionally fun-yet-marginal skiing this winter. When the snow falls, you'd be better be able to drop it all and attack the hill with unrelenting stoke, skiing anything and everything in your path. Because tomorrow, it might all be gone.

We were fortunate to snag some glorious turns in the shallow powder that graced the WV Highlands for several ephemeral days in late January. Our Slovakian friend Peter Galik, an eternal fountain of stoke, led us into the backcountry for some tight tree skiing. Ďakujem!

Peter Galik showing his prowess in some nice, ankle-deep pow near Dolly Sods.

Photo by Dylan Jones

Me, enjoying some fresh snow despite the stone-cold look on my mug. Photo by Peter Galik

Nikki practicing her speed tuck for the 2024 Olympics, followed by pups and friends. Photo by Dylan Jones

Sunset bevvies and sammies capped off a most excellent end to an epic day atop the 4,360-foot summit of Bald Knob in Tucker County. Photo by Dylan Jones

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Fat Bike Champs rolls through Canaan Valley

We are proud sponsors of the Fat Bike Champs series of fat bike races hosted by our good friend and trail-builder Zach Adams. On Jan 27, 41 intrepid individuals saddled up and took to the snow for the Canaan Valley Fat 50k fat bike race. Kudos to the winners and everyone who finished this grueling course! You can catch us at the next Mountain State Fat Bike Champs race, being held at White Grass Ski Touring Center on March 12.

Riders on the beautiful, freshly groomed course in Canaan Valley State Park. Photo courtesy Trail Labs.

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Sponsorships galore!

I am thrilled to announce our initial list of sponsored events for 2023. Nikki and I agreed that we should ramp up our sponsorships this year in an effort to use the magazine as a platform to help spread the word about all the amazing events happening throughout West Virginia. We are proud to be involved with each of these unique events. Check 'em out!

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New merch: Snag your camo HO trucker before they're gone!

If you snap a twig in the forest but no one can see you snapping it, did the twig really make a noise? You can run your own esoteric experiments like this one and many others when you don our new camo trucker hat and blend into the earthy tones of Appalachia's hardwood forests. This hat pairs perfectly with one of our magazines while you wait patiently in your tree stand for that unassuming ungulate to traipse by your trap. Alternatively, stand out like the proud outdoorsperson you are while sporting this headpiece in an urban setting—the blaze orange logo stitching will ensure that all passersby know where your print magazine allegiance lies. Use code CAMO10 for 10% off our new camo trucker.

Get Yours Here

...and don't forget about our world-famous Bodacious Beanie and the venerable Dad Hat! All colors are now back in stock—just browse the color options in the dropdown menu. Keep your dome warm while repping West Virginia's Outdoor Magazine! Use code HOHAT10 for 10% off any of our hat!

Shop All Hats Here

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Have you seen these yet?

Patchwork: How a Lichen-Dyed Quilt is Spreading Climate Awareness

Karen Lane is an artist who created a handmade quilt with dye she made from ethically harvested lichen bodies that shows changes in atmospheric sulfur in Central Appalachia. Wild stuff!

Ancient Art: Hok Skiing in the Highlands

Backcountry skier Ellie Bell penned this great writeup about the niche snowsport of Hok skiing, including some fascinating history about the origins of skiing in the Altai Mountains and how the Hok ski connects us modern tech-powered skiers to those ancient originators of the past.

Skating Wild Ice

One year ago, I happened to catch Rob Stull skating with his daughter on a frozen pond in Canaan Valley. After shooting some photos in the stunning scene, I asked Rob if he'd write something, and he came up with this great little diddy.

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Stay tuned for our next installment in March, which, like I said about February but had those hopes dashed, will hopefully be a much snowier month. In the meantime, I beg of you once again: please put your trail map in the freezer, place an ice cube under your pillow, and do your snow-dance!

Enjoy, and thanks for reading #westvirginiasoutdoormagazine

Dylan Jones

Editor-in-Chief

Highland Outdoors

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