rummy

I spent some quality time drinking beer and listening to good old rock and roll at Chet's Place this weekend -- 18th annual Frontier Days. While in the area, I noticed a 3-4 acre pond being built near Elk, to tie into the existing snow-making ponds. It looked to be about 40' deep too. Should provide another good source of water for the guns. No word yet of season pass prices yet. I can't believe they don't have any word out yet...

Elk usually opens Tioga, not Delaware, with the other 4 trails mentioned first. Then they open Upper Tunk, for some bumps, and Delaware about the same time. The regular park usually opens when Delaware does and the beginners park opens early, often within a week of opening day. Last year they seemed to concentrate on opening the majority of the West side (parking lot lift side) then moved to opening the Indians on the E side. Often Slalom doesn't open until the middle of the "big snow making push". This will be my 30th year of skiing at Elk and they always seem to be shooting for this time period (Dec 3rd) to open. I've made most opening days at Elk and they never open with a WROD, usually edge to edge coverage of 12" or more and no death cookies. We've often said that some of the best snow/conditions of the season, is the time period between opening day and the holidays. The entire mountain isn't open but, with luck, there haven't been any ice storms or Jan. thaw-like spells. And, best of all, no crowds especially mid-week.

A friend e-mailed Elks office on Tues and was told 100 more days until opening. That makes opening day to be around Dec. 3rd. Let's see, today's Thurs that means 98 days to go!

and the best skiing in PA

Our gang was in Taos three seasons ago and that was the first year for boarders, if I remember correctly. It was a truely SHIZZY snow year (4'fell the week after we left). I don't recall any negative comments to boarders, I think the locals weren't skiing because of the conditions, and the tourista's didn't give a damn because they are used to boarders at their local hills. I'm a skiier only but I've often given a "nice ride" shoutout to a good carving boarder on the slopes... Everybody should too.

The mgmt had a meeting today and officially determined that Sunday will be the last day. That's 3/22. I skiied today and the mtn was deteriorating rapidly. The first 2 hours were great Spring Conditions and all but Seneca and Lehigh were open. There were probably fewer than 50 people there. Big slush ponds formed at the lower B lift and at the top as well. The quad lift was in good shape. Today was my 39 day on the slopes and 33 days were spent at Elk. Sad to see it end, but conditions and lack of customers are dictating the end.

I goofed on a previous post and wanted to set the record straight. Next Wed 3/18 is the last day for $15. lift tickets with current college ID at Elk.

We tip so much we get invited to the end of year employee party as guests of the bartenders.....

Didn't ski the bumps Wed, but the few people who were there weren't making any OMG noises. May be different now as the temps have dropped into the freezing zone again. Didn't know about the $.50 tickets, that sounds sweet. I did hear they were going to have some major games and entertainment on Sat the 21st in the bar and are planning to continue the 50th anniversary celebration into next season.

Wow you hit it great. Four of us were in Summit County last week and The Beav was terrible. We called the conditions petrified powder..

Hey Schif-- it was fun today. Herm and I were there too. I probably saw you as there were probably only about 50 people there and we spent most of our day on the quad too. The word from some of the regulars is Elk is planning on making snow this Thurs and Fri, and closing day will be March 28th. I think you'll always find a large crew of great skiers and riders at Elk. The noobs give up this time of year. Unfortunately, I think today was the last day of the $15 Wild Wednesdays. Come back again and introduce yourself to the Old Pharts sitting in the bar talking to the bar tender we have reserved seats....

Just back from Elk. Packed powder, groomed corduroy, had to look hard to find ice. Fresh blown snow on Tunks' bumps, but only the true experts were playing around in them due to ice in the valleys. It started snowing at 11:15AM, with a few white-out squalls coming through. It was still snowing heavily when we left around 6:30PM. Probably 3"--4" of slow new snow. Lots of NY school kids and their families skiing, as well as the annual trip of NY firefighters. Lift lines weren't bad, if only the goofs wouldn't congregate at the entrances to the corrals. Needed a parking pass to get up to the top parking lot today, first time I saw that this season during the week. Should be good the rest of the week and weekend.

I have two friends who just got back from a week in Tahoe on Sunday. They got hammered with snow you should have a great time. They said South lake where they stayed was pretty dead and were very surprised at the lack of crowds. They skied Heavenly, Alpine Meadows, Homewood, and Sierra at Tahoe. First time at Sierra and were very surprised at how nice it was. They took advantage of a $35. mid week special there too.

Actually Elk sells parking passes, and have for years. They have four parking areas. The Free Lower lot (served by the Elk Wagon). The Free overflow lot, across the street when the lower lot is full. The Pay upper lot used most often during the week when the Elk wagon isn't running. This lot has a parking pass and only pass holders are allowed to park there on the weekends. And the real expensive and exclusive lot behind the main lodge (there's a loooong waiting list). There's also a lot hiding below the beginners slope and not open to the public, only the people who live in the Village are allowed.

A busload from the Blue Mountain Ski Club were there today, and I was wondering if there were any PASR's on the slopes? Conditions were excellent, and Elk is 100% open, even Lehigh.. OOPS 99% the progression park was being redone after a fresh blasting of snow. Also, a busload of dentists who make an annual trip to Elk the same Wed every year, were there.

Yea, we had brass name plates attached to "our seats" until one of our buds moved them into and above the urinals in the bathroom...

At daybreak in my Little Cabin, the temp was 5.5F. When the temp hit 7F at 10:30 the six of us decided to add another layer and head the mile to the mtn. A brilliant sun was shining without a cloud in the sky and hardly a breeze blowing. Two buses were in the lot, but there were no cars parked in the lower parking lot and the Elk Wagon was not running. Booted up in the lodge, toastie toes, hand warmers, hot cheeks (a** protector), no exposed skin--and out we went. Started on the West side and worked our way Eastward skiing every trail. Lenape, Whissahickan, Kickapoo, Tecumsah, Chippewa, Wyalusing, Upper and Lower Tunkhannock, Lackawanna and the Spur, then Tioga to the West slope to the Bar to have 2 bloody mary's and warm up the toes and finger tips. Conditions and grooming were the best of the year. Upper Tunk was perfect pow with a few great bump lines beginning to form in the freshly blown fluff. The rest of the slopes were smoothly groomed corduroy with no hint of ice or death cookies etc. anywhere. After the warm up we continued to ski West to East starting with Susquehanna/East, Slalom, Iroquois, Mohawk, and finally Delaware to the Bar. We didn't ski Seneca, although it was open, and the only other trails that weren't open was the lower part of Tuscurora (mounds of snow ready to be groomed out - looks like they'll have open for weekend), and the natural snow only trail, Lehigh. The sun was beginning to become overcast after the break, and without the sun it seemed even colder. Hovever the conditions were even better on the afternoon runs. The surface softened up into loose powder, even though there was very little skier traffic. The parks are something I know very little about , but the skiers and riders were having a good time there too. Another visit to the bar, then back to the Little Cabin for halupkie soup, clean up, and head back home after one of the best days of the year! BTW the temp warmed up to almost double didgets (9.8) around 4:30 and dropped back to 5.5 when we left at 7:00 this evening. ELK will be excellent skiing this weekend and the whole mtn should be open. Saturday is normally the busiest, with Sun. and Mon. less crowded. But who knows, maybe the cold will keep the novices home under the blankets....

Ahhh S***T, No TR--I've been looking for your report since Thurs night. Looks like Elk had their typical week day crowd. Glad to hear you had fun.

Generally Elk is busier on Sat than Sun. And a lot of weekend skiers will only buy morning tickets and start to clear out around noon on Sun.

From the ELK website Wild Wednesdays (College Day/Night) $15 Lift Ticket with valid College I.D.s day or night. (Picture I.D. required.) Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28, 2009 Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25, 2009 Mar. 4, 11, 18, 2009

Yea pretty hard to beat the NV deal Arlos is not the place you want to be--it's really in the middle of nowhere. If you want something closer,The Candlelight Inn and restaurant is only about four miles from the mtn and has the best food in the immediate area, at reasonable prices. No lift ticket deal, that I know of. If you still have a valid college ID, this Wed. Elk starts their "Wacky Wednesdays"--$15. lift tickets with ID. They also run the same deal on Tues. for Seasoned senior citizens. I know nothing about Orazzi's. Rummy

Just got a call from Herm from the top of ELK.. He said he ripped three runs full speed through perfect carving snow. Quote: " I don't know what they did last night, but the snow is perfect!"

I don't know whether or not they have a discount price, I have a SP. With the cold weather upcoming you'll probably be able to ski Mohawk and Iroquois before Christmas, even without any natural. After Tunk, Delaware and the terrain park they usually set up the guns concentrating on the West side of the mtn and head to the East side.

Yep that's the other area they were blowing, about 6 more fan guns. I remember when that was their first park. Tues night into Wed morn they were blowing on Tunk, upper and lower, but during the day today they blew until the temps got too warm, about 1:30.