The Snow Sports Museum of West Virginia (SSMWV) has scheduled two events this spring at their new location 6459 Appalachian Highway in Canaan Valley and a third event at Black Bear Woods Resort.
On Wednesday, May 24th the SSMWV will hold an Open House and bring back their popular symposium series they discontinued in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The topic for this symposium will be “Lost and Forgotten Ski Areas”. Through early research, SSMWV President, Kim Williams discovered nearly thirty ski areas in West Virginia that opened and closed, were on the drawing, or continue to operate to this day.
The first Ski Area in WV was believed to be Driftland located on the extreme southeastern tip of Cabin Mountain in 1951, but SSMWV Executive Director, Andrew Snyder learned that Oglebay Park in the northern panhandle near Wheeling was the first to operate a ski slope in 1939. Information confirming this is forthcoming from a member of the Oglebay Foundation in Wheeling. The SSMWV Social Media Director, Hannah Snyder recently discovered that the Green Bank Observatory had a ski slope with a rope tow in the 1960s. President Kim Williams says everyone is invited to the symposium to, “help the SSMWV find information to create a new permanent display at the Museum.” The Open House will begin at 6:00 pm. Light snacks and beverages will be provided.
The second spring event will be a collaborative effort on June 7th from 4:00 to 7:00 pm with the Tucker County Chamber of Commerce (TCCC), The Inn at Canaan, Almost Heaven Mini Golf Course, and the SSMWV. The TCCC is introducing a new ‘After Hours Meet and Greet’ with their members, so each member’s business has an opportunity to showcase what they have to offer. The After Hours Meet and Greet will rotate throughout Tucker County each quarter so all businesses can learn how the TCCC can help them be more successful. This special event is open to the public and will feature free mini golf, a tour of the newly renovated Inn at Canaan, a tour of the SSMWV, and a BBQ dinner. The Almost Heaven Golf and the SSMWV will have prizes and a raffle giveaway.
Lastly, The SSMWV will host its second Hall of Fame (HOF) induction ceremony on Sunday, June 18th at the Black Bear Woods Lodge from 3:30 to 7:00 pm with 6 new inductees honored during the evening. The 2022 HOF induction class includes—
Jennifer Rhule from Charleston, WV. Jennifer was a promising rising star in the world of figure skating in the late ‘70s and early ‘80’s when her dreams were cut short due to an automobile accident that left her legally blind and unable to pursue her dream as a U S Olympian. Since her accident Jennifer wanted to find a competitive hobby so she learned to ski in the Blind Outdoor Leasure Development Program (BOLD) program at Canaan Valley and Snowshoe with her former skating partner Robbie Baker. She became National Champion in the GS and Super G at the Blind Athletes’ National Ski Championships with her former partner Robbie Baker in 1989 at Vail, Colorado.
Bill Freyman began ski patrolling at Wisp Resort in MD in 1973 training novice patrollers in outdoor first aid and basic skills. Bill joined the patrol at Canaan Valley Resort in 1989. He earned many awards including OEC, S&T Instructor, Examiner, and Advisor. He was Patrol Director at Canaan Valley from 1994 to 2003. His highest honor was being named a race official at the 2002 Winter Olympics at Salt Lake.
Canaan Valley native, Canaan Pollock has many credentials on his resume’ the most impressive being one of the coaches at the 2022 Winter Olympics for the USA. He was the first West Virginia male resident to receive a full athletic scholarship to Davis & Elkins College and graduated with a degree in Alpine Skiing. Canaan currently resides in IIanz, Switzerland with his wife Elke. Canaan has promised to be at the induction ceremony with many of his friends.
Tom Wagner will be inducted in Operation and Management category as the current Executive Director and Vice President of Winterplace Ski Resort and President of the West Virginia Ski Area Association. Tom was a Ski Patroller and Marketing Executive and created one of the best programs for middle school and high school students to learn to ski safely and affordably.
Bob Steptoe began skiing in the late ’50s, became a ski advocate in the late ’70s, and has had a tremendous impact on the West Virginia Skiing Responsibility Act. In the late 1980’s Steptoe was an original member of the Association of Ski Defense Attorneys (ASDA) that defended ski areas and other recreational businesses throughout the world. Among ASDA lawyers, Bob Steptoe is widely regarded as a leader in ski defense.
Bobby and Annie Snyder began skiing in Canaan Valley in 1977. Annie is a native of France and started skiing in the Alps at age 14 while Bobby started skiing in Afghanistan in the 1960s. They both started instructing skiing at Canaan Valley Resort in 1977 then moved over to the new Mount Timberline Ski area in 1981. Annie, Bobby, John Lutz, and Mike Messenger created the Local’s Cup in 1992 to attract skiers to West Virginia in April.
For more information about these events or how to RSVP go to our website snowsportsmuseumwv.org or send an email to ssmwv@icloud.com.
A group of long-time snow sports enthusiasts created the Snow Sports Museum of West Virginia (SSMWV) in 2018. The SSMWV documents the history of events, places, and people. We strive to preserve the artifacts that accurately depict snow sports activities at every resort in the state. Visit our website at snowsportsmuseumwv.org to learn more, become a member, or donate. Visit us in person at 6459 Appalachian Highway, Davis, WV, 26260.