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OT: All knowing board.....ski resorts in PA

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Nittany_9

Well-Known Member
Feb 21, 2002
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I took the family to Lake Placid last year to ski at Whiteface. Everyone had a blast and I'm thinking of booking it again. However, we did all the Olympic venues and walked the downtown area, we did the bobsled run, etc......I'm thinking going back the next year may be a big letdown as we won't want to do all that again. The skiing was great but I have 2 boys, 8 & 11, and we need some other activities.

Any place in PA worth the trip....Blue Mountain, Camelback, etc........

We're in Rochester....looking to stay in a 4 hour drive radius...
 
Nittany_9 said:
I took the family to Lake Placid last year to ski at Whiteface. Everyone had a blast and I'm thinking of booking it again. However, we did all the Olympic venues and walked the downtown area, we did the bobsled run, etc......I'm thinking going back the next year may be a big letdown as we won't want to do all that again. The skiing was great but I have 2 boys, 8 & 11, and we need some other activities.

Any place in PA worth the trip....Blue Mountain, Camelback, etc........

We're in Rochester....looking to stay in a 4 hour drive radius...
Click to expand...
As far as Northeastern Pa. goes, Elk Mountain can't be beat. Later in winter is better as more trails open as the base grows. The only downside is it's pretty secluded and doesn't have many places to stay close besides bed and breakfasts. I kind of prefer if that way.

https://www.elkskier.com/slopes/trail-map

 
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PearlSUJam said:
As far as Northeastern Pa. goes, Elk Mountain can't be beat. Later in winter is better as more trails open as the base grows. The only downside is it's pretty secluded and doesn't have many places to stay close besides bed and breakfasts. I kind of prefer if that way.

https://www.elkskier.com/slopes/trail-map
Click to expand...

I've ski'd Elk Mtn and while it's a nice little mountain - there is absolutely nothing to do but ski... but that is probably of little concern to the OP
<sarcasm off>
 
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Nittany_9 said:
I took the family to Lake Placid last year to ski at Whiteface. Everyone had a blast and I'm thinking of booking it again. However, we did all the Olympic venues and walked the downtown area, we did the bobsled run, etc......I'm thinking going back the next year may be a big letdown as we won't want to do all that again. The skiing was great but I have 2 boys, 8 & 11, and we need some other activities.

Any place in PA worth the trip....Blue Mountain, Camelback, etc........

We're in Rochester....looking to stay in a 4 hour drive radius...
Click to expand...

Agree with concerns of Whiteface Mtn va PA mtns. If you are a skiing family that likes simple amusement at night, my strongest recommendations for Smugglers' Notch, NE of Burlington VT. May be outside 4 hour radius and doesnt have the night life of Stowe, but has great variety of terrain and best ski instruction program!
 
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Go a bit further north to Mont Tremblant. Have been skiing there since 2000 when my kids were 9 and 11 and we all love it.
 
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Agree re PA skiing. If it's just skiing, ELK Mtn. is the way to go. The others' runs in the region don't compare IMO. I find it compares favorably to NY skiing and didn't think whiteface was superior to ELK. Aside from lodging and non-ski activities for "other considerations", also know ELK's lodge really isn't great. At all. If you want better than ELK and what I know of in NY ski-wise, I'd say go VT.
 
Nittany_9 said:
I took the family to Lake Placid last year to ski at Whiteface. Everyone had a blast and I'm thinking of booking it again. However, we did all the Olympic venues and walked the downtown area, we did the bobsled run, etc......I'm thinking going back the next year may be a big letdown as we won't want to do all that again. The skiing was great but I have 2 boys, 8 & 11, and we need some other activities.

Any place in PA worth the trip....Blue Mountain, Camelback, etc........

We're in Rochester....looking to stay in a 4 hour drive radius...
Click to expand...
For a family week vacation you won't find what you want in PA. If travel time is a big issue than think southern VT. Mount Snow is about 4 1/2 hrs from you. It's decades since I have been there but it's a good size mountain. No idea about family stuff. For families I have always heard that Smugglers Notch is good but never been there.

Stowe is nice but has a reputation for really cold weather but their is no bad weather just bad clothing. In other words be prepared.

Elk mountain is decent for a weekend but nothing else to do there.

For a week go to VT, ME, or NH.

PS Tip your instructors. The lessons may be expensive but instructors make very little of that money. For example a 6 hr private in Vail costs $950 but the instructor is getting anywhere from $12 to $20/hr, lunch not included. Very few at 20.
 
jdm202 said:
Agree re PA skiing. If it's just skiing, ELK Mtn. is the way to go. The others' runs in the region don't compare IMO. I find it compares favorably to NY skiing and didn't think whiteface was superior to ELK. Aside from lodging and non-ski activities for "other considerations", also know ELK's lodge really isn't great. At all. If you want better than ELK and what I know of in NY ski-wise, I'd say go VT.
Click to expand...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!
Yeah. Sure.
 
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Nittany_9 said:
I took the family to Lake Placid last year to ski at Whiteface. Everyone had a blast and I'm thinking of booking it again. However, we did all the Olympic venues and walked the downtown area, we did the bobsled run, etc......I'm thinking going back the next year may be a big letdown as we won't want to do all that again. The skiing was great but I have 2 boys, 8 & 11, and we need some other activities.

Any place in PA worth the trip....Blue Mountain, Camelback, etc........

We're in Rochester....looking to stay in a 4 hour drive radius...
Click to expand...


I, too, am in Rochester... have you tried Gore?
 
Nittany....
I do this all the time.

PA resorts? Ummmm. No. You are close to Ellicottville which literally smashes anything PA has to offer. However.....

Smuggs was suggested: excellent for families and kids will absolutely LOVE the glades. Smuggs is noted as top for families.

Mont Tremblant is amazing. DO NOT GO IN JANUARY unless you have body warmers taped all over you. Ski schools are unmatched. Everything is right there in the village. Can do dogsledding and zip lining which is great in the winter.

Of course there are other great places but go Northeast, my friend. South will disappoint you after Lake Placid. And for Gods sake people....did not read his message? Elk? Wtf. Middle of nowhere, nowhere to stay and nothing to do. Skiing may be best in PA but the kids will be bored before they get there.

Kids should be in ski school for at least 50% of your skiing time. Let the instructors do the teaching and then you just enjoy them when they are done. Take a class yourself. That's always worth it.

I'm in Ithaca.
Rob
Mail
3

Domain is Mac
 
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Nittany_9 said:
I took the family to Lake Placid last year to ski at Whiteface. Everyone had a blast and I'm thinking of booking it again. However, we did all the Olympic venues and walked the downtown area, we did the bobsled run, etc......I'm thinking going back the next year may be a big letdown as we won't want to do all that again. The skiing was great but I have 2 boys, 8 & 11, and we need some other activities.

Any place in PA worth the trip....Blue Mountain, Camelback, etc........

We're in Rochester....looking to stay in a 4 hour drive radius...
Click to expand...
You gotta take them on a trip out west in the near future. Steamboat, Vail, Jackson Hole, type resort mountains with ski village. You guys will have the time of your life, all the way around.
 
wslee1 said:
You gotta take them on a trip out west in the near future. Steamboat, Vail, Jackson Hole, type resort mountains with ski village. You guys will have the time of your life, all the way around.
Click to expand...
Or Whistler. Lol. But I got the impression the car was in play. Otherwise go west.
 
Rochester NY?
Not in PA, but Holiday Valley and Peak n peak in the Sourthern Tier of NY aren't bad.
 
Any thoughts on Seven springs!! Don't know the distance but was a pretty good game place
 
Camelback now has its own indoor waterpark/hotel. It is just down the road from the ski mtn. It is pretty good for kids and connected to the hotel.
 
novaclassof90 said:
Camelback now has its own indoor waterpark/hotel. It is just down the road from the ski mtn. It is pretty good for kids and connected to the hotel.
Click to expand...
Along with shockingly big crowds. When a resort. Sells 25000 passes on a good weekend....yikes.

Best bets are Smuggs and Tremblant.
 
sluggo72 said:
Any thoughts on Seven springs!! Don't know the distance but was a pretty good game place
Click to expand...
Seven Springs has a lot of non-skiing amenities, about 26 trails and slopes, but is vertically challenged at about 900 ft. You should look west to Steamboat Springs in CO, fantastic for families, as is Heavenly at Lake Tahoe or Park City Mountain Resort, where you could also do the Salt Lake City Olympic bobsled run.
 
massimoManca II said:
I've ski'd Elk Mtn and while it's a nice little mountain - there is absolutely nothing to do but ski... but that is probably of little concern to the OP
<sarcasm off>
Click to expand...
It's a short drive to Steamtown National Historic Site, Electric City Trolley Museum and Excursion, Dickson City Laser Tag, Sky Zone Trampoline Park, and the Pittsburgh Penquins minor league hockey team(WBS Penguins). But hey, I wouldn't know because I haven't spent the last 6 years entertaining kids around the OP's kids age.
 
sluggo72 said:
Any thoughts on Seven springs!! Don't know the distance but was a pretty good game place
Click to expand...


Played golf there back in 1977 during a week-long football-golf-football trip. UMich-Illinois in Champaign, golf through Ohio, WV and PA and then the Houston-PSU game.
 
PearlSUJam said:
It's a short drive to Steamtown National Historic Site, Electric City Trolley Museum and Excursion, Dickson City Laser Tag, Sky Zone Trampoline Park, and the Pittsburgh Penquins minor league hockey team(WBS Penguins). But hey, I wouldn't know because I haven't spent the last 6 years entertaining kids around the OP's kids age.
Click to expand...

why you should have told me that Dickson City Laser Tag was nearby!!!! #thatchangeseverything #honeywarmupthecar
 
Go west... Park City is easiest, Jackson Hole is the best by far, Colorado can be fun too. Alta is my favorite but not much else going on there except the best snow on the planet (although I have not made my way to Japan which supposedly has even better snow).
 
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Cowbell Man said:
Nittany....
I do this all the time.

PA resorts? Ummmm. No. You are close to Ellicottville which literally smashes anything PA has to offer. However.....

Smuggs was suggested: excellent for families and kids will absolutely LOVE the glades. Smuggs is noted as top for families.

Mont Tremblant is amazing. DO NOT GO IN JANUARY unless you have body warmers taped all over you. Ski schools are unmatched. Everything is right there in the village. Can do dogsledding and zip lining which is great in the winter.

Of course there are other great places but go Northeast, my friend. South will disappoint you after Lake Placid. And for Gods sake people....did not read his message? Elk? Wtf. Middle of nowhere, nowhere to stay and nothing to do. Skiing may be best in PA but the kids will be bored before they get there.

Kids should be in ski school for at least 50% of your skiing time. Let the instructors do the teaching and then you just enjoy them when they are done. Take a class yourself. That's always worth it.

I'm in Ithaca.
Rob
Mail
3

Domain is Mac
Click to expand...


Did you know that Dickson City Laser Tag is less than an hour from Elk Mtn?!?!? #gamechanger
 
massimoManca II said:
Did you know that Dickson City Laser Tag is less than an hour from Elk Mtn?!?!? #gamechanger
Click to expand...
And that's precisely my point. Kids will be asleep before they get there.

Skiing vacations with kids need to have the activities on or damn near on site. Elk Mountain is a lousy location and kid vacation.

It's also great if you like slow lifts.

This isn't worth an argument, really, but Northern Vermont is accessible from Rochester within 6 hrs and big mountains, more snow, etc. Going south from Rochester makes zero sense. Hockey is a mainstay of upstate NY, and there certainly is laser tag...no need to do that on vacation. It's obvious that those going north to Elk like it, but I don't know anyone up here heading south.

But hey, don't take my word for it. Check every magazine or rating service and you will find Smuggs is the runaway fav for family ski vacations. Add Bretton Woods, Okemo, Sunday river and a host of others. You'll never find Elk. You will probably find Camelback...and I would say it has all the amenities but just massive massive crowds and lift lines. You'll get lots more skiing and quality at the places listed above.
 
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Cowbell Man said:
Nittany....
I do this all the time.

PA resorts? Ummmm. No. You are close to Ellicottville which literally smashes anything PA has to offer. However.....

Smuggs was suggested: excellent for families and kids will absolutely LOVE the glades. Smuggs is noted as top for families.

Mont Tremblant is amazing. DO NOT GO IN JANUARY unless you have body warmers taped all over you. Ski schools are unmatched. Everything is right there in the village. Can do dogsledding and zip lining which is great in the winter.

Of course there are other great places but go Northeast, my friend. South will disappoint you after Lake Placid. And for Gods sake people....did not read his message? Elk? Wtf. Middle of nowhere, nowhere to stay and nothing to do. Skiing may be best in PA but the kids will be bored before they get there.

Kids should be in ski school for at least 50% of your skiing time. Let the instructors do the teaching and then you just enjoy them when they are done. Take a class yourself. That's always worth it.

I'm in Ithaca.
Rob
Mail
3

Domain is Mac
Click to expand...

Ellicottville????? Probably the most overrated ski resort on the planet. Especially if he has been to Lake Placid.

If he's looking at Pennsylvania, with a family, Seven Springs has Ellicottville beat a million to one. Exponentially more charm and atmosphere than Ellicottville, exponentially better food, more things for the family to do in a more self contained environment, same vertical as Ellicottville, and roughly 3,000 feet in elevation to Ellicottville's roughly 2,200. When it comes to Pa. and Western New York, and a total family vacation atmosphere, Seven Springs can't be beat.

That being said, for a family, as others have said, Smugs in Vermont may be about the same distance, with a FAR better mountain, than anything Pennsylvania or Western New York can ever hope to offer. Another family gem is Waterville Valley in New Hampshire.

My drop dead favorite overall is Vail, but we are talking East.
 
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I would suggest Nemacolin Resort. It can be pricey but its pretty fun with a lot to do....my Uncle was head of security there for a long time and you would be surprised how many celebrities wind up going there too.
 
PearlSUJam said:
#PearlJamisaband
#thelettersPSUareinmyname
#basketballsucks
#Imdonehighjackingthisdudesthread
#goodday
Click to expand...

Dwayne "Pearl" Washington was, ya'know, arguably, SU's most-revered alumnus... #handle2clever

Jeesh my sternum still aches from laughing at your suggestion that this guy drag his family to Elk Mountain...

Remind me to not ask you about how I should top my trip to Napa ;)
 
Cpeplion said:
I would suggest Nemacolin Resort. It can be pricey but its pretty fun with a lot to do....my Uncle was head of security there for a long time and you would be surprised how many celebrities wind up going there too.
Click to expand...

If he's going from Rochester to Nemacolin, he's crazy not to go to Seven Springs instead. No comparison between the two and only about 30 miles apart.

For a family, Seven Springs offers the best combination of charm, atmosphere, off the charts good food, entertainment, and lodging of any ski resort outside of New England, Lake Placid, or the West. Nowhere I have been to in Pennsylvania or Western New York comes fractionally close to matching it. Compared to Seven Springs, for a family vacation, Nemacolin and the Poconos are beyond blah. In fact, Nemacolin may be even more hyped up than Ellicottvlille.
 
Nittany Ned2 said:
To put it simply....No.


Anything outside of the Rockies is not worth it. I married into a family of ski patrollers and my in-laws lived in Colorado for decades so we became very spoiled. I haven't skied in the East in 15 years.
Click to expand...
Huh....the Wasatch and Teton range must really suck. Cascades? Fugeddahboutit.

To the OP. Smuggs, Waterville Valley and Mont Tremblant. Definitely worth it if you can't fly.
 
massimoManca II said:
Your handle reminds me of an episode of The Office when Michael J. Scott ventured into the world of on-line dating and was required to create a screen-name...

#shittyhandle #eddievedderoverrated
Click to expand...

Slight detour...I have watched The Office thru at least 6 or 7 times on Netflix and I can't place the episode you're referring to. Feel like I should trade in my Dundy for not knowing.
 
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