Winter Activities
This winter the DHS Press has highlighted two major winter activities that the students have chosen to be a part of: Ice Skating and Ski Resorts.
The most famous Ice Skating rinks must be the Ashburn Ice House and the Reston Town Center Rink.
The Reston Rink is an outdoor ice house approximately 11 minutes from Dominion. Admission fee is $10.00 for high school students with an additional $5.00 for skate rentals. They are open from 11 AM to 11 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, closing at 7 PM on Sundays. They also offer beginners classes, public and private birthday parties, and musical skating events.
The Ashburn Ice House is an indoor Hockey and Public rink around 13 minutes from Dominion. Admission fee is $8.00 with an added $4.00 for skate rentals, with the first and only ice skating session starting at 12:30-2:00 PM on Saturdays. The Sunday Session starts at 2:00 and ends at 3:30 PM. They offer a group fee for more than 10 people at $8.00, not adding skate fees.
The bonus of going to Reston is that it is closer, there is more time to skate, admission is more expensive. The Ashburn house is farther, less expensive, but also gives you less time on the ice.
The two ski resorts highlighted include Whitetail Ski Resort and Liberty Mountain.
The Whitetail Ski Resort has lifts operating daily from 8:30 AM to 10:00 PM. Admission fee ranges from $30.00 to $73.00 depending on the choice and time on the snow. They offer skiing, snow tubing, and snowboarding. Special deals come with childcare, package deals, and group fees. Whitetail is 1 hour and 30 minutes away from Dominion.
The second and final resort is Liberty Mountain. Their opening times vary, to the following:
| Skiing & Snowboarding | Boulder Ridge Snow Tubing | ||
| Monday – Friday Non-Peak: |
9:00am to 10:00pm |
Monday – Thursday Non-Peak: |
4:00pm – 10:00pm |
| Saturday, Sunday, Peak: |
8:00am – 10:00pm |
Friday: |
9:00am – 10:00pm |
| Night – 7 nights per week: |
5:00pm – 10:00pm |
Saturday, Sunday, Peak: |
8:00am – 10:00pm |
Liberty Mountain offers the same services as Whitetail; snowboarding, snow tubing, and skiing. It also offers hotel venues, conference halls, and wedding spaces. Ticket prices range from $30.00 to $140.00 depending on choice of hours and type. The drive from Dominion to Liberty is around 3 hours.
Liberty may not be plausible for a high school student’s budget and is fit for family vacations. Being far away also adds to its inconvenience. Whitetail is closer, less expensive, and fit for a quick vacation getaway.
