Pennsylvania Skiing

[Phillycore]

Didn't have much to do tonight, so I decided to try to figure out how steep they really are.

Some numbers for everyone, (give or take a degree):

Steepest 500' of White Lightening @ Sno: 26 degrees.
Steepest 500' of Challenge @ Blue: 23.4 degrees.

(From old thread) Steepest 500' of Lower Ovation @ Killington: 30.7 degrees.

I wonder where the east mt. at JF fits in there as well as cliffhanger at camelback.

There's a pretty steep "trail" at shawnee as well... Just really a narrow unlighted drop though...

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Steeze...You should come up to Frost this season. I've skied right behind patrollers well off the trail and I'm sure they've seen me plenty of times from the East Mt. lift and never said a word. The only time I was ever reprimanded (sp?) was when a Patroller thought I was about to duck a rope to get onto Solitude. I told him that I was just thinking about hitting the Mad Tree Glade (adjacent to it) which was pretty thin and he was like oh you can go in there but I wouldn't.

Sometime I will I haven't been there since 9th grade..1994 and it's only 40+ miles away..the slow lifts and only 600 vert have kept me away..but with Phillycore skiing JF every weekend now I might need to go up there some Saturday or Sunday morning..

 

[Phillycore]

And you know Dis MAAAAN.....

The lifts are slow, but the lines are short (not that anyone waits in lines anyway)

Gotta come when there is snow in the glades and off-trail areas....

We're going to have an epic winter so it shouldn't be a problem...

 

[PA Ridge Racer]

A little Jack Frost / PA stoke...

 

[Philpug]

Nice Frost pics. I will say Frost (and Elk) blow about the best snow in PA. I have said before, that snow maintanence is the worst part about Blue, and they should get the guy from Frost.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Nice Frost pics. I will say Frost (and Elk) blow about the best snow in PA. I have said before, that snow maintanence is the worst part about Blue, and they should get the guy from Frost.

You're just picky about ski conditions..:uzi:

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Here is an interesting article about Blue mountains proposal for wind turbines...thanks Gorganzola for the link...

http://www.mcall.com/sports/outdoors/all-outdoors.6542924aug12,0,4764781.column

 

[PA Ridge Racer]

. I have said before, that snow maintanence is the worst part about Blue, and they should get the guy from Frost.

No way....leave him at Frost :wink: I honestly think the temperature difference between the two areas is a big factor when it comes to difference in snow quality.

 

[Phillycore]

I see my favorite little spot in those pics....challenge glade....oh so much fun...

 

[koreshot]

I am with GSS, Blue Moutain deserves some serious props - they do a great job with what they have...

My only wish is that they seeded more bumps. I think either razors or challenge should be 100% seeded. They seeded part of challenge last year later on in the season and it was great! Barneys isn't bad, but its a bit too flat to be a good bump run.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I am with GSS, Blue Moutain deserves some serious props - they do a great job with what they have...

My only wish is that they seeded more bumps. I think either razors or challenge should be 100% seeded. They seeded part of challenge last year later on in the season and it was great! Barneys isn't bad, but its a bit too flat to be a good bump run.

I agree..the right side of challenge was great as a bump run..the only issue I have is that since Razors is reserved for the race team on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 8-10AM...tons of people ski challenge and if the bumps on challenge are crappy..there is only a narrow groomed path on the left side which becomes a clusterf^ck,,,,

You won't see Razors as a bump run because it's the race trail..but I think Chute would make a nice bump run and you can ski it from the 6-pack side..

 

[millerm277]

No way....leave him at Frost :wink: I honestly think the temperature difference between the two areas is a big factor when it comes to difference in snow quality.

Also, Blue pretty much gets no direct sun on most of the mountain, which doesn't help conditions.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Also, Blue pretty much gets no direct sun on most of the mountain, which doesn't help conditions.

It helps when it's really warm out..not as much snow melts..I'm just happy I can ski locally..and 1,000+ vert at that with two high speed lifts..and some interesting trails..skiing in PA means skiing the good and the bad..powder and spring snow are nice and we sometimes get that but skiing loose and frozen granuler..pure bulletproof ice..along with death cookies and skiing during sleet storms..makes us all better all around all conditions skiers and riders..

 

[Philpug]

I am sorry, but Blue still hs some of teh worst snow management I have ever experienced at a ski area. I have no problem with 1,000 ft. vert. If you want to see what can be done with that much vert and done right, ski at Hollymont, Holliday Valley in NY and Wisp in Md, they do things right.

 

[koreshot]

I am sorry, but Blue still hs some of teh worst snow management I have ever experienced at a ski area. I have no problem with 1,000 ft. vert. If you want to see what can be done with that much vert and done right, ski at Hollymont, Holliday Valley in NY and Wisp in Md, they do things right.

Yeah but do those ski areas offer bad mountain food, horrible rental gear and insane gaper crowds on weekends? I think not!!!

Seriously though, I kinda feel that the snow isn't completely terrible at Blue, certainly Jay groomers are far worse. Do the resorts you mentioned get the same kind of horrible side slipping traffic that Blue gets? If they do and still offer much better snow, I am impressed, especially for the MD resort.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Yeah but do those ski areas offer bad mountain food, horrible rental gear and insane gaper crowds on weekends? I think not!!!

Seriously though, I kinda feel that the snow isn't completely terrible at Blue, certainly Jay groomers are far worse. Do the resorts you mentioned get the same kind of horrible side slipping traffic that Blue gets? If they do and still offer much better snow, I am impressed, especially for the MD resort.

The only reason I Hart Skiing skied Blue back in 2007 was because he lost a bet..and he had more fun than me that day and stayed longer..lol..

 

[millerm277]

Yeah but do those ski areas offer bad mountain food, horrible rental gear and insane gaper crowds on weekends? I think not!!!

I've seen Blue's rental gear...it didn't look that terrible. The food is though, I bring lunch.....and Blue gets insane crowds. I don't ski there on the weekends anymore, but I've heard that short lines have developed even with both the 6-Pack and HSQ running at the base. That's an insane number of people, especially considering the number of routes down.

Seriously though, I kinda feel that the snow isn't completely terrible at Blue, certainly Jay groomers are far worse. Do the resorts you mentioned get the same kind of horrible side slipping traffic that Blue gets? If they do and still offer much better snow, I am impressed, especially for the MD resort.

My thoughts as well, during the week, it's not wonderful, but it isn't terrible snow.

 

[PA Ridge Racer]

I've seen Blue's rental gear...it didn't look that terrible. The food is though, I bring lunch......

I say this in all honesty though...Blue's cheese fries are top notch.

 

[PA Ridge Racer]

I see my favorite little spot in those pics....challenge glade....oh so much fun...

The challenge glade is sweet. I heard they may put it on the map this season.

 

[Eski]

having lived in the Philly area most of my life, I skied a fair amount of time in the Pocono area ... Elk was my favorite but Blue was where I went most because of the proximity to home and it's worthyness ... Camelback used to be good but it got too overcrowded ... BB and Frost offered zero challenge ... Montage (back then) was okay but weird set-up to access their short and steeper stuff ... once I discovered Hunter 20 years ago, I've never skied in PA again ... guess that's why I finally made it my home last year