Rock Solid. First time visit…read more All the usual feel of a ling-running guide service at a remote outpost. Dimly lit headquarters, guide tents, bathroom that beats any tented alternative, mounds of gear and stickers, and all the needed kit-- across the road from Yokum's tourist/ redneck / passing-throughs (and a bit to radically tatooed supremacist 4x4 rider). None of this matters. Got a guide for the day ('S'), who took me around the Rocks, from easy to intermediate/pumped out forearm failure, and walls and summit ridge climbs. Awesome rock, great guide, and some geology learned. Solid Rock. Beat it, be beaten. It's all the same. It ends with an ice cream sandwich at Yokum's after a mercifully short approach back on a hot day.

I've climbed with Seneca Rocks Mountain Guides on 3 occasions. The 1st was the Intro to Trad course…read more(near DC), the 2nd was the Top Ropes and Anchors course (near DC), and most recently a RoadTrip that consisted of climbing Nelson Rocks and summiting Seneca Rocks. I enjoyed all 3 of my times with this company and the RoadRTrip was especially memorable. I pitched my tent at Basecamp and it was such a wonderful experience. There is an outdoor shower, a bathroom with running water and lights, and there is an indoor/outdoor kitchen with appliances including a stove/oven and a refrigerator. Tom is amazing and very welcoming. They keep you well fed on Saturday and Sunday to fuel you for the climbs that await you. Everything is well organized and the guides are superb. They know the craft, they know the rocks/routes, and they are genuinely amazing people. I never once felt unsafe. This was also my 1st multi-pitch climb and I felt so accomplished atop Seneca Rocks South Peak- there was even a drone that captured us

I was expecting a bit more on the trip up to Seneca Rock. The trail itself is rocky, and there…read moreisn't a great deal to look up during the ride. We spent about 15 minutes at the top, which is not near enough if you want to explore the entire rock formation. The office at the stables smells, but the water in the restroom is so bad, you wonder where the source is. Some of the horses seemed a bit old to be carrying folks up this trail 2-3 times a day.

I hiked Seneca a couple of years ago in the summer but wanted to see it in the fall too. Rather…read morethan hike this time, we chose to ride horses. This is such an awesome experience! Our guides were fantastic. The group we were with was great also. Had good conversation, great interactions, their customer service was spot on, and just overall this was an experience I plan to redo in the future and will recommend to anyone interested. I will say that 15mins at the top isn't long so if you're wanting to go all the way up the rocks and spend some time sitting then you may want to hike instead. BUT - we took full advantage of the 15mins and our guides had no issues with us using every second to get our fill of the scenery.

Good people, good times. A little disorganized at first but it all came together for a wonderful…read moreday of rock climbing. Conveniently located to everything' there is and everything you need. One little detail..... ZERO cell service for miles!

We signed up for the Learn to Lead class about a month ago and had to reschedule because the…read moreweather forecast for the original weekend seemed terrible. Rescheduling was very easy, and the school was responsive via email and phone. We ended up taking the class with "Uncle Garry", how the other guides seem to call him. Garry was patient, knowledgable and ready to adapt the lesson to our knowledge and specific needs. He also seemed to truly enjoy climbing out there, and offered to stay out climbing for "as long as there was light", which was pretty awesome (given that it's winter). On Sunday, it was windy and cold (it even snowed a little), but he also took us out of the school and, again, always checked on us to make sure we had plenty of opportunities to mock lead and learn, and were also having a good time. The school is awesome. I previously thought that it would be a bit of a waste of time to spend any time learning at the school instead of out climbing, but I was wrong. Garry, Massey and Tom went over a lot of trad and lead climbing techniques that also adapted to our needs. I learned SO much. But the best part of being at the school, was seeing "Uncle Garry" wear his amazing green wool sweater. A wool sweater? You might think I'm crazy, but you had to be there. Garry owns the most magnificent piece of clothing that I've seen in my life. This green (pine colored?) sweater screamed "fall" and "nature" all over, taking us back to the origins of happiness. It's that genuine fashion that gets lost and under-appreciated in big cities and by modern civilization. I'm not surprised that Garry never seemed to get cold, that sweater looked so warm and soft that it must have felt like a hug from god himself. It also seemed to be extremely appropriate for climbing. Needless to say that the other guides did not seem to appreciate it as much. I mean, this sweater can't be comprehended by the simpler minds. Overall, great professional/knowledgable instructors. Five stars!

Five stars for this small, well maintained pool on Snowshoe Mountain. It's located beside Allegheny…read moreSprings, a 2 minutes walk from the middle of The Village. There's a great, shallow (2.5') play area inside that perfect for younger kids. The fun swim-thru hole lets kids swim into the outdoor pool from inside. The outdoor pool, which is 3' and 4' deep, has a small slide. There's also a dry sauna and two hot tubs. The temperature of the pools and hot tubs are listed when you enter the facility. Towels are available for free, and the locker rooms are clean. Summer 2018 prices are $15 per person for the pool. The better deal is a day pass, month pass, or season pass, which includes lots of Snowshoe activities and unlimited pool time is included. The pool has life guards, but no pool breaks. Be sure to check their hours since they are open odd hours, even during the summer.

Family oriented. Don't go here if you're an adult or couple looking to relax. Hot tub wasn't hot…read moreenough and sauna was barely warm despite us asking for it to be turned up hotter.

We've done 3 family rides with Skip and Peggy. Each time was fantastic. We have a six year old…read morethat they were great with. Horseback riding is now on our must do for every snowshoe trip

Five stars for the horseback ride, but negative stars for the guide's political comments. I'm all…read morefor freedom of speech, but I also believe in good customer service. It's so hard to escape from politics in this country right now, although I was naively hoping that I could try to cordon myself off with a relaxing mountain trip. That's what I paid for when I signed up for a two hour horseback ride through the woods, but that's not what I received. I genuinely believe that people should feel free to express their views, and despite my whining here, I actually (mostly) agreed with the guide. There's a right time and place, however. That said, if this wouldn't bother you, it is truly a five star horseback ride.

I've been to so many parts of this forest that it's mind boggling. It's beautiful in ways that…read morewords could never describe. There is so much to see and so many cool places to explore. One of my favorite parts is Bickle Knob because the views from the fire tower are beyond spectacular. Bowden Cave is also a great place to explore as well. There is a ton of great places to camp, mountain bike, and hike. If you are ever able to stop in any part of the Monongahela National Forest please do yourself a favor and do it. Have fun and be safe!

Driving through WV, Monongahela National Forest is a must do. It's absolutely beautiful with tons…read moreof hiking trails. Many of the trails have adequate parking spots and restrooms. We went through the Cranberry Glades and also found a random trail that led to waterfalls. This forest is GIANT. We want to come back again and find a camping ground because this national forest is truly stunning.

This education center has been providing quality outdoor education since 1972. Their name has gone…read morethrough some changes but the spirit and the vibe have remained consistent. This is a really special place oozing with good energy. I'm told it's in the darkest place on the east coast (no light pollution). They offer an array of outdoor programs for adults and children and various forms of lodging (the yurts are special, too). My experience here was for Wilderness First Responder training. I was a long way from home, a person of color, and a solo female. The staff made me feel 100% comfortable and welcome. I was even surprised by cupcakes on my birthday -- it was really touching. Like I said, it's a really special place.

The folks at Elk River are phenomenal!!! They're very well organized, fun and helpful. I'm a…read morefirst-time skier/snowboarder and ended up missing lessons. So I was winging it out there. The team here showed me how to put on my boots correctly and gave me pointers on what to do!! I started out skiing during my trip to Snowshoe....HATED IT! Elk River was nice enough to swap my skis out for a snowboard-- no extra fees or anything. Their equipment is top notch and they have everything you need from skis/snowboard/poles/boots to goggles, helmets and clothing. I also forgot my helmet at our cabin, which was at the bottom of a monstrous hill. I didn't feel like going back to get it. Popped into Elk River...they put another one on my tab for the day. Just phenomenal! ...and I know...one of my friends rented from Top of the World...the service quality wasn't even a fraction of what I received at Elk River. Now you know too :-)