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Upside Down Ski Resorts: When the Base is at the Top

November 12, 2019 by braveskimom

snowshoe ski village
When the ski resort base is at the top of the mountain! Snowshoe, West Virginia. Photographer: Philip Duncan. Photo courtesy Snowshoe.
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Close your eyes and picture your favorite ski resort. What do you see?

If you’re like most of us, the image you’ve conjured has you looking up the mountain from the bottom to the top.

Maybe you’re seeing yourself standing outside a base lodge, with one or more lifts traveling up the mountain. Maybe the base is a hive of activity, with ski and ride classes assembling and people happily clicking into their gear to get in line for the first lift ride of the day. 

And while this may be the most familiar ski area scenario, it’s not the only one. Because some ski resorts are upside down. 

(For links to upside ski areas and ski resorts, go to the bottom of this post!)

The Upside to Being Upside Down

While upside down or inverted mountains are not the norm, there are a surprising number of ski areas where guests park their cars mid-mountain or on top, boot up, stash their gear and begin their day with a run, not a lift ride. 

Disorienting? Maybe. Out of the ordinary? Certainly. Fun and unique? Definitely.

One of the biggest and most well-known inverted ski resorts is Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia. 

snowboard snowshoe mountain
Walk out and ride down. Photo: Snowshoe Mountain.

Shawn Cassell, who works at Snowshoe, shares that many guests think the resort’s “upside down factor” is part of its charm. 

“There’s something special about walking out of our your condo on a powder day, strapping in, and getting right into your turns before you sit on a chairlift. That first ride up the lift in the morning is always better with a good lap already under your belt,” he shares.  

Here are more reasons skiers and snowboarders enjoy inverted resorts. 

1. Surprising Views

Looking up a mountain can be beautiful, but often the most inspiring sights are from the top. When you start on top, you begin your day inspired by nature’s beauty. 

Some of these views encompass expansive mountain ranges, with waves of peaks rolling into the distance.

Others feature water, like the view from Quebec’s Le Massif de Charlevoix, where guests ski down above the frozen St. Laurence River. Likewise, guests at Chestnut Mountain Resort in Galena, Illinois ski from the top toward the mighty Mississippi. 

sunset at le massif
Sunset at Le Massif de Charlevoix, an upside down mountain near Quebec City. Photo: Le Massif de Charlevoix.

Scoring a big view from day one is fun for beginners and families. Oftentimes, beginner terrain is on a mountain’s lower reaches. It can take several lessons before new skiers and riders arrive at the top. By starting at the top, the views are theirs from the moment they arrive. 

2. Immediate Gratification

Jackie, a ski mom from Ski Big Bear, Pennsylvania, shares that her children “love that the first thing they do is ski, not stand in line.” 

In addition to getting energetic kids off to a fast start, skiing and snowboarding at an inverted mountain gives new meaning to a “warm up” run. When skiing to the lift, guests warm up their bodies and their turns before sitting down.

For those needing a jumpstart, Jon, an eastern skier, who enjoys vacationing at Snowshoe Mountain, shares this tip. “Grab your Starbucks and ski down the mountain with it first thing.” 

Depending upon how fast you go, it will still be hot when you board the lift. 

Utah skier Mike shares this about powder days at Powder Mountain. “Powder days at PowMow aren’t about the line at first chair. Instead it’s a stampede down the hill. It’s great fun and lots of hooting and hollering!” 

powder mountain utah
Lots of room for families to ride at Powder Mountain, Utah. PowMow is one of the largest resorts in the U.S. ©braveskimom.com

3. Spread Out

Rather than funneling guests onto the same base area lifts, inverted mountains offer an easy way for people to spread across the mountain. Janet, who skis Blue Knob, Pennsylvania, likes this benefit. “It’s nice to roll out and decide which slope intrigues you while you look down them,” she explains.

4. End on a High Note

Another ski mom, Leslie, likes ending the day on with a lift ride, instead of skiing down when everyone has tired legs.

Catching sunsets and the last rays of light is another benefit of ending the day on top, rather than in shadow at the bottom.

Depending upon what you’re used to, some people have a different opinion, finding the last lift ride “odd” or even “depressing.” Echo Mountain, Colorado has a remedy for this. 

This ski area has a base “almost at the top,” according to Fred and Katie Winter who blog at Ullr Provides. “It’s the best of both worlds,” they share. “Great views and a little bit of a run after the last chair.” 

Ready to Invert? Where to Ski and Ride These Upside Down Delights

East

  • Belleayre, NY
  • Blue Knob, PA
  • Blue Mountain, PA
  • Jack Frost Ski Resort, PA
  • Laurel Mountain, PA
  • Ski Big Bear, PA
  • Snowshoe Mountain, WV
  • Wintergreen, VA

Midwest

  • Chestnut Mountain Resort, IL
  • Big Snow Resort at Indianhead Mountain, MI
  • Paoli Peaks, IN
  • Snowstar Winter Sports Park, IL
  • Spirit Mountain, MN
  • Summit at Shanty Creek Resort, MI
  • Sundown Mountain Resort, IA

Rockies

  • Blacktail Mountain, MT
  • Echo Mountain, CO
  • Hogadon Basin, WY
  • Powder Mountain, UT

Pacific

  • Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park, WA
  • Mt. Waterman, CA
  • Ski Land, AK

Canada

  • Big White, BC
  • Le Massif de Charlevoix, QC

What resorts are we missing? Let us know below! And many thanks to the skiers and snowboarders who helped create this list and shared their comments about skiing upside-down.

© 2019, braveskimom. All rights reserved. Any use or publication of content, including photos, requires express permission.

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Filed Under: Ski Resort Reviews, Skiing, Travel, United States Tagged With: Family Skiing, skiing, skiing in north america

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Martin Griff says

    November 12, 2019 at 9:44 am

    Can’t speak for all of them, but Blue Mountain in Pennsylvania and Le Massif in Eastern Canada now have parking lots and lodges at the base of their mountains which means they are both right side up and upside down resorts.

    As a purist, I can not consider Blue and Le Massif upside down resorts anymore.

    labels aside, whether you start from the top or the bottom, skiing down Le Massif towards the Saint Lawrence River provides THE best views in all of skidom.

    • braveskimom says

      November 12, 2019 at 10:45 am

      This is very helpful! When I skied Le Massif, I arrived by train and took a gondola to the base area, which I suppose was kind of middle-ground. Glad to know there are (at least) two right side up and upside down resorts!

      Turns are turns, but it’s kinda fun to find ways to make the experience special.

      Cheers!

  2. Scott McGee says

    November 12, 2019 at 5:08 pm

    Bear Valley, CA has expert runs right down to the Molumumne River…hardest runs to the bottom, below the base area…cool!

  3. Greg says

    November 12, 2019 at 7:16 pm

    Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park

    • braveskimom says

      November 13, 2019 at 11:58 am

      I’ll add it on! Thanks!

  4. Kirsten says

    November 13, 2019 at 8:33 am

    I’m curious if Belleayre might make a almost upside down list. The main lodge is in the middle of the mountain so for your first run you have a choice of going up the lift or skiing a run down to the lower lift. I always start my day skiing down to the lower lift.

    • braveskimom says

      November 13, 2019 at 11:59 am

      Then I think it qualifies as upside-down, but possibly right-side-up, thus covering all categories! Thanks!

  5. Wally says

    November 21, 2019 at 10:00 am

    Sorry but u guys missed a hidden gem Laurel mountain Ligoner pa

    • braveskimom says

      November 21, 2019 at 10:09 am

      Believe me! I know we’ve missed many hidden gems, which is why I so appreciate your comment! Tell us more, please!

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I'm Kristen, a western Colorado mom, wife and trail boss in a busy outdoor family. Our family has a passion for skiing and my goal is to provide information to help other families enjoy their skiing adventures. Whether you have tiny toddlers just learning to slide or grown children with whom you're planning a reunion, you're in the right place. Cheers!

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