Hey PA guys... tell me about Elk

[BushMogulMaster]

Haven't skied in PA in quite a while, and I was looking at some info tonight on various PA hills. What's Elk like? What's the terrain like? Snowfall? Any bumps?

Just curious...

 

[AndyEich]

I'm not a PA guy anymore, but I was, and IMHO Elk is the best in PA. Skiernet has a good summary. Funny to see this thread--just last night I tried to convince the wife that we should make a trip back from MA to PA this winter to ski Elk.
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Pattaya apartments

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Elk averages 70 inches of snowfall per year...1,000 vertical feet..their snowmaking system is lackluster, no high speed lifts..a little pricey...ski patrol will boot you out for tree skiing..bumps on tunkanack..

 

[gorgonzola]

haven't been in years - a little off the beaten path. i remember it being decent but if i'm making a trip i always figure might as well head a little further north and hit the catskills or greek . my old boss was a patroller there and insists its he greatest thing since sliced bread but i was never sold on the vermont in pa thing...

 

[Moe Ghoul]

It's a little outta the way for skiers in SE PA since there are quite a few slopes closer, but of all the PA hills I've skied, which amounts to about 5, I like it the best purely from a skiing POV. There is absolutey nothing around there restaurant or bar wise worth noting. I like the more laidback environment there and for skiing groomers I think it's better than most in PA. It does have a bit of that old world Vermont feel to it, for someone that only skied in Vermont once or twice. I never felt it was a disadvantage not having a high speed lift. In the last few years, I've only skied there on Friday Elk days when they had discount tix. If you like to buy rounds of drinks at the bar, bring lots of cash or an ATM card, no CC at the bar. I haven't skied Sno Mountain, a/k/a Ski Montage which has greatly improved it's snow making abilities. I plan to hit that at least one time this year. I'm hard pressed to say that their snowmaking is lackluster since the weather has been dicey the past few years. My impression is that they are less aggressive at it than a hill like Camelback or Sno Mtn. I only made it up there once last season. The bulk of my midweek daytrips were at Blue since it's the closest.

 

[Rambo]

Recommend Elk Mountain

I live in Binghamton NY, which is about 45 miles from Elk Mountain. I ski Greek Peak in Central NY mostly (34 miles). I ski Elk ocassionaly and find it to be great. Don't let anyone tell you different as Elk has Great Snowmaking and Grooming capabilites. Elk always puts down a very deep base on their trails, they do not skimp on Snowmaking. There are several great expert and intermediate runs. My only complaint is that Elk usually runs out of skiers at the very end of March and closes. Elk AWAYS could go into April as there is always plenty of machine made base left, BUT with few skiers left in April they tend to close.

 

[PA Ridge Racer]

Elk is easily my favorite ski area in PA. Elk Mt. actually has two peaks although the ski area lies on the North Knob facing north. There is a lot of room to expand the ski area it seems. Elk is like a smaller version of Stratton IMO. Excellent snow, Down the fallline trails on the front face (Susquehanna at Elk, Upper Standard at Strat etc). Elk may even have a bit more sustained steep on trails like Mohawk and Iriquios than Stratton (although I know, is that saying much). From the top the East side of the Mt. is where the steeper fall line trails are on the west side there is a bit more variety and of trails that twist down the Mt. like Kickapoo, Schuylkill and Wissahickon that do have a New England feel. The Tunkhannok trail is fairly steep and rarely sees a groomer and the bumps grow fairly large on it. The quad is just above it so you'll have an audience. I guess you could say it's Pennsylvania version of Outer Limits...Having skied both and sucking in the bumps Tunk has kicked my butt a few times.

Elk does not allow tree skiing which is a bummer because they have the potential for incredible glades. From what I hear the Mgmt is totally against it so it doesn't look like that will change any time soon. It's all skiing at Elk, no tubing, no off season operation except for a Fall Festival so prices can be a bit higher than most in the area. Like Moe Ghoul said, there is nothing around, just some Inns, and B&B's, fields and hills. The view from the top is probably the best in the state which is almost 360 dgrees around. The quality of skier is also much higher than anywhere else in the area it seems. Here's a few shots of the place.

Slalom Trail (sorry it's kinda blurry, I used a camera phone)

Better photos from their website...

 

[Rambo]

Couple of pics of Elk Mountain

 

[Rambo]

http://www.elkskier.com/

2008/2009 Rates are not bad:
$53. weekend
$45. weekday

 

[BushMogulMaster]

Looks like somewhere I want to ski. Funny, having spent lots of days on the snow at big time resorts (Sugarbush, Beaver Creek, Winter Park, Copper Mt., etc.), I am still drawn to these little (comparatively speaking) mountains. Something about them fascinates me.

Mgmt against tree skiing, you say? Maybe I'll buy the place and fix that :wink:

 

[deadheadskier]

I am still drawn to these little (comparatively speaking) mountains. Something about them fascinates me.

That was the case for me last season. Black (NH) and Mt. Abram will get high consideration over majors on powder days. They both have some decent areas of pitch and classic terrain and when there's so little competition for powder, they're great.