EdBacon Posted March 15, 2018 Report Posted March 15, 2018 Just got in from riding Elk Mountain, PA all day. They must have received some more snowfall overnight. Looked to be 4-6 inches around the mountain when I pulled up this morning. Probably 6 or more up top. This is on top of what has been accumulating over the last 10 days. Unfortunately all but the two bump runs were groomed out. Conditions were still excellent: real packed powder and cord all day. There was hardly anyone there. Never had to wait for a chair. Bummed on Elk's no open mountain policy. There are some fun possibilities up there to bag turns through the trees. They certainly have the snow for it. Also love those rocks off the runout to Mohawk. Lots of fun just wish the landing wasn't so flat. Staying over locally and then driving up to Plattekill tomorrow morning. 7 Quote
antman12 Posted March 15, 2018 Report Posted March 15, 2018 Sounds and looks awesome. Good TR. No gopro? or haven't gotten the footage yet? Quote
enjoralas Posted March 15, 2018 Report Posted March 15, 2018 Do you have a season pass? If on a day pass, why not make last run of the day through the trees? Do they trespass you, or just clip the ticket? Quote
toast21602 Posted March 15, 2018 Report Posted March 15, 2018 those trees look damn good. what a stupid policy. thank goodness Blue loosened up significantly on all of their shit. 1 Quote
Shadows Posted March 15, 2018 Report Posted March 15, 2018 (edited) Closed trees? Vermont my ass Edited March 15, 2018 by Shadows 3 1 Quote
enjoralas Posted March 15, 2018 Report Posted March 15, 2018 2 minutes ago, Shadows said: Closed trees? Vermont my ass It’s like the drive, without Vermont. 2 3 1 Quote
rummy Posted March 15, 2018 Report Posted March 15, 2018 Today was the best conditions all season for tree skiing. It took 3 NEsters to get that coverage. It's actually the best coverage in years. Several years ago an employee was killed while boarding in the trees. For this reason, Safety, Elk restricts skiing off trails.Personally I think there are only so many days at Elk where trees can be skied safely.Surely Elk could spend a ton of $$ to clear glades, and run lines to blow snow. They choose not to do that.Glad you had a good time!It sure was empty today, the beer was cold, and I got a sunburn....Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk 1 Quote
EdBacon Posted March 15, 2018 Author Report Posted March 15, 2018 (edited) No footy. Last time I was at Elk I was 14, and the place was only half open at the time (it was December), so I spent the time finding my way around a bit and looking where the fun stuff was. A bunch of places nearby have open mountain policies. Off the top of my head Jack Frost and Plattekill which are both fairly close by. Frost get significantly less snowfall too. I know Platty and Magic Mtn in VT organize volunteer glade clearing crews every off season. It's worth it, in my opinion. It would make the mountain stand out a lot more. To me it feels like a mellower version of Blue, with better snow. But if you could rock it off piste it'd be the nastiest place in PA. For sure its got the best snow in the Poconos. Not that its saying much but I'd make the drive when the conditions came together if they did. Otherwise I have to drive to the Catskills. I can do Elk in a day. Oh, run of the day was Lehigh. That green cruiser way off on the east side of the mountain. Only natural snow, narrow little trail through the woods. It's like meditation down there, man. Good stuff. I recommend it. Edited March 15, 2018 by EdBacon 4 Quote
momskeeztoo Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 Yes Lehigh is a fun trail. Like a hike in the woods. When we were there last week it was closed. I don't think Elk is considered in the Poconos, it's the Endless Mountains. 1 Quote
GrilledSteezeSandwich Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 I've never seen woods so untracked before except the first half hour a ski area is open. Unreal. Quote
EdBacon Posted March 16, 2018 Author Report Posted March 16, 2018 2 minutes ago, GrilledSteezeSandwich said: I've never seen woods so untracked before except the first half hour a ski area is open. Unreal. This was around noon. Quote
GrilledSteezeSandwich Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 1 minute ago, EdBacon said: This was around noon. Will likely look like that at noon tomorrow as well. Ed Bacon where are you staying tonight? Did you find any nightlife or a good place to have dinner. Quote
EdBacon Posted March 16, 2018 Author Report Posted March 16, 2018 (edited) 3 minutes ago, GrilledSteezeSandwich said: Will likely look like that at noon tomorrow as well. Ed Bacon where are you staying tonight? Did you find any nightlife or a good place to have dinner. Crashing at somebody's lakehouse I found on Airbnb. $40/night and I get my own bathroom. If I knew anyone in the area I'd be on their couch. Actually my aunt lived down the road but then she moved to Mexico. No nightlife. I'm getting up around 5:30 to drive up to Platty tomorrow morning. It's not far as the crow flies but its all local roads and it'll take at least 2 hours driving. Edited March 16, 2018 by EdBacon Quote
GrilledSteezeSandwich Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 This is a neat video and turns out Ed Bacon is Rowdowser over on Alpinezone. 3 Quote
guitar73 Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 (edited) 20 hours ago, rummy said: Several years ago an employee was killed while boarding in the trees. For this reason, Safety, Elk restricts skiing off trails. no offense to the deceased......but that is such a load of BS for rationale to close the trees. if that reasoning was valid, then every single ski area in the nation would have not tree skiing. Edited March 16, 2018 by guitar73 5 Quote
toast21602 Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 no offense to the deceased......but that is such a load of BS for rationale to close the trees. if that reasoning was valid, then every single ski area in the nation would have not tree skiing.QFTSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote
Ski2Live Live2Ski Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 Must have been more than a few years agp. When did they last allow skiing trees? Quote
GrilledSteezeSandwich Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 22 minutes ago, Ski2Live Live2Ski said: Must have been more than a few years agp. When did they last allow skiing trees? I never remember them allowing it. Blue didn't allow tree skiing until several years ago. I remember being yelled at by patrol at Blue just for skiing one strand of trees over from tuts lane. Quote
GrilledSteezeSandwich Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 24 minutes ago, Ski2Live Live2Ski said: Must have been more than a few years agp. When did they last allow skiing trees? I never remember them allowing it. Blue didn't allow tree skiing until several years ago. I remember being yelled at by patrol at Blue just for skiing one strand of trees over from tuts lane. I personally feel like skiing in the woods is safer than on a ski trail because you aren't going as fast and hopefully paying better attention. I guess that holds true for most people except for Sonny Bono and PARidge. You know what they say..ski good or eat wood. Quote
rummy Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 Must have been more than a few years agp. When did they last allow skiing trees?Elk never allowed tree skiing. He was poaching it...Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Quote
Schif Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 I used to go into the woods at Elk all the time when I was in high school. Some really awesome stuff off to the side of the resort boundary. I remember I came upon a house one time and rode up and over the deck. Also used to drop off the side of the one trail that returned you to the base from skiers right, go over a boulder and jump across the little creek to come out to the bunny slope. Quote
EdBacon Posted March 16, 2018 Author Report Posted March 16, 2018 10 hours ago, GrilledSteezeSandwich said: This is a neat video and turns out Ed Bacon is Rowdowser over on Alpinezone. I used to be Rowsdower here but I couldn't remember my password. Quote
Ski2Live Live2Ski Posted March 17, 2018 Report Posted March 17, 2018 (edited) Awesome day of skiing. Plenty of tree lines to be had, and we were not the only ones skiing them. The snow in the trees and on the sides of trails was unreal. The kind of light foamy powder you slide through with zero resistance, that I have virtually never encountered in PA and hardly ever this side of Utah. Definitely my fav PA Ski destination. Only the 4th time I have been there in 4 decades. Re VT, one of my kids on our run down the narrow natural snow trail Lehigh said "this reminds me of Bromley," which is where she had her fav ski day ever. They also both said they thought it was well worth the $10 they contributed to the extra cost of skiing Elk when we had Blue passes. Bought them each a ski pin to end the day :-) Edited March 17, 2018 by Ski2Live Live2Ski 2 Quote
GrilledSteezeSandwich Posted March 17, 2018 Report Posted March 17, 2018 13 minutes ago, Ski2Live Live2Ski said: Awesome day of skiing. Plenty of tree lines to be had, and we were not the only ones skiing them. The snow in the trees and on the sides of trails was unreal. The kind of light foamy powder you slide through with zero resistance, that I have virtually never encountered in PA and hardly ever this side of Utah. Definitely my fav PA Ski destination. Only the 4th time I have been there in 4 decades. Re VT, one of my kids on our run down the narrow natural snow trail Lehigh said "this reminds me of Bromley," which is where she had her fav ski day ever. They also both said they thought it was well worth the $10 they contributed to the extra cost of skiing Elk when we had Blue passes. Bought them each a ski pin to end the day :-) How much were lift tickets at Elk?? Quote
Ski2Live Live2Ski Posted March 18, 2018 Report Posted March 18, 2018 $47 from 1230 to 430, kids free with PA Ski passport. Quote
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