Old Geezer

Neither am I. But it was a chance to look up some USGS information.

There's only one populated place in PA named Danville, and it's in Montour county. Thought you might be correct on a technicality, until I checked a US Geological Survey list. USGS lists Blue Mountain, the mountain range, as being located in 11 PA counties, (Dauphin, Franklin, Perry, Cumberland, Lebanon, Schuylkill, Berks, Lehigh, Carbon, Monroe and Northampton). And it's also known as Kekaghtenemin Mountain, Kittatinhy Mountain, Kittatinny Mountain and North Mountain. The most used is Kittatinny Mountain. So, is there another Danville no one knows about or what?

Sorry to disappoint you mr. ski, but I have no skin in the game on this, nor am I shedding any tears over it. Your strange gloating doesn't change the fact that the deal still sounds and smells fishy. That is based on the experience of being in and around local politics for a long time, since you were in diapers.

There's more than the marketing that is weird about this deal. If Ski, or anyone else, can point out why a company with no experience operating ski areas, and investing less in the ski facilities, as compared to a company with experience running ski hills and willing to invest a lot more $$$ in the skiing, makes it better off for skiers and the skiing. This is based on the last time I read the numbers, (and these could be wrong, so correct 'em if they are): Sno Mountain

Sonny, do you know what you're talking about? That minority commissioner was not against the sale of the mountain, he was against selling to Sno Mountain. That is the issue, you're confusing it. By whatever means, you've been lead to believe that what is good for political insiders (the Sno Mt investors and probably some Lackawanna politicos) is also in the best interest of skiers and taxpayers. But that is not so. Increasing economic development is clearly not measured by how many snow guns are running or how often the lifts turn. Jeeze. Twenty years ago that area was raw land, except for Montage. Now businesses are all over the place, and there's a lot of residential development. All of which provide tax revenue, jobs, and increase the value of real estate that once was barren land. No matter how you measure it, Montage accomplished economic development in that area. A few lifts not turning and skier days missed matter little in the bigger picture. And if the facility was losing a million $ a year, it should have been shut down. The Phila cops didn't have anything to do with the cases against the Sno Mt people, the cases were handled by the corruption and white collar crimes sections of the the Justice Dept, a federal agency. And yes the acquittals were on a very close margin. Check the records and ask legal observers if you doubt this. BTW, you're saying that because these individuals were acquitted, there were innocent as angels in the process. Most definitely not the case. Let me straighten you out. There were two things of significance that happened here, 1) the group purchasing the mountain did so because they have a history of giving money, both above board and below board, for a long time to whatever party was in office to get their financial work approved by local and county governments. And they they were paid hugely above market rates for the financial work (remember that the next time you have double-digit tax increases). The politicos in Lackawanna county definitely knew this, and will be rewarded with future good-will payoffs when they next need money for their parties, their campaigns, or their own jobs in the private sector. This is how it works. 2) the place was sold for a whole lot less that it could have fetched by some bigger real estate development organizations (based on the future value of the land that could be developed), had there been a cleaner put it up for sale process. Selling to a ski company (a company supposedly interested in the skiing) was one of the lowest uses that could come out of this, but in so doing the the county also gave away development rights (after five years) that have a huge future value irregardless of the ski area. Remember this also the next time you complain about double-digit tax increases. I can say this without mincing words, the new owners bought the ski area, but that's not what they are interested in. They're interested in future real estate and land development, and they only bought the ski area because they that's what they had to do to get the rights to the land five years out. And they managed to tie up the land development rights so no one else can get to it before they do (i.e., they did it so development rights do not go on the open market and be sold to the highest bidder). If you are that interested in lifts turning and snow making above all else, watch five years from now and see how well the ski area is being maintained as compared to how much money and effort is put into real estate development. Lackawanna County gave away something for nothing, and you've been lead to believe it's a good deal.

Sorry, I disagree with this rant of yours. If anything, I don't think the Scranton paper did enough to expose the background of the main buyer in the deal. The main buyer was much, much too close to the pay-to-play politics in Philadelphia, (was investigated by the FBI, went to trial, twice I think, and was acquitted). And I wonder, did anyone who followed the story in the Scranton paper know this? The only reference I've ever seen to that less shady background is in this one article: http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news....16046&rfi=6. The Philadelphia Inquirer mentioned it, and questioned it, more times that the Scranton paper did. The part I do agree with is that the county pols did understand (the real question, how could they not know this) that county government should not be in the ski area management business over the long term. They facilitated the growth of the mountain as part of a bigger plan to increasing economic development in that particular location, and it worked well. Now they turn it over to private ownership. But shame on them for their choice of the private owners, the main person in the group they decide to sell to is a person with a very questionable background. Anyone who follows the legal scene in Philly will tell you that it was only by a very thin margin that this individual got off, and they'll also tell you that the decision should have gone the other way.

From Blue's website today: WE WILL BE CLOSING SUNDAY MARCH 26TH AT 5PM.

When will be Blue's last day of the 05/06 season? Any official announcements, facts, rumors, or just plain guessing.

I don't know if I should believe you this time.

I would have guessed they were talking about Blue Marsh, (it's about five or six miles north of Reading, on Blue Marsh Lake). But their web site says they are closed up, and selling off their rental fleet: http://www.skibluemarsh.com/

Their night skiing does nto start until Dec 26th.

Will there be any women at this gathering? They don't necessarily have to be my age.

For all of you who skied Blue today, should one bring their rock skis, or break out the good ones?

As of today, (Sunday, 11/20), Elk's website says they are making snow. Looks like they just got started, as the pic shows a light coating on Susqy. "The Elk Mountain snow crew has started making snow. When temperatures permit we will make snow and plan to open in early December depending on the weather."

For the record, their website now says: "CLOSING MARCH 26TH AT 5PM!!!!", this date is the last Saturday in March, 2005.

Just read in a Scranton weekly newspaper that starting today, tickets to Boulder/Frost are $20 for the rest of the season.

Has anyone been to 'the knob' in the past two weeks, and can they give a firsthand report of conditions?

Wasn't trying to bring any one down, am trying to plan on the snow time through to the end of the season. It appears most of these places may stay open through Easter weekend.

Any word on how long Blue will stay open this season? For that matter, any work on how long the other biggies in eastern PA will stay open (CB, Montage, Elk)?

In my opinion, this is the only thing the tow main ski magazines are good for -- and I think they are marginal at best on this topic. There's never a bad ski, boot, binding, ski area, ski town, bar, restaurant, hotel, ski vacation, or snow conditions. They're like the car magazines, a PR mouthpiece for the industry, and too closely aligned with same. Have you ever read or seen a recommendation to buy last year's gear (or a used car from the car mags?). I'm generalizing here, but you usually have to adjust downward their glowing recommendations, so when they say 'this is excellent', adjust it to 'this may be good', etc.

Can you post more details on what ski shop this is? I'm not familar with it.

I think it's supposed to be -6.0 degrees F for every 1000 ft. They ski Mt. Hood year round, see http://www.timberlinelodge.com/. In late July, Aug, and early Sept., it's basically skiing on the bottom reaches of a glacier. You can drive there to the lodge in Aug, and be wearing shorts and a tee shirt, and walk up to the end of the glacier, and notice a huge temperature difference, and of course see die-hards skiing and boarding.