This weekend - where to go in NJ / PA?

[drdavidge]

Anyone have a recommendation of where to go for a day trip skiing this weekend around NJ or PA? Looking for something not too far.. closest is probably Mountain Creek but I'm not sure of their conditions.. and Camelback is about a half hour farther along with the other places in the Poconos. Any suggestions?

 

[ScottySkis]

Elk in pa

 

[4aprice]

Camelback will be 100% open this weekend. Was up there last night for my sons practice and they were blowing all over the place. They also have Winter Storm Warnings up for tonight into Saturday morning. Wish I was going to be there instead of 7 Springs but sometimes you gotta do things for your kids that you wouldn't normally do.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[BenedictGomez]

If Mountain Creek is close, why not just go up to the Catskills instead of the Poconos? Unless drive time is a major factor.

 

[Tooth]

Elk. Elk. Elk. Skis like New England. Best vibe also. 8)

 

[drdavidge]

Elk's a little too far from me for tomorrow. How about camelback vs blue mountain?

 

[Tooth]

Elk's a little too far from me for tomorrow. How about camelback vs blue mountain?

How far is to far? Up here in New England, especially Maine, driving 2-2.5 hrs is done at the drop of a hat. No second thought. Go where the experience will be best. An extra 30 mins in the car will make your hours at the hill way better.

 

[〽❄❅]

...tough call, Camelback has Salomon demo's tomorrow and it's been colder there then at Blue.

Unless the Saturday AM snow all happens in Tannersville i'm heading to Elk, should be less crowded (not 100% on that i usually go during the week), better mountain, worth the extra time and miles (2.5h drive for me).

Who else is going to Elk tomorrow?

 

[BenedictGomez]

How far is to far? Up here in New England, especially Maine, driving 2-2.5 hrs is done at the drop of a hat. No second thought. Go where the experience will be best. An extra 30 mins in the car will make your hours at the hill way better.

I agree with you 100% (were if mathematically possible to agree with you more than 100%, I would, but I hate it when people say they agree 110%).

And I think the above describes the Pocono business model, because for the life of me I cannot understand why people ski there, unless they just really, really, really, hate driving. To generalize, one can only assume that driving 1 hour and 10 minutes rather than driving 2 hours and 35 minutes each way, is more important to the Pocono skier than the actual ski experience.

The one exception I'll add is night skiing. Night skiing in the Poconos is pretty awesome, without a doubt, I'll give them that. But other than that? I just dont understand.

 

[abc]

And I think the above describes the Pocono business model, because for the life of me I cannot understand why people ski there, unless they just really, really, really, hate driving. To generalize, one can only assume that driving 1 hour and 10 minutes rather than driving 2 hours and 35 minutes each way, is more important to the Pocono skier than the actual ski experience.

Huh?

As it appears, plenty of people consider 1:20 each way is more important to the "experience" while on the mountain. So the Poconos mountains cater to that.

You don't have to understand it. Just accept that there're people different from you!

 

[abc]

And I think the above describes the Pocono business model, because for the life of me I cannot understand why people ski there, unless they just really, really, really, hate driving. To generalize, one can only assume that driving 1 hour and 10 minutes rather than driving 2 hours and 35 minutes each way, is more important to the Pocono skier than the actual ski experience.

So what? So some people REALLY hate driving. Is that so incomprehensible?

As it appears, plenty of people consider 1:20 each way is more important to the "experience" while on the mountain. So the Poconos mountains cater to that.

You don't have to understand it. Just accept that there're people different from you!

 

[trapedui]

And I think the above describes the Pocono business model, because for the life of me I cannot understand why people ski there, unless they just really, really, really, hate driving. To generalize, one can only assume that driving 1 hour and 10 minutes rather than driving 2 hours and 35 minutes each way, is more important to the Pocono skier than the actual ski experience.

I grew up outside of Philadelphia and skied in the Poconos a lot as a child. I have not skied there in years, but I have fond memories of those times. I was not a driver at the time, but as I recall, we would go to Camelback, Jack Frost, Doe or Little Gap for day trips. If we were going to spend a night or two, we would go to Elk. If we were going for a few days, we would go to Vermont.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the driving times from my home town to a number of ski resorts. What I found makes me think that my parents made pretty reasonable decisions when they balanced ski experience, driving time and impatient young kids in the back seat of the car. We loved Elk and skied there a lot, but we never did it as a day trip. Google Maps says 3 hours, but I remember the drive taking more like 4 hours. IMHO, that is a bit too far for a family day trip. Hunter or Vermont were out of the question as day trips.

I would not be a skier today if my parents had not taught me how to ski in the Poconos. It may not offer the best skiing in the East, but skiing in the Poconos is better than not skiing at all.

Jack Frost / Big Boulder - 1.75 hrs
Camelback - 2 hrs
Doe / Little Gap - about 2 hrs - can't find them on Google Maps
Elk - 3 hrs
Hunter - 4.5 hrs
Bromley - 6 hrs
Mount Snow / Stratton - 6.5 hrs
Killington - 7 hrs

 

[BenedictGomez]

As it appears, plenty of people consider 1:20 each way is more important to the "experience" while on the mountain. So the Poconos mountains cater to that.

You don't have to understand it. Just accept that there're people different from you!

Well yeah, but the above is pretty much exactly what I said regarding drive time being a critical factor for some. But it's still something that has puzzled me for a long time.

I grew up outside of Philadelphia and skied in the Poconos a lot as a child.

This I completely understand, as well as for folks coming from even farther south than Philly, but I was referring specifically to the north Jersey or southern New York based skier, as in the OP's area. HUGE difference in drive times between those south of say... Philly, and those in northern NJ etc.....

 

[abc]

Wbut I was referring specifically to the north Jersey or southern New York based skier, as in the OP's area. HUGE difference in drive times between those south of say... Philly, and those in northern NJ etc.....

You assume too much, I think.

The OP said MC is "closest". Could have been 2 hrs but closest nonetheless. To add another hr to it would be totally impossible for anyone except the most hardcore. Even if it's an hr, if there's children involved, it really limits how much further the OP can go.

In fact, I found 2 hr very much borderline for a day trip. I wouldn't do 2:30. I just don't. I'd rather NOT ski if I can't find a place within 2 hr drive (if one day is all I have). I'm lucky in a sense I live within 2 hr of the Cats (actually by choice not by luck). But when mother nature doesn't cooperate, and so VT was the only option, I just stay home (Mt. Snow a little under 3hr).

There is life beyond skiing for some of us. That, being the most significant difference.

 

[St. Bear]

I agree with you 100% (were if mathematically possible to agree with you more than 100%, I would, but I hate it when people say they agree 110%).

And I think the above describes the Pocono business model, because for the life of me I cannot understand why people ski there, unless they just really, really, really, hate driving. To generalize, one can only assume that driving 1 hour and 10 minutes rather than driving 2 hours and 35 minutes each way, is more important to the Pocono skier than the actual ski experience.

The one exception I'll add is night skiing. Night skiing in the Poconos is pretty awesome, without a doubt, I'll give them that. But other than that? I just dont understand.

If you're driving with young kids, there is a huge difference between 1-1.5 hours and 2-2.5 hours.

 

[drdavidge]

To clear up where I'm coming from, we are leaving from jersey city, NJ. The drive time is a factor because we would prefer to get there right around the time that the chairs open.. which means if Camelback opens at 8:30, we have to be on the road by 6:30. If I wanted to go to Elk, we would have to leave at 5:30 am. On top of that, I have some people coming over from NYC, and the mass transit options earlier than that are difficult to time. To get to NJ from NYC by 5:30am, they would have to leave their places by 4:45am. It's way too early and too much of a hassle when there are better options available.

 

[legalskier]

Elk's a little too far from me for tomorrow. How about camelback vs blue mountain?

Blue has @ 1100' vertical and Camelback has 800'. All things being equal I prefer Blue. Blue's uphill capacity and snowmaking are unsurpassed. Both get equally crowded so I suggest you get there early, especially on Saturday. Blue has a huge snow tubing area at the base- lots of fun. If you want a smaller area that doesn't get nearly as crowded, consider Alpine.

If you're driving with young kids, there is a huge difference between 1-1.5 hours and 2-2.5 hours.

+1

 

[4aprice]

I agree with you 100% (were if mathematically possible to agree with you more than 100%, I would, but I hate it when people say they agree 110%).

And I think the above describes the Pocono business model, because for the life of me I cannot understand why people ski there, unless they just really, really, really, hate driving. To generalize, one can only assume that driving 1 hour and 10 minutes rather than driving 2 hours and 35 minutes each way, is more important to the Pocono skier than the actual ski experience.

The one exception I'll add is night skiing. Night skiing in the Poconos is pretty awesome, without a doubt, I'll give them that. But other than that? I just dont understand.

Normally I think you make good points BG but that statement stuns me. I ski the Pocono's 40+ days a year. Ok they are not the Rockies but I get some great skiing in there. Sure there are crowds every once in a while but all the others get crowded too. The snowmaking systems are excellent. The bump skiing can be terrific and make a smaller mountain ski a little bigger. I could easily get to Hunter and the Catskills every weekend but IMO why bother. BTW I take 1 or 2 trips to Utah and spend 3 to 4 + weekends up in NNE every season. I can tell you I get much more out of those trips because of the physical strength gained by skiing the Pocono's. Come up some day and I'll take you on a Camelback sweep, you may be surprised. I've been a Camelback pass holder for 10 years now. On top of the 40 days there I get in about 60 days a season and now wouldn't live with out my CBK pass.

To the OP I'll show my bias and tell you to go to Camelback. The mountain will be 100% open and they have been blowing the crap out of it the last few days. Don't get me wrong Blue is a nice place too and I usually enjoy about 3 days a year there but it's at a lower elevation and has not been able to produce the snow Camelback has this year. Where ever you go enjoy.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[spring_mountain_high]

...tough call, Camelback has Salomon demo's tomorrow and it's been colder there then at Blue.

Unless the Saturday AM snow all happens in Tannersville i'm heading to Elk, should be less crowded (not 100% on that i usually go during the week), better mountain, worth the extra time and miles (2.5h drive for me).

Who else is going to Elk tomorrow?

i'll be there on sunday...driving tomorrow could be a $h|t-show

also to the poster above looking for drive times to doe and little gap:

doe now is known as bear creek and little gap is now known as blue mountain

 

[ERJ-145CA]

I grew up outside of Philadelphia and skied in the Poconos a lot as a child. I have not skied there in years, but I have fond memories of those times. I was not a driver at the time, but as I recall, we would go to Camelback, Jack Frost, Doe or Little Gap for day trips. If we were going to spend a night or two, we would go to Elk. If we were going for a few days, we would go to Vermont.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the driving times from my home town to a number of ski resorts. What I found makes me think that my parents made pretty reasonable decisions when they balanced ski experience, driving time and impatient young kids in the back seat of the car. We loved Elk and skied there a lot, but we never did it as a day trip. Google Maps says 3 hours, but I remember the drive taking more like 4 hours. IMHO, that is a bit too far for a family day trip. Hunter or Vermont were out of the question as day trips.

I would not be a skier today if my parents had not taught me how to ski in the Poconos. It may not offer the best skiing in the East, but skiing in the Poconos is better than not skiing at all.

Jack Frost / Big Boulder - 1.75 hrs
Camelback - 2 hrs
Doe / Little Gap - about 2 hrs - can't find them on Google Maps
Elk - 3 hrs
Hunter - 4.5 hrs
Bromley - 6 hrs
Mount Snow / Stratton - 6.5 hrs
Killington - 7 hrs

If I'm not mistaken Little Gap is now Blue Mountain - my favorite in the Poconos BTW, that's why it's not on Google Maps.

To the OP, I skied MC yesterday and the conditions were very good, especially considering the weather so far. Most of the trails were open and almost all that were still closed had the snowguns blazing so it looks like those will open up this weekend. Plus 2" - 6" of natural forecast for tonight and tomorrow. MC gets extremely crowded on weekends though.