skierdaddy

No comparison, I have skied Blue since it was Little Gap and remember talking to Ray Tuthill many times. I think it is a nice mountain for pa. Elk's conditions are always much better, the base elevation at Elk is as high as the summit at Blue and is much further north. Blue still does not know how and when to groom and forget it on a weekend, Blue is ridiculous. Blue needs to keep expanding east to better the terrain. Elk has many more true fall line trails and skiis way bigger. Blue adverstises 34 trails or something? It is really more like 15 and of those, only challenge, razors and main street are real fall line trails. I do like lazy mile though. Blue early on a weekday is nice, but on a weekend I used to drive the extra hour plus to go to Elk, until I bought a house there and I live in south jersey. Bottom line though is different strokes for different folks!! And Elk is not skiing in Vermont by any stretch, but it feels like skiing in Vermont far more than any other Ne pa mtn. Enjoy the rest of this winter regardless of where you go. Ps for anyone who is not familiar with alot of New England resorts, check out www.themountainreport.tv The website is actually for a tv show and they stream the shows and the videos do a nice job of touring the ski resorts and showing you the terrain and the vibes.

Other industry? You mean drilling?

Yeah, it is a steep price for a Pa mtn, but I will pay more each year if they keep Elk the way it is and not succumb to condos, hotels and waterparks high speed lifts and out of control crowds.

According to their website, they will open on Wednesday Dec. 3rd. Shaping up to be a great ski season. Everyone get out and enjoy!

I called Elk, and they are starting to make snow tonight and will continue whenever temps permit. Anticipate and Early December opening. Maybe the 5th?

I have no idea about the rates from PPL,but I'm sure you are right. But I have seen Elk blow snow Thanksgiving week many years in the past, which is obviously before December 1. I have a hard time believing they can't build a nice base on several trails in the next week if they want to. Even a cold rain will not wipe that out. Every other mountain is making snow, I think Elk should also. Even though I won't be able to ski until mid december. I'm sure alot of others who pay $650 for a season pass would love to ski Thanksgiving week. I love Elk, but with a long cold snap like this, I am surprised that they are not making snow.

Of course Elk could open first because of their elevation and Northern Pa location. I think it would be cool but really does not make sense. It is still only October in PA!! Elk has one of the longest seasons consistenly in pa. Opening in November is just a marketing strategy. If you want plenty of terrain and good snow conditions, anything short of December is not realistic in Pa. Yeah, its nice to make a turn in November on 1 trail of crud. In pa, just a waste of money and time. Most VT mountains don't really get going until Thanksgiving. In PA, no way. In an early winter, which would be awesome, anything short of late November is not sensible for good conditions. A few jumps in a park is different. Regardless this early snow is awesome, lets hope for more!

We all would like pa ski areas to open in late november!. But most years it is really not feasible or cold enough. Elk usually opens the first Saturday in December and stays open until the last Saturday in March or April 1st. Not bad for Pa skiing. I remember skiing at Shawnee and Camelback one year in late November when we had a cold snap and they opened early, before Dec 1st. And I must say it felt good to get on skis early. but with only 2 trails open and crappy conditions, it really doesn't make sense to open until more trails are open and the base is deep. I know Boulder opened very early last yr, which is cool, but only a short beginner run made into a snowboard park. Nice for the kids, but really not much for skiers or mountain riders.

I received my letter today as well. I always get excited every september waiting for the letter to arrive. Looking forward to another great season at Elk!!!!!!!!!!

It is the exact opposite. Elk has slow lifts and about half the uphill capacity pr hr than camelback, so even if when elk is extremely crowded like presidents weekend etc, the conditions and crowds on the trails is not a big issue. As everyone who skiis alot knows, elk and camelback are complete opposites. Camelback is about quantity, Elk is about quality!

Camelback is tough on the weekends. It's flat out is just too crowded. Most of their trails are quite narrow, especially the older trails. Add 2 high speed lifts and big crowds at a pa ski area and forget it. Too many people on the hill at the same time, making for poor conditions and alot of obstacles. Camelback is about quantity not quality. I'm not saying they don't make enough snow or groom well, There is just too many people on weekends.

Yes, that one is also new this yr, but i swear i saw one just north of the quakertown exchange yesterday morning. I was driving up to visit family and saw a green billboard that i swear said "new quad lift and 2 new trails. Maybe i was dreaming but i really don't think so, when i saw it i had to look several times and swear this is what it said. We'll see, if not, i am definetly seeing things and may need professional help, LOL!

I could have sworn i saw a new billboard on the ne extension that said new quad lift and 2 new trails. Did anyone else see this or hear anything? Maybe I was seeing things of daydreaming. Nothing on the web-site etc?

I'm jealous, I ended up not working today and wondering why I did not drive up last night. S*** happens and I did not go. Elk is a great place to be with fresh snow. Glad you had a good day. I will be there next weekend for 3 or 4 days and the long range forecast looks pretty good. Also it is still snowing there now according to radar and tomorrow morning first thing will be awesome. For those who can be up and ready, there is nothing like being at your favorite ski hill standing in line waiting for first chair after a good storm. Hero snow for sure for at least a couple of hours tomorrow. Enjoy!!!!!!!!

No hating here, but I just crack up at ancient snow guns, grooming an 1/8 inch of old snow. Elk does not have the firepower to blow on all trails at once, thats true. But they can blow on 4 or so at a time and do so regularly. Their staff knows how to groom and when, they also only make snow when the conditions are right. Spending or wasting money making snow when it is not neccesary is bad business. The proof is in the pudding, Elk has always done a great job with conditions and they never have a problem keeping the entire mountain open and with a nice base. They offer a 100 day garuntee and are usually open till April 1st. As I have stated earlier, I have no problem with Sno/Montage or any other pa mtn. I have skiied them all many times, I personally like the country atmosphere, views, feel and ambience at Elk. I don't want sno tubing, water parks, 18 terrain parks etc. Thats why its great to have choices. If I were looking for a city like atmosphere, large crowds, hotels etc, Elk would not be my choice. Mountains make a business decision on what market they are targeting and I hope it works. You have to also play to your strengths. A good example is BB, I thought it was awesome that they opened early and basically have turned what was a small boring mountain into a terrain park heaven, that seems to make sense. You can't build a bigger of better moutain, but you can build parks. However, I would not pay to ski there, I am and older man who enjoys skiing only, no boarding or jumping, but if I were still young and into the park scene, then I would probably go there instead of Elk. All of the mountains have their own character, heres my take: ELk:pure skiing and riding, focus is on quality, not quantity. Quiet and peaceful. Camelback: Something for everyone, tubing, parks, water parks, hotels, mostly caters to intermediates and families to stay more then one day. Shawnee: focus in on beginners and families learning to ski or ride Alpine: Value Blue: Blue has changed alot during the years, but seems to be trying to make the mountain bigger and faster with the lifts etc. to handle the crowds. Someone also told me that there are plans for condos? JFBB: New owners have modernized snowmaking and focused on parks. good idea especially BB. Sno: Its hard to say, but it looks like they are targeting families etc and a something for everyone type of approach. Big parks, new waterpark, new lodges etc. Are their plans for a hotel? As a business man, marketing major, although I did study meterology for a while, but it was too boring. I find it interesting to watch how the mountains change and hopefully either improve or maintain quality and profits as well as stay out of debt. Ski resorts are a tough business. Alot of mountains spend a ton of money and never have the return they expect. I thought the waterpark idea was a good one and more mountains seem to be building these. They probably turn a bigger profit from the waterparks then in the winter, just a guess though.

Yes, what is wrong with me. Elk sucks, they make no snow and conditions are awful. Please, stay away! LOL

As the old saying goes, When your the best everyone is trying to knock you off. You can't buy terrain and and the surrounding area. I spent friday, sat and sun at Elk, it was excellent, most of the trails had freshly blwon snow and about 2 inches on friday night. I had friends in from Va who travel to NE pa every yr. They just keep coming back to Elk. Elk has a unique character and the surrounding area gives it a feel that can't be bought. The owners at Elk want to keep it the way it is. If it aint broke, don't fix it.

Joint passes would be awesome, who knows maybe it will happen some day. Sno is a great mountain, It is great that the new owners purchased it and are upgrading everything. All mountains have different terrain, amenities and character. It is one thing I always found fascinating about ski resorts. Think about every mountain in ne pa. They are all different in character and customer base. Camelback has condo's, hotels, water parks, etc. JF is kind of all by itself. Elk is in the middle of nowhere with no hotel etc. Sno looks down on a city. I used to enjoy going to different mountains for the chane of pace.

I do not want to be a jerk, but this is getting silly, the bottom is colder than the top. Please, my cabin is at 1,200 feet in the valley, I drive up to elk and it is always and i mean almost always 3-5 degrees colder. Valley sometimes trap colder air only when warmer air aloft comes in. I am not trying to be combative, but I minored in meterology in college. Radiational cooling refers to clear skies and light winds, has nothing to do with elevation. Please, no more ridiculous statements. And also to think that Elk has poor conditions is also ignorant. They do a great job, simple as that. This has been proven yr after yr. They don't have the ability to make snow on as many trails as other mountains, that is a fact. But it proves to make no difference. Every yr the conditions are excellent and the mountain holds snow until april every yr. Also Elk receives about 20 inches or more of snow than the Scranton area and most of NE PA. If you don't believe me look it up on NOAA. The reason for this is simply elevation, lake effect, and what is called an orographic lift. Lake effect that comes in from the NW travels over probably 75 miles of rolling terrain in the southern tier of ny and and northern bradford and susquehanna counties in pa. Elk sits at 2,693 feet and the little lake effect moisture that still remains gets squeezed out when it hits Elk. Razors and Challenge are nice trails, but too crowded and very susceptable to wind for some reason. The top always seems to have the powder blown off when a cold front comes through. I always liked blue, nice mountain for pa, but too crowded and gets skiied off quickly. I used to get there at 7:30 am to ski for 2 hours before the crowds. White Lightning is steeper than anything at Elk hands down, but way too short, and too steep for enjoyable bump skiing. Boomer is the best trail at Sno. I always enjoyed it. Cannonball is nice, but not a black diamond. Oh by the way, As I sit her is south jersey at 65 ft elevation, it seems to be colder here than 2,000 feet consistenly, only if there was a hill here it would be great skiing! LOL!!!!!!!!!

can't argue with all pa hills have short diamonds. That is the unfortunate truth, but Elk's fall line terrain is the best in pa. There are no flat spots and it is a joy to ski, but its not vermont or even close. I have skiied all over the world, now I'm 40 with 2 very young kids and pa is really all i can do these days. Thats why i bought a place at Elk. Every turn is a good turn, its all relative. Once the kids get older, I will travel again, but will always call pa home and continue to ski here. Learned at Camelback, Was at Montage, now Sno when it first opened in the mid 80's and used to get up at 4:30 am to get to blue from sj by 7:30 just to ski a few runs before the crowds set in. The older folks on this site can verify that skiing/riding is pa is much better now because of technology than is was 25 yrs ago. The snow guns are better and the grooming cats are much better. Camelback used to be a continuous sheet of ice when i started skiing there. The conditions now are much more enjoyable and the invention of snowboarding/terrain parks allows smaller mountains to compete business wise by building awesome parks to draw the kids/families. I am partial to Elk, but all of the mountains have something to offer depending what your poison is. Skiing and riding is a fantastic sport.

3 out of 4 nights the NF is colder than 2,600 feet??????????????Meterlogically speaking that is impossible. Temperature inversions do happen when warmer air overides cold air at the surface. I have a friend who lives at the base of Sno and I have been skiing there since the 80's.I always liked the mountain. But I always stayed on the NF, the top is just too easy and straight. And 3 short diamonds gets old fast. Elk does not really need to do much, nor do they want to. If it aint broke don't fix it. They are going to upgrade snowmaking capacity, but they have no problem with lack of snow or poor conditions. I just spent 3 days there and it was wonderful. Conditions were top notch as usual. You can't change terrain. Elk's layout and terrain is hard to beat for pa. Did you really put BB and Elk in the same sentence? I wish Sno all the best, and hope things continue to get better. I also agree that I would not pay to ski at Elk if I had a pass to Sno. Elk is nice, but we are still talking about pa!

Sno has a more powerful system, and it would be nice for ELk to upgrade theirs, which is being planned. However, Sno has to make more snow, the sun exposure of the mountain, especially the upper half is much worse than Elk. Elk holds snow very well because the sun really never hits Elk directly. Sno faces wsw and the sun really nails the upper mtn. Not good for pa skiing. The North Face holds up much better, but elevation is lower than elk. For pa conditions, Elk can't be beat, They groom properly and the Evergreens block the sun and wind and the higher elevation and true north facing exposure helps immensely.

I was there yesterday and will be there today and all weekend. Yesterday was crunchy after the ice and rain, but no boilerplate ice. They made snow last night and on the mogul runs and as I look at the mountain, they are blowing as we speak. Not sure what Ski meant about after this year? With the crazy weather this yr, I think conditions have been excellent. They have had 95% of the mountain open all year. They do a great job of grooming and I have even seen them groom trails that are staying open for night skiing at the end of the day to ensure good conditions for night skiing. Hope everyone has a good weekend out there. I know I am. Time to log off and head over to the "Big and Friendly" and carve some turns.

Elk is a rare type of ski area anymore. The evergreens really do help with the wind and they are also beautiful. Elk is not about a huge park for all of the kids etc. I think, you have to have one these days,and I understand that the kids do like to nail the hits and jumps etc. I was a kid once too!! But skiing and true riding is about the mountain and the snow. This is what Elk is about. I hope the private ownership can continue to offer this type of experience and continue to make improvements in snowmaking and grooming etc.

Did not stay up too late last night and woke up to a blizzard and decided to head right over to the mountain. Of course with all the partying, the mountain was quite empty for a while. It was one of those days you dream about for skiing. About 8 inches of fresh snow, it was cold enough at Elk that the snow was pure powder in the morning. All ungroomed fresh pow!!!!!!!! Awesome, what a way to start 08! I'm back home now and can't stop thinking about floating down the mountain. Happy New Year!