The cool, crisp days of fall are almost here -- and you know what that means. In the next few weeks, Mother Nature will blanket the mountains of of Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia in a crazy-quilt of spectacular colors as the leaves begin to change.
This autumn, try a mountain destination that's a little different -- Whitetail, a ski resort in nearby Pennsylvania that operates a ski lift on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays that whisks visitors to the top of a mountain.
Whitetail, a $25 million downhill ski emporium located west of Hagerstown, began operations two years ago. In June, it opened its doors to mountain bikers . . . and anyone else who enjoys an effortless trip to the top of a mountain to enjoy great views and to explore 20-plus miles of trails and dirt roads that honeycomb the mountain.
It all makes economic sense: Mountain bikes -- knobby-tired bicycles with motorcycle-style handlebars, ultra-low gears and beefy brakes -- are the hottest things on two wheels. Opening trails and ski lifts to mountain bikers is part of an industry-wide trend by ski resorts to stay open nearly year round.
"It's a great place to ride a mountain bike, especially if you like long downhills," says Maryanne Carlson of Baltimore, a regular off-road bicyclist who made the 90-minute trek to Whitetail twice last summer.
She adds: "A lot of the trails are rough -- which is good, because experienced riders can really be challenged. But there's riding for all levels of riders at Whitetail."
Those who aren't cyclists are also invited to the resort to ride the ski lift for vistas of the autumn splendor. The cost? Hikers and walkers pay $3 for the scenic ride, whose vertical gain is nearly 1,000 feet. A one-time lift ticket for a bike and rider is $12; an all-day pass is $20.
"One of the great attractions of Whitetail is that the mountain biking trails are also great hiking trails," says Chuck Nagle, who runs Whitetail's Mountain Biking Center.
"The whole resort is located on Two Top Mountain, which is part of a small range called the Bear Ponds Mountains," he says. "Once you take the ski lift to the top, there are many valleys to look down on, plus views of more mountains to the south."
And, Mr. Nagle adds, Mother Nature puts on quite a show in the fall on Two Top Mountain: "The mix of deciduous and pine trees on the mountain means there's a lot of contrast between the golds, yellows and greens of the leafy trees and the dark green of the pines."
