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Camelback is the 8th Best Ski Resort in the U.S. & Canada


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4 minutes ago, EdBacon said:

There was also a ski area operating on Camelback Mountain before the extant Camelback was opened in the 60s. Big Pocono Ski area opened for the 1950/51 season and closed in 1955 before ski operations moved slightly west down the mountain and the ski area's investors opened the current Camelback. The old pickup truck used to power the original rope tow is still in the woods off Nile Mile. 

I know they're not counting that in the date but you gave me an opening to talk about ski area history.

 

Radical. Are you riding Blue tomorrow?  I remember you saying you have a season pass there now. 

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15 minutes ago, GrilledSteezeSandwich said:

Radical. Are you riding Blue tomorrow?  I remember you saying you have a season pass there now. 

No. Fiancee and I are moving into a new place so I'm looking for a dining room table this weekend. 

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55 minutes ago, GrilledSteezeSandwich said:

Nope I didn’t go this AM and of course the rain just started right before 10.  All good tomorrow is gonna be epic!!!

Missed a good day. 

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11 hours ago, EdBacon said:

There was also a ski area operating on Camelback Mountain before the extant Camelback was opened in the 60s. Big Pocono Ski area opened for the 1950/51 season and closed in 1955 before ski operations moved slightly west down the mountain and the ski area's investors opened the current Camelback. The old pickup truck used to power the original rope tow is still in the woods off Nile Mile. 

I know they're not counting that in the date but you gave me an opening to talk about ski area history.

 

Interesting. Was the ski area part of what is Big Pocono SP now? 

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On 3/25/2023 at 10:31 PM, momskeeztoo said:

Interesting. Was the ski area part of what is Big Pocono SP now? 

The old trails would have been skiers right of Nile Mile. The longest tow went about 2/3rds of the way up the mountain. The top of the Stevenson quad would be in the top right of this old photo. 

I don't think this is part of the state park. At least not all of it. The top of the mountain is state park land but it doesn't extend all the way to the bottom on the north side.

 

The original tow that didn't work out is in the left in this picture.  The main tow was actually very long and served probably over 400 feet of vertical drop.

Edited by EdBacon
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15 hours ago, EdBacon said:

The old trails would have been skiers right of Nile Mile. The longest tow went about 2/3rds of the way up the mountain. The top of the Stevenson quad would be in the top right of this old photo. 

I don't think this is part of the state park. At least not all of it. The top of the mountain is state park land but it doesn't extend all the way to the bottom on the north side.

 

The original tow that didn't work out is in the left in this picture.  The main tow was actually very long and served probably over 400 feet of vertical drop.

Looks better than than it does today. Any vintage waterslide photos?

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On 3/28/2023 at 8:59 AM, RidgeRacer said:

Looks better than than it does today. Any vintage waterslide photos?

The main problem with siting the trails on the east side of the mountain is that the bottom is mostly floodplain. The original ski area had issues where the ground at the base of the tows wouldn't freeze and you'd be stuck walking through a swamp. It's a big reason why they moved the operations further west down the mountain.

Also, on the occasion there's adequate snowfall: skiers right of Nile Mile, right around the first left switchback turn if you duck into the woods you'll come out onto a woods trail that proceeds steeply down towards the old railroad grade. This wasn't a Big Pocono ski trail but it does cross into the old ski area. From there you have to skin or hike back to Nile Mile. 

No water slide, but imo something better. Check this out:

image.thumb.png.aeb59bbec15c0195c865512079d3cc7f.png

Edited by EdBacon
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4 minutes ago, EdBacon said:

The main problem with siting the trails on the east side of the mountain is that the bottom is mostly floodplain. The original ski area had issues where the ground at the base of the tows wouldn't freeze and you'd be stuck walking through a swamp. It's a big reason why they moved the operations further west down the mountain.

Also, on the occasion there's adequate snowfall: skiers right of Nile Mile, right around the first left switchback turn if you duck into the woods you'll come out onto a woods trail that proceeds steeply down towards the old railroad grade. This wasn't a Big Pocono ski trail but it does cross into the old ski area. From there you have to skin or hike back to Nile Mile. 

No water slide, but imo something better. Check this out:

image.thumb.png.aeb59bbec15c0195c865512079d3cc7f.png

When I first went to camelback summer of 1988 they had two alpine slides and bumper boats.  

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12 hours ago, GrilledSteezeSandwich said:

I think the lodge in the upper left picture is still there unless they tore it down and built something fancy..

Last time I was there was probably 3 years ago.  That lodge was still there 

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