Ski2Live Live2Ski

Great place for folks learning, and pretty easy access from NY. Would be my first choice in PA for a beginner coming from NY. Was my girls home mointain their 2nd and 3rd skisons (1st one was at Spring). Also some of the nicer views in the Poconos, along with Jack Frost and Elk.

Blue is a fine place to get on snow and make some turns when you can get a good deal, crowds are light, and it isn't far away. I have skied Blue or Little Gap over 100 times. Sorry if I dont see it as anything more than one of my 4 favorite Mid Atlantic ski areas.

Or maybe because be suggested Blue and this is a Blue boosters board more than anything else

If you don't believe your opinions are better than others, then allow me to state mine without arguing against it. I offered the 2 closest to NYC options ideal for learners that nobody else had mentioned. It was a helpful non contentious contribution to a thread, and folks chose to argue with me.

Sorry, the topic here is good areas for first timers based in NYC, not Blue. If you were willing to drive an extra 3 hrs to ski in natural beauty I expect you would have an Elk pass not a Blue pass.

Ultimately sure, but if all I am going to do is spend a few hours on a bunny slope, the beauty of Blue's valley learning area does not to me warrant an extra 3 hrs round trip drive, less certain snow conditions and likely less pleasant weather.

Yeah the place by the NY/NJ border. Dont see it as making anyone fall in love with skiing but it has all a beginner needs and is very close to NYC. Campgaw is also real close to NYC and tailored to beginners.

If I were just learning and from NYC I would seriously consider doing it at Big Snow - the indoor place at American Dream at Meadowlands. Too small for experienced skiers to get much out of, but the controlled temp should make for ideal snow conditions for learners.

It was PA "skiing" and therefore not in the same league as Catskills skiing, but it was fun getting outside and moving around on snow with my daughters without too much driving.

Real nice Spring conditions especially on Thunderbolt and River Shot and no lines at all today. Fun trees off Challenge.

Go too fast at Frost and you can blink and miss a run

Hope to hit Frost one day this weekend. Possible tomorrow will be the better day as chance of rain reduces in AM. See what forecast shows when I wake. Could well be iced over on Sun.

I really don't know. My best guess is she has a paranoid delusion that I am so bent on preventing her from continuing to have joint custody that I would quit a good job, sell my home, never again see my family and friends, and live abroad with the kids as a fugitive in order to do so. Can"t tell you how glad I was to no longer be married to her even before I started dating someone sane.

Girls' mom won't allow them to travel abroad

Big Snow at American Dream in NJ. Plan to try in off skison.

I am planning to pay to try Big Snow with the girls one day in 2020. I'm really not trying to convince anyone to stop skiing Blue. Just reporting on my own ski trips, and commenting on other threads. Epic Local pass was an awesome deal and seems likely I will have my best ski year ever, as will my girls.

When skiing with girls I often am starting and ending day at my parents place outside Philly. That was the case when I went there. Would be far less likely to RT there from my place in Lawrenceville NJ

Of course. If I lived those distances from those places, I would ski Blue a lot more. Thats why I moatly skied Little Gap while based in Philly (through Spring 88). Did it plenty again last season when I got a great deal on it, and enjoyed it.

I was asked to elaborate on my comment about by ski history which basically started at Spring, moved to Blue, and then on to larger places.

Also started exploring them as I got a Peak Pass (then switched to Epic). Had a great day at Whitetail end of season last year - the one time I have been there. It was 100% open and their 2nd peak was covered in soft natural bumps. I would go back. Did Roundtop (1 trail open) to start the season in November as a warm up as it was a lot better than what BB was offering. If they get 100% open I could see trying it for variety from Frost on a day I did not want to drive as far as Whitetail or Hunter.

With just the right fresh snow and a mountain that leaves it ungroomed it can be pretty awesome on occasion. North face of Montage is probably the place I have experienced that most regularly in PA. And it always beats not skiing and is great for learning or teaching kids. But when I hit Taos in Dec 88 it was incomparably better than any of the PA skiing I had been limited to from 80-87 (Little Gap, Doe, Spring, Jack Frost, Big Boulder, Elk, Alpine, Split Rock). In general, if I have the time and $ available to travel a bit further, I will take any of the 4 Catskills Mts over any in PA, except if a snowstorm just hit Poconos and missed Catskills. Does anyone here feel they prefer PA to Catskills skiing other than for proximity reasons?

Pot meet kettle

Never met a girl in CO who I dated. Song is fictional.

I gotta agree with the commenta about the shortcomings of all season tires after my recent trip to VT. Some real tricky driving on slick Mt roads had me wishing for better tires. Also, we changed plans from Attitash/Wildcat to Okemo/MtSnow based on more snow fall and % open in S.Vt.

It is great to have that option within 2 hours for sure. Beats NJ skiing or skiing anywhere on the east cost south of PA other than Snowshoe.