tom nepa Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 We live NE of Scranton 30 minutes from Elk and Sno, 1:30 from boulder What does blue have thats different to make it worthwhile to drive to try it. Kids like terain parks and jumps I like to ski the steep stuff most Quote
toast21602 Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 worth a trip if you have never been there. Quote
trackbiker Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 I wouldn't pass by Elk or Sno to go to Blue on a weekend but it would be worth checking it out on a weekday or weeknight. You may want to get a morning pass on a Sunday and get there for opening. The crowds tend to ski off the snow to ice pretty quickly after 10:00am. Blue does have a nice variety of trails and you can get a lot of runs in on the high speed lifts. Quote
Glenn Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 I feel like Elk, Sno and JF had the most character out of the PA hills. They also had the slow lifts. Blue has the "most vert" but it's less than 1000 feet more than Elk, and elk has way less run out. You like steeps and blue doesn't compare to Sno. From the edits I've seen Blue looks to have a way better park than Sno and Elk's was pathetic the last time I was there. For spinning lots of laps and getting in the park Blue makes sense. I'll agree with whoever said hit it on a weekday. If you go on the weekend to these hills you will miss your hometown slopes dearly. Quote
Glenn Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 Denton = steep as a mofo This kept me from saying sno was the steepest. Can you confirm that you've been there and it's claims are legitimate. I went to school with a guy who described a terrible run through the triple diamond tree run. Just sounded bad, nothing classy or fun about it at all. Quote
Justin Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 blue is almost always an all around fun time, considering the weather doesn't blow that day. they've got some nice semi-long runs, dece bumps (steeps are almost non-existent) but the best part about that place is the two high speed lifts. I can't stand slow doubles. park setup is very fun right now, they truly have something for everyone's ability and the vibe is very good and friendly in every park unlike some other places (cough...boulder). you might see some people doing high speed park laps like myself and catch the occasional snake, but other than that there's nothing to worry about. setup even in the big park (sidewinder) isn't even that big and come around and lower park have lots of small very progressive features. jumps aren't too big and have some nicely built landings so you don't need to worry about your kids killing themselves on huge jumps, they're all for the most part very safe and well built. plus I don't know how much of a deal this is to you but they just remodeled the summit lodge, it's real nice and a cool place to hang out for a second, or boot up in if you're a lodge booter. all around it's a super fun sizable mountain in PA that I think everyone can have fun at. it's kept me going there for 10+ years and I still have lots of fun every time I ski there despite just moving back from CO....I like to visit other places like CB and boulder every now and then but I don't think i'll ever buy a pass to anywhere other than blue as long as I live in PA. 2 Quote
Kyle Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) blue is almost always an all around fun time, considering the weather doesn't blow that day. they've got some nice semi-long runs, dece bumps (steeps are almost non-existent) but the best part about that place is the two high speed lifts. I can't stand slow doubles. park setup is very fun right now, they truly have something for everyone's ability and the vibe is very good and friendly in every park unlike some other places (cough...boulder). you might see some people doing high speed park laps like myself and catch the occasional snake, but other than that there's nothing to worry about. setup even in the big park (sidewinder) isn't even that big and come around and lower park have lots of small very progressive features. jumps aren't too big and have some nicely built landings so you don't need to worry about your kids killing themselves on huge jumps, they're all for the most part very safe and well built. plus I don't know how much of a deal this is to you but they just remodeled the summit lodge, it's real nice and a cool place to hang out for a second, or boot up in if you're a lodge booter. all around it's a super fun sizable mountain in PA that I think everyone can have fun at. it's kept me going there for 10+ years and I still have lots of fun every time I ski there despite just moving back from CO....I like to visit other places like CB and boulder every now and then but I don't think i'll ever buy a pass to anywhere other than blue as long as I live in PA. how big are blues jumps in sidewinder? i havent been there yet this year as i have a pass to bear but some kids in my school were talking about it and throw out the number 65 feet for one of the jumps so i was just wondering. Edited February 9, 2011 by Kyle Quote
Justin Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 how big are blues jumps in sidewinder? i havent been there yet this year as i have a pass to bear but some kids in my school were talking about it and throw out the number 65 feet for one of the jumps so i was just wondering. definitely no 65 footers. 1st is maybe a real quick 15-20ft step down depending on how deep you take it, 2nd big side is about a 30-35ft step down, 3rd big is definitely no bigger than a 50ft step down....but it's not very poppy so you hit the landing real quick. I kinda suck at determining jump lengths but I'd say that sounds about right basing off time in the air, if anything I underestimated them. I'm not one to really care about length though, I care more about how they're built. landings are wide, long, and steep for PA at least and lips are really nice. Quote
Kyle Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 definitely no 65 footers. 1st is maybe a real quick 15-20ft step down depending on how deep you take it, 2nd big side is about a 30-35ft step down, 3rd big is definitely no bigger than a 50ft step down....but it's not very poppy so you hit the landing real quick. I kinda suck at determining jump lengths but I'd say that sounds about right basing off time in the air, if anything I underestimated them. I'm not one to really care about length though, I care more about how they're built. landings are wide, long, and steep for PA at least and lips are really nice. yeah thats why i asked. these are kids who go about maybe 4 times a year so when i heard 65 footer i laughed at them. Quote
C1erArt Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 Dentons claim to fame is their so called triple fall-line quadruple black diamond...steepest in the east 89 degrees. Was there a couple of years ago, saw it, but the slope was closed due to lack of cover. Pretty steep, but short. Slopes were interesting, but snow making was pretty poor (it was early in the season and not much natural snow). A nice WPA era stone lodge. Never saw so many straight skis in the ski racks. Hopefully the gas frackers haven't run over the place. Quote
Johnny Law Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 This kept me from saying sno was the steepest. Can you confirm that you've been there and it's claims are legitimate. I went to school with a guy who described a terrible run through the triple diamond tree run. Just sounded bad, nothing classy or fun about it at all. I've been there twice, my uncle's brother was a patroller their and my cousin has been there like a 100 times over 20 years. It used to be a state facility and now as far as I know its a 99 year lease deal. Avalanche is maybe 50 degrees, people say its 66 but its definitely not that steep. Mt. Snow has some run that they say is 62 or something similar and it is for like 3 feet the rest is in the upper 40's, Avalanche could have something like that going on. Its really what you would expect really icy, spotty coverage steep groomer. There is a tree trail called extreme that is next to avalanche that is hardly ever ride-able. I've never had the pleasure but my cousin's cousin has ridden it a bunch and said its mostly just really steep icy bumps. He did put a ski pole 4" through his leg on that trail a number of years ago so I imagine it can get pretty gnar. Denton is in the middle of nowhere so no crowds and not alot in the way of conventional ski amenities. Still a cool place to check out at least once. The trails are short and steep, but not considerably more than dodges drop at tux if you remember that. Quote
Glenn Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 The trails are short and steep, but not considerably more than dodges drop at tux if you remember that. How could I forget. 50 degrees is steep and worthy. To be honest I think that might be too steep to be enjoyable considering prevailing conditions, especially if it is groomed. Quote
toast21602 Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 how big are blues jumps in sidewinder? i havent been there yet this year as i have a pass to bear but some kids in my school were talking about it and throw out the number 65 feet for one of the jumps so i was just wondering. about 40 feet i would say is the biggest. it has decent pop. today it was nice. i haven't been hitting it much but today was sunny and the landing was good so i took advantage of that. 40 and poppy. oh, and it's fun. Quote
tom nepa Posted February 10, 2011 Author Report Posted February 10, 2011 Thanks for all the input Sounds like a place we will try to get to We usually can only go on the weekends and it seems that everyone thinks the place in too crowded on the weekends Quote
toast21602 Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 Thanks for all the input Sounds like a place we will try to get to We usually can only go on the weekends and it seems that everyone thinks the place in too crowded on the weekends then go late season in the spring. Quote
Ride Delaware ? Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 then go late season in the spring. Yeah... I went last year the Saturday they closed and had a great time... Hit CB the weekend afterward... It was 70 and sunny, I was pimping shorts and a t-shirt, and there was excellent coverage... A couple guys here said they went up on Sunday and coverage was really breaking down, but if you hit it the 2nd weekend or later in March (depending on how late they are open), and depending on weather, there will be very few crowds, and if there are some, then the lines will surely be manageable... Quote
Justo8484 Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 After presidents weekend, unless we get snow, blue will be empty on weekends, and they usually do the spring fling coupons too. Quote
Kyle Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 After presidents weekend, unless we get snow, blue will be empty on weekends, and they usually do the spring fling coupons too. x2 I feel like every ski area flatlines after presidents day weekend Quote
mollyskeez Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 x2 I feel like every ski area flatlines after presidents day weekend yeah all the gapers forget skiing exists. 1 Quote
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