Driving
directions to Snowshoe can be found at
the main
Snowshoe site. (Note that this opens a new browser window to a
site maintained by Snowshoe Mountain Resort, not Rimfire Lodge, and you
may need to disable any pop-up blocker you may be using.)
Snowshoe
is "Forever Wild" and, as such, normal mapping destinations such as
street addresses cannot be used for common Internet mapping programs. However, you may use the GPS
coordinates for Rimfire (approximately 38° 24' 38" N / 79° 59' 46" W) for
mapping sites such as
Google Maps
and
MapQuest. (Note that
these links open new browser windows to sites not maintained by Rimfire Lodge, and you
may need to disable any pop-up blocker you may be using.)
Guests can
check in at the Mountain Top Check-In Center (near the Top of the World
condos), which is open 24 hours daily.
The parking garage entrance is on the north
side (on the left, as you look at the front of the building) of Rimfire Lodge.
Carts should be in the
garage near the elevator vestibule doors. Some are also located at the
rear of the lobby area opposite the main entrance for those loading or
unloading at the main entrance.
Please be courteous
and return the carts when finished so that others can use them.
There are two elevators in
the garage. The north elevator accesses the lobby and the upper floors of
the north section. The south elevator accesses the lobby and
the upper floors of the south section. south takes you to the lobby. The
lobby elevator only operates between the first-floor lobby and the
parking garage. Both the north and south sections can be reached
from the lobby, and at peak times, the lobby elevator may be the fastest
and easiest way to reach first-floor rooms.
A layout of the building
should be given to you when you check in. You should review this
layout before entering the garage, since you may want to park near the
elevator closest to your room. This will depend on whether you
will be using the north or south elevator.
Also, please note that
the lobby floor (first floor) and garage are the only levels that connect
the North and South Rimfire buildings.
There is extremely limited reception on and
around Snowshoe, primarily due to our proximity to the
National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green
Bank, WV. (If time permits, consider a free tour of this fascinating
site.) Snowshoe, and the
surrounding area, is part of the 13,000 square mile National Radio Quiet Zone. This
location was selected precisely because of its distance from urban areas
and radio "noise." This is why there are very few cellular transmitters in the area and there will not
be any expansion for the foreseeable future. So come to Rimfire and "unplug."
For planning purposes, don't rely on
coordinating with others in your party by cell phones. Agree on places
and times to meet before coming to the mountain.
Absolutely! And not
just Internet access, but high-speed access. Even better, it's free!
Each room is equipped with an Ethernet jack located on the wall in the
dining area. In some 2-bedroom units, there are additional
connections. See the in-room directory for detailed instructions for
configuring your PC.
Remember to bring your
Ethernet cable, as you will need it to connect to the Ethernet jack in the
wall. If you forget yours, call the front desk at 5751 for a loaner
cable.
Snowshoe
Mountain is well inside the National Radio Quiet Zone, and is very near
the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, WV. Because
the telescopes there work with very faint signals from distant stars,
almost any nearby radio activity can interfere with its operation, and if
a signal is strong enough, it can actually damage some of the sensitive
components. That's why there are state and federal laws prohibiting
interference. So there are only a few carefully engineered hot spots on the
mountain, developed in close cooperation with the Observatory. Guests
are requested not to use any wireless computer equipment in the rooms.
Skis and snowboards are
prohibited in rooms. Rimfire has two separate ski storage areas; one for
each North and South building. (Refer to the building layout that is
provided when you check in.)
Bicycles are prohibited in
rooms. (Yes, even clean bikes. Sorry) A cage is located
at the south end of the parking garage. Be sure you lock your bikes
as the cage itself is not locked.
Turn right 2 complete
turns, stop at the first number, turn left one complete turn, stop at the
second number, and turn right to third number.
If you are not on a lift
& lodging package and did not receive your tickets at time of check-in,
you can purchase lift tickets at the following locations:
