The Most Important Ski Area in America

[RidgeRacer]

I grew up near two small ski areas in the Lehigh Valley, does anybody remember Apple HIll, in Foglesville, and Big Valley/Hahn Mountain, in Lenhartsville? I think they both went bust a long time ago. These places cost around $10 for a night of skiing in the 70's- still expensive when you consider that a day pass at Stowe was around $35. I skied at night at the tiny places, ans sometimes during the weekday, so I could get home at the same time I usually got hoe from school, then skied at CB on the weekends. CB was crowded even back then, but the more challenging runs there made the additional cost and drive time worth it. Still, the ice, and rocks on the Rocket at CB were nothing compared to the majesty of Northern Vermont!

 

EVERYTHING is more expensive now, and almost everybody I know has had to move from place to place to service their career. We don't always have the option of living in ski country, and we can't force our kids to ski if they don't like the cold or the pain of falling, etc. (I think you have to be a bit of a masochistic thrill seeker to learn to ski.), so we begin to develop other habits. That's what I did. I moved down south and never considered southern skiing, until a guy I worked with kept on nagging me to go with him to Wintergreen, Va. I was surprised to see so much snow on the slopes! I put the skis on and after the first ten yards of gliding I felt like I was back home again! No skiing for 25 years- What was I thinking? My skiing addiction had been rekindled, and that weekend I bought some some equipment and began getting out there as much as I could, skiing for free as a Ski Bus Captain.

 

Anyway, I moved back to Pennsylvania, and I'm ready to put more time on the slopes. Not sure how I'm going to be able to afford it though. It's not so easy to fool the left attendants these days, and sneak on the lift line like I used to when I was in HS. I thought of running some ski bus trips, but that market's not so great where I live in Lewisburg. Maybe I'll have to join the Ski Patrol some place.

 

I'm ready for somne advice...I'm wondering where I should consider my home Ski area, living where I live. I don't think Jack Frost is worth the money for the ticket, nor is Camelback. There's Sawmill an hour away. Cheap but nothing advanced, except for the park, and I'm pretty old for trick skiing. Do they have moguls/decent snow? There's Denton 2 hours away. Cheap, and I hear it's pretty decent for 600 ft vertical. Then there's Elk, 2 hours, but significantly more expensive than Denton, and Blue, which is supposed to be really nice, but crowded on weekends. And then there's the carpooling thing. I hope there are some avid skiers in the Lewisburg area who want to carpool, 'cause it just ain't the same when you're alone.

Check out a bunch of places and decide for yourself which is best. Some people like Park, some like longer runs, some like the ability to stick to trees etc. It really depends on what you like.

 

PS if you don't want to ski alone, never and I mean NEVER suggest carpooling on this site. A former member here got all douchey about carpooling and ruined the idea forever. 70 or 80 percent of PASR skis blue. You'll always find someone there.

 

Also don't be so quick to hate on Frost (especially if you haven't skied in 25 years) . When there is snow there is stuff to keep decent skiers interested.

[toast21602]

Carpooling is okay. Meet the people before doing it though or else that's just creepy.

 

See you at Blue.

[trackbiker]

Anyway, I moved back to Pennsylvania, and I'm ready to put more time on the slopes. Not sure how I'm going to be able to afford it though.

 

I'm ready for somne advice...I'm wondering where I should consider my home Ski area, living where I live. I don't think Jack Frost is worth the money for the ticket, nor is Camelback. There's Sawmill an hour away. Cheap but nothing advanced, except for the park, and I'm pretty old for trick skiing. Do they have moguls/decent snow? There's Denton 2 hours away. Cheap, and I hear it's pretty decent for 600 ft vertical. Then there's Elk, 2 hours, but significantly more expensive than Denton, and Blue, which is supposed to be really nice, but crowded on weekends. And then there's the carpooling thing. I hope there are some avid skiers in the Lewisburg area who want to carpool, 'cause it just ain't the same when you're alone.

When the WNEP Ski Card comes out buy one. It includes one time each at about 8 ski areas. Usual areas are Sawmill, Denton, Big Boulder, Jack Frost, Montage, Shawnee, Gore, and Mountain Creek. I always use it twice at JF since JF & BB are interchangeable. You likely won't use it at Mountain Creek but Swain should be within day trip range for you. Price last year was $129.00. I'm sure someone will post here when it is available.

[RidgeRacer]

Where is lewisburg? I don't think there are any PASRs in that area.

Glad he joined. Our member base needs to expand westward.

[toast21602]

Glad he joined. Our member base needs to expand westward.

Doug will scare him away like everybody else on this site with his stupidity. Only the strong survive.

Thanks for the reminder, I have to send in my membership renewal

I'll be waiting for it in the mail.

[RidgeRacer]

Rjspeerjr don't let GrilledSteezeSandwich scare you away. He means no harm and is actually a pretty funny guy in person.

[Johnny Law]

post

 

Denton's got some goods, WNEP card would maybe work for you. If you come to Blue I got a day ticket for you. Blue is 1hr 45min away we'll show you a good time.

 

 

Lewisburg is near Bucknell, not as dead center PA as state college but pretty close for all the PASR peeps that aren't familar with central PA.

[zzslope]

I started skiing on a local hill known as Bell Mountain just south of Lambertville New Jersey. I think the vert was around150 if that, lift pass was a couple dollars. Three trails if you count bunny slopes, there was one chair lift and a rope tow to the top. The rope tow zoomed you to the top almost as fast as you could ski back down. If you didn't get the rope tow technique right it would yank your gloves off and pull you out of your skis. At the bottom was a wall with hay bales in front to stop errant skiers from going out on the road, watched more than one skier hit it. The parking lot was right across the road so you could sit in your car and watch the skiers. On nights we didn't ski we would sit out there with beer and weed and have a good ole time watching people wipeout. Good old days, miss them.

[zzslope]

mmmmmm pizza