Ilam House – Canaan Valley – Skiing Vacation Retreat

On February 17, 2013, a group of seven intrepid adventurers set off on an epic Shakletonian circumnavigation of Canaan Valley. We started in the NW rim of the valley at Canaan Heights at 8am, skied Canaan Loop Road and the Allegheny Trail to Canaan Valley State Park, then to Canaan Valley Ski Hill, rode the lift to the Pipeline and skied across to Bald Knob, skied down to Whitegrass Lodge, and finally skied north to the Timberline Lodge. Three of us finished the 17 mile route, arriving at 6:30pm!  A map of the route is below.

If the conditions are snowy out in Canaan Valley you won’t need, or have time, for much more than ski-eat-sleep. But if you need a break from that, or if the conditions for skiing are not ideal, then here are some of our favorites in the area.

• Whitegrass XC Ski Center! No place better to hang out with enthusiastic free-heel skiers, and eat splendid food at their cafe! And their 50kms of trails are what got us hooked on WV skiing. 
• Siriani’s Pizza, Davis – jammed on a ski weekend but worth it for the spinach salad and the Red Lodge pizza!
• Hellbender Burritos, awesome burritos and they have Mountain State beer on tap (bring your growler!)
• BoomTown Java in Davis
• National Wildlife Refuge office/nature center in Canaan Valley about 3 m south of Ilam House.
• Purple Fiddle in Thomas, nothing better than dinner or dessert there and then one of their folk/oldtime/newgrass music shows.
• Blackwater Falls State Park, for the ski trails, comfort food in the cafe and gorge views.
• Canaan Valley State Park, for some really nice ski trails, and the kids like the snack bar.
• By the way – Dave’s snowfall tally website shows the snow depth for the Canaan Heights area where is Ilam House.

That’s a good start for a long-weekend!

ilam house – jan 09

Originally uploaded by ilamhouse

What’s great about Ilam House is that you can cross-country ski out the front door and have lots of trail options. Head back to Canaan Loop Road and take it into the National Forest. Or take off on your own trails into the National Forest.

Canaan Loop road – gorgeous! Prez Day 2010

Originally uploaded by ilamhouse

This is just about a mile down Canaan Loop road from Ilam House, and shows how gorgeous it gets there with snow! Ilam House and Canaan Loop Road around there at at about 3,700 ft. elevation, and so it gets the heaviest snow of that part of W.V. Jamie and Randy showing good form!

Well, the great skiing of early January has melted away, but sooner or later it will snow and get good again. And here’s how good it can get! Time to plan a weekend in February or March out in Canaan Valley!

Our friends the Boehm’s are staying at Ilam House this Thanksgiving weekend, and so, in addition to this listing of favorites, here are some suggested fun activities for kids and adults at this time of year.

AROUND THE HOUSE

The woods around the house are fun for hiking. It is deer hunting season, and while hunters are supposed to stay well away from houses, if venturing into the woods I would stay close to the house, wear bright colors, and venture out  in the middle of the day. I would readily hike up/down Canaan Loop road, which is very nice.  Also fun – building a nighttime campfire in the ring behind the house – and turning off all the house lights. And sitting in the hot tub with all the house lights off to see some of the stars.

DAVIS

Sirianis – good atmosphere, pizza and other Italian food in the heart of Davis.

Hellbender – also good atmosphere, tasty burritos, and Mountain State Brewery beer on tap

Hiking: Blackwater Falls State Park: There is no hunting in the State Parks, and Blackwater Falls has some wonderful trails through thick rhododendrons. I like the Elkata trail that leaves directly from the lodge and winds down to a waterfall. And there are miles of nice trails. To get here head through Davis and turn left at far end of town.

Hiking: Canaan Valley State Park trails: A very nice series of trails for hiking – south on Hwy 32 about six miles, and stop at the main office to get trail maps.

Hiking: National Wildlife Refuge Center: great nature center, very interesting for kids, and they have maps of various trails – and you can ask them about where hiking is good during deer season.  This is about 3 miles south on Hwy 32.

Biking – Blackwater Bikes: nice folks and they rent bikes and can advise in good trails. There is a nice series of trails adjacent to Davis on the Canaan Valley institute property, but ask about hunting on those lands.

THOMAS

Mountain State Brewery, in Thomas, has great beer, and sometimes music.

Purple Fiddle, in Thomas, a must-visit. Plan to come for dinner, or after dinner dessert and hear some live music.

Hiking below Thomas: head downhill on Douglas Rd to where you can go no further and hike to a dramatic 30′ waterfall, and also see old brick coke ovens. I’m a little rusty on the directions, so ask at the Purple Fiddle.

P8120335

Originally uploaded by ilamhouse

Here’s a link to the Forest Service Webcam which is situated on a tower near Ilam House. It gives a good view down over Canaan Valley and the current temperature, at about the same elevation as Ilam House.

Some good suggestions from the Washington Post on what to do in Canaan Valley. We also list a number of our favorites here on this blog.

DSCN0419

Originally uploaded by ilamhouse

Great trails are easy to find around Ilam House. Head from the house: up Grayrock road, turn right onto Forest Service #13 (aka Canaan Loop Road) and follow (west). You will pass several trails off to the right marked with signposts. The Allegheny Trail goes all the way from Canaan Loop Road (right – north) to Blackwater Falls State Park – a very nice 3-4 mile hike (if you can arrange pick up at Blackwater Falls State Park!). The Allegheny Trail also extends the other direction about 8 miles to Canaan Valley State Park – another really nice hike.

IMG_0761_2

Originally uploaded by ilamhouse

Biking along Camp 70 road in the Canaan Valley Institute preserve, behind Davis, WV. The Road starts just behind the Stop-n-Shop in Davis, and goes about 5-6 miles along the Blackwater River and into the heart of Canaan Valley. The views of the wilderness area in the Valley are gorgeous. Easy/flat mountain biking terrain, though a rough and sometimes muddy gravel road.