How does Elk compare to Blue?

[Stripes]

I'm thinking of taking a trip to Elk with some friends and was looking for input on how Elk compares, in size, to Blue. Are the runs at Elk as long Lazy Mile/Switchback? Those are the runs I normally board, intertwined with trips down the Sidewinder and Paradise. I take it easy, so I don't need anything technical. Just looking for longer runs. I was disappointed with Jack Frost last week. The runs were way too short.

[Stripes]

Makes sense. I may do just that. I don't get many days on the mountain so I'm trying to get a feel for elk before I go. I really like Blue, but my friends want to do Elk. Childless friends don't get how your time is limited when you have kids! The Elk trail map looked like it has mostly black diamond runs and a few blue squares to the edge of the resort. For some reason I can't grasp, in my head, how long a run is by looking at a map. Duh.

 

Go to Elk and ski Elk....then go to Blue and ski Blue...then post an article..about it...about the best advice I can give...JADIP...

 

be warned..some of the stuff at Elk is mad technical..bring your A game and be ready to stomp some trains Johnny Law style....

[Schif]

Elk has some pretty nice and long runs, but like others have said its a tougher mountain to ski than Blue. They have a really long green cruiser (Tioga maybe?) that is really long, but its super flat. The Blues off of the quad are nice runs too but as a whole elk caters to the diamond crowd.

[DiMe]

Elk is fun definitely worth a visit. Runs are definitely longer than Jackson Frost.

[Cadillac]

Elks has real nice terrain (more challenging than Blue). And the lodge and bar are way better than Blues. But their lifts suck IMO compared to the ones at Blue.

 

And the food is better at ELK.

[stever2003]

Snow quality is great...usually much better than Blue. Much less ice and hardpack. Great terrain as well.

 

Elk's lifts may be slow, but the high speed lifts at Blue don't matter when there are 1000 people in line and you have to wait 15-20 minutes to get on a chair. Elk is usually not too crowded (not nearly as crowded as Blue on a weekend). I've done 28 runs on a weekend day at Elk...couldn't imagine doing that with Blue's weekend crowds.

 

I love Blue, but Elk is much better. If you're going up for a full day of skiing, you're best bet is to drive the extra 80 minutes to Elk.

[Rambo]

Here is a vid I found on youtube and it shows someone cruising down Tioga an intermediate trail then they turn off onto lower Tunkanhock (upper Tunkanahock is a big-time mogul run) also intermediate and ski down to the fixed grip quad. A fairly long ski run and all intermediate level. Just an example from Elk Mtn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXyipjSZxpQ

[burton71]

Elk has better snow, better runs, better lodge, better bar and is less crowded.

[sexkitten]

Elk has better snow, better runs, better lodge, better bar and is less crowded.

 

Yes it does but unfortunately it's way further for us so we stick to Blue. As for the lifts they are slower but not so much so that it ruins the day.

[Ride Delaware ?]

I'm a huge Elk groupie... I only get to board there once or twice a year, but I enjoy every bit of it... To start it off, there is no comparison... While I held a season pass at Blue and Camelback, and they can be compared and bitch about who is better all the time, I just can't compare Elk and Blue. Elk has a smaller vert by 82'. Whoop d fucking doo... Elk has slow lifts... I usually go there for a whole day and stay open until 4:30 when they start shutting down the quad side due to the setting sun. I get a full day of runs in and never get tired... If your looking to go somewhere, pound some quick runs out, and then go home, like most of our Blue crew does, then this is not the mountain for you. That being said, and you can all bitch and moan about it all you want, Elk is always a solid 5 degrees colder than Blue... Their grooming is superb... You won't find nearly as many death cookies, and often, none at all... There are very rarely crowds, and even then, the snow stays excellent way past Blue because the slow lifts monitor snow traffic... The food is definitely cheaper, but I'm not sure if I regard the quality to be as high... Parking is a little bit of a pain at Elk and a shuttle is often mandatory on weekends when the upper lot is only open to passholders... On another note, Elk is very laid back. It is rare to see a ski patroller since most of them are retirees... On most weekdays there are only 2 and they won't bitch at you for anything... I have gone off piste and they haven't cared... I have flown down the bunny slopes, they haven't cared... I am sure that they will give much more of a shit on a busier weekend, but as a whole, a very down to earth atmosphere... Unlike Blue though, Elk is incredibly difficult to access... While Blue is only 15-20 minutes from the A, Elk is like 20 minutes from I-81 and the exit is a good 25-30 minutes from anything closely resembling civilization... Take it or leave it, you won't be disappointed...

[Johnny Law]

Elk sucks dont waste your gas

 

But Elk is like skiing in VT without the drive

 

Seriously go to Blue, Elk is only slightly better and is about an hour further to drive. If not just keep driving and go to the skills.

[Ride Delaware ?]

But Elk is like skiing in VT without the drive

 

Seriously go to Blue, Elk is only slightly better and is about an hour further to drive. If not just keep driving and go to the skills.

 

I'll agree with that... The skillz arent that much farther but are definitely worth the extra half hour or so drive... Depending on where your coming from...

[Ride Delaware ?]

Once I make it to the skillz..I might as well just go to Stowe..

 

Isn't that an extra 3-3.5 hours from there?

[method9455]

Isn't that an extra 3-3.5 hours from there?

 

Isn't it faster to go to Stove via 95 through CT than up 87 through NY to Stowe? At least in bad weather once you head east from Albany it all goes downhill quick in my experience.

[skierdaddy]

No comparison, I have skied Blue since it was Little Gap and remember talking to Ray Tuthill many times. I think it is a nice mountain for pa. Elk's conditions are always much better, the base elevation at Elk is as high as the summit at Blue and is much further north. Blue still does not know how and when to groom and forget it on a weekend, Blue is ridiculous. Blue needs to keep expanding east to better the terrain. Elk has many more true fall line trails and skiis way bigger. Blue adverstises 34 trails or something? It is really more like 15 and of those, only challenge, razors and main street are real fall line trails. I do like lazy mile though. Blue early on a weekday is nice, but on a weekend I used to drive the extra hour plus to go to Elk, until I bought a house there and I live in south jersey. Bottom line though is different strokes for different folks!! And Elk is not skiing in Vermont by any stretch, but it feels like skiing in Vermont far more than any other Ne pa mtn. Enjoy the rest of this winter regardless of where you go. Ps for anyone who is not familiar with alot of New England resorts, check out www.themountainreport.tv The website is actually for a tv show and they stream the shows and the videos do a nice job of touring the ski resorts and showing you the terrain and the vibes.

[Cadillac]

No comparison, I have skied Blue since it was Little Gap and remember talking to Ray Tuthill many times. I think it is a nice mountain for pa. Elk's conditions are always much better, the base elevation at Elk is as high as the summit at Blue and is much further north. Blue still does not know how and when to groom and forget it on a weekend, Blue is ridiculous. Blue needs to keep expanding east to better the terrain. Elk has many more true fall line trails and skiis way bigger. Blue adverstises 34 trails or something? It is really more like 15 and of those, only challenge, razors and main street are real fall line trails.

Blue needs to keep expanding east to better the terrain

 

I agree...but it looks like they're going west instead. Seems they think Blue is gonna be some destination water park. At least they can't screw up the grooming at a water park!