RidgeRacer

According to Google Earth (and I dont know how accurate this is but the very top of freedom is 2k feet. The bottom, where you would ski to the lift comes in at around 1825. So your looking at about 175 for vert. I would round up just for the sake of error and call it 200 vert. By the way the images of Jack Frost and Big Boulder have been enhanced and they look pretty awesome on Google Earth IMO. Bigdaddyk any word on if they'll start blowing snow at Jack Frost this weekend?

l'll probably be there tomm around 4pm and possibly Sunday later in the day (closer to closing possibly.)

Goin down to 23 tonight and 20s for the next 3 or 4 nights. It may be a stretch but any chance they'll blow?

Very very cool Will the trail map be updated with any of this. Jane's Lane is no longer on the map.

If Boulder opens on the 17th will they have any free skiing areas open?

Whatever happened to Jane's Lane? Isn't that where one park is now? And whats the deal with the Jack Frost Glades? They have it listed under what's new for this season but there is nothing new on the trail map. Anyway, it would be great to be skiing as soon as the 17th here in PA. Only a few weeks now!!

has a really nice brochure this year. Picked it up yesterday, The new trail map is nice and they even reference Little Gap. Cool stuff.

I think Elk is more challenging than Stratton....probably not saying much though

I picked up the Eastern PA Ski Council's Magazine called Snow Drifts at Nestors yesterday. There is a Buckmans ad in there and lists all of the demo days and customer app days. There are incredibly discounted lift ticket deals to Elk, Sno, JFBB, Camelback etc.

JFBB's pass is much less and you get 2 free guest passes and $50 to spend anywhere on the Mt. (never mind the whole pass validation thing )

It's not

I love it when people call the "Poconos" tacky. That lady should visit Jim Thorpe or stay at the Inn at Jim Thorpe and tell me if that's tacky. Hike or Mt Bike the Lehigh Gorge and tell me if that's tacky. Stay at Sky Top Lodge (as opposed to Caeser's) or The Shawnee Inn, The Sterling Inn, Split Rock etc. and tell me if they're tacky. Hike the Hawk Falls trail or the Boulder Field at Hickory Run and tell me that's tacky too. Ski the north face or East Mt and tell me if that's tacky. A few tacky resorts cannot speak for an entire region. If you think they're tacky and expensive before going why go there...expand your search a bit (end of rant).

I'll have to respectfully disagree with Blue's snow compared to Elk.

Okay maybe that didn't come out right. I figured that Elk's high ranking under the "weather" category could be due to the temps at Elk maybe not being as extreme (cold wise) as they are further north. Snowfall didn't occur to me. Yeah...I'd like to have that one back.

I think it's pretty cool that a local Mt. is being recognized among the big boys in the East, even though Ski Mags ratings have to be taken with a grain of salt. I've skied some of the finset cordouroy I've ever experienced and Elk so I can buy into the snow and grooming ratings. It's a bit warmer than New England so the weather rating doesn't surprise me. But at close to $700 for a season pass, the value rating is a bit confusing. Anyway props to Elk for cracking the top ten in these cateogries.

From the website... http://www.jfbb.com/whats-new.asp. Here are a few of the notable improvements for 07-08... - Jack Frost Glades - All New Boulder PARK Lodge and Hikeable Plaza - Fire Pits at Jack Frost & Big Boulder Regarding the glades, the trail map doesn't show anything new yet. I'm assuming that will be updated.

Honestly, as long as they keep Jack Frost a free skiing mountain, I'm good. They can do whatever they like at Boulder IMO. If it works, more power to them. It's just too small for me personally. For park riders it's the perfect size so why not? Yeah they should probably let freestyle skiers and snowboarders join all the comps but I can understand the Mike and Matts is a snowboard shop argument as well. I have no problem with Boulder using what they have to their advantage. Now if Jack Frost goes the same direction then I'll be looking elsewhere for a pass next season. Just my take.

I think you nailed it with the night skiing. Places like Wachusett and Sundown, who also have night skiing, are up there with our pass rates. The reason prices are more here may very well be the lights. If thats the case. I'm ok with paying more. As far as the Jackson Hole pass rate. Thats just insane.

Agreed, PA is so overpriced. Although that Whiteface pass is probably the best value out there. I think the Whiteface / Gore pass was the same price as my pass to JFBB I know the Mt Snow Classic was cheaper too. I don't get it.

While most of us have passes to one particular mt., we like to ski / ride at more than one area during the winter. Use this thread to post any special lift tiket discounts / deals that come up throughout the sesaon (local or otherwise) to help save another PASR some cash. I'll start with an obvious one... Ski at Blue Mt. on Sunday nights for $19 - Pretty nice deal IMO.

The best of the best in Pennsylvania, All of these trails in one place would be one great mountain... Blue Mt. - Challenge, Razors, Switchback, Main Street, Lazy Mile, Paradise Blue Knob - Stembogen Bowl, Extrovert, Bone Yard Glades, Mine Shaft Glades Roundtop - Gunbarrel Elk - Tunkhannok, Lower Tuscarora, Slalom Jack frost - East Mt. Sno - White Lightning, Boomer, Cannonball Camelback - Nile Mile, Pharoh, Cliffhanger Bear Creek - Terrain Park Denton - Avalanche

IMO - I'm not a park person but what Boulder did last year by expanding the park scene (the Park Logic thing aside) breathed new life into the place. Prior to last season Boulder opened up late and closed real early and the place was kind of forgotten about. I think they had no choice but to give Boulder some sort of niche that could bring business back to the place. And I never saw more hype surrounding Boulder than I did last year. It's perfect for a park set up so why not. I'm not saying all park is the way to go either because yes all park would probably do more harm than good, but park oriented, like Echo Mt., may just help the place survive. For me, as long as they leave JF remain a free skiing area, I'm happy.

signature trails ... update Blue Mt. - Challenge, Razors, Switchback, Main Street, Lazy Mile, Paradise Blue Knob - Stembogen Bowl Roundtop - Gunbarrel Elk - Tunkhannok, Lower Tuscarora Jack frost - East Mt. Sno - White Lightning, Boomer, Cannonball Camelback - Nile Mile, Pharoh, Cliffhanger Bear Creek - Terrain Park

I hope they're right http://www.farmersalmanac.com/weather/a/wh...n_2007_and_2008

Even if this is the case, I still think setting up some gates and a timer on one trail for a few hours a day likely during the weekend, having racers pay the 5 bucks or whatever and letting them have at it for a couple runs makes total sense. Blue just recently started running NASTAR I believe...not to mention all of the major resorts in the area do it as well.