Welcome to the Nordic skiing wunderland of White Grass, where the snow is farmed and the smiles are infectious. While the icy wind may whip throughout Canaan Valley, it’s impossible to strike a scowl in this magical realm.

4,400 feet up on top of Bald Knob, a prominent feature of Cabin Mountain, a hidden oasis in a thick grove of red spruce beckons the tired and weary. The Bald Knob shelter is perhaps one of the happiest microcosms in the Canaan Universe—it’s a place where the snacks are tasty, the drinks are hardy, and the birds eat right out of your hand.

 

In the lodge, the soup is steaming and the light is warm. Although the skiers are some 1,100 feet below the oasis of the Bald Knob shelter, their spirits remain as high as they were on the top of the mountain.