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Your guide to the region's 17 ski resorts
Sunday, November 07, 1999 By Lawrence Walsh, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
No, that's not a secret handshake some ski area owners and operators may use to greet their guests this season. It's just a bit difficult to shake hands when you've got your fingers crossed for good luck.
After three consecutive snow-starved ski seasons, they are hoping for a more traditional winter:
Snow and/or snowmaking temperatures by Thanksgiving, a snow-blessed holiday season, no January or February thaw and enough snow to ski until Easter.
To help make that a reality, each of the following ski areas has invested heavily in snowmaking equipment -- upgrades as well as new systems.
Although natural snow is preferred -- it's cheaper, for one thing -- machine-made snow generally is easier to groom and lasts longer because of its density.
Snowshoe started making snow in late October after receiving a total of 6 inches of natural snow Oct. 23 and 24. The resort plans to open for skiing Nov. 19.
There are 17 ski resorts within a four-hour drive of Pittsburgh. Here's the basic information you'll need to compare the price of lift tickets, rental equipment and group ski lessons; the types of lifts; the number of slopes and trails; the length of vertical drops; addresses, telephone numbers and, in some cases, Internet addresses.
All the resorts have Learn-to-Ski packages and also offer lessons for skiers of all ages and abilities. Ask for an instructor certified by the Professional Ski Instructors of America.
If you're skiing for a weekend or a week, ask about packages that include lift tickets and rental equipment. The savings can be considerable.
Most resorts welcome snowboarders, offer night skiing and provide child-care facilities. Most also have extensive snow-making systems.
Cross-country trails can be found at or near many of the following ski resorts. Some resorts allow cross-country skiers to buy tickets to use their chairlifts.
Please note that the number of slopes and trails claimed by some areas include crossovers and connecting trails, some of which are only a few hundred feet long.
Western Pennsylvania
Blue Knob
Adult weekend lift ticket $39; weekday $27. Junior (12 and under) and seniors (65 to 69) weekend $29; weekday $22. Seniors (70 and older) weekend $25; weekday free. Children 4 and younger ski free when accompanied by a parent who skis. Group lesson: $25. Ski rental: $20. Snowboard rental (includes boots): $25.
Lifts: Two triple chairlifts, two doubles, two platters.
Slopes and trails: 34.
Vertical drop: 1,025 feet.
Address: Box 247, Claysburg, PA 16625; 800-458-3403, 814-239-5111.
Internet: .www.blueknob.com
Boyce Park
Adult weekend lift ticket (Friday night through Sunday night) $12; Monday night through Friday daytime $8. Junior (6 to 17) and senior (60 and over) Friday night through Sunday night $10; Monday night through Friday daytime $6. Children (5 and younger) $3 anytime. Group lesson: $8. Rental: $8.75. Snowboard rental: $15. Ski runners: $8.
Lifts: Two double chairlifts, one poma, one T-bar.
Slopes and interconnecting trails: 10.
Vertical drop: 180 feet.
Address: 675 Old Frankstown Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15239; 724-733-4656, 724-733-4665 for recorded ski conditions.
Internet: No address yet.
Hidden Valley
Adult weekend lift ticket $40; weekdays $30. Child (12 and under) weekend $32; weekdays $24. Group lesson: $18, snowboard lesson (three person minimum) $20 per person. Ski rental: $20; snowboard rental (includes boots): $30. Adult cross-country trail fee (includes unlimited use of the lifts) $14; junior (12 to 6) $12; child (5 and younger) free. Cross-country rentals: adult $14; child $12.
Lifts: One quad chairlift, two triples, three doubles, two handle tows.
Slopes and trails: 25.
Vertical drop: 340 feet front; 430 feet North Summit area.
Address: 4 Craighead Drive, Hidden Valley, PA 15502; 814-443-2600; 800-458-0175 for reservations only; and 800-443-7544 for recorded snow reports.
Internet: .www.hiddenvalleyresort.com
Laurel Mountain
Adult weekend lift ticket $29; weekday $20 (Wednesday $15). Junior (12 to 6) and seniors (65 to 69) weekend $23; weekday $15 (Wednesday $12). Children 5 and younger ski free when accompanied by a parent who skis. Seniors 70 and older $5 anytime. Group lesson: $15. Ski rental: $18 adult, $14 junior and $10 child. Snowboard rental: $25 adult and junior.
Lifts: One quad chairlift, one double, three handle tows.
Slopes and trails: 19.
Vertical drop: 900 feet.
Address: 201 Summit Ski Road, Boswell, PA 15531; 724-238-9860.
Internet: .www.skilaurelmountain.com
Mountain View
Adult weekend lift ticket $20; weekday $12. Student (9 to 21) weekend $15 and $10 weekday; children (8 to 5) $12 on weekends and $8 on weekdays; children (4 and under) free when accompanied by a parent who skis; seniors (70 and older) free; Group lesson: $15. Ski rental: $15 adult and $10 for students and children.
Lifts: Three T-bars.
Slopes and trails: 9.
Vertical drop: 320 feet.
Address: Box 447, Edinboro, PA 16412; 814-734-1641.
Internet:.http://www.ncinter.net/~haseman/mtview1.htm
Mystic Mountain
Open Friday through Monday only. Adult lift ticket $25; Child (12 and under) $19. Group lesson: $18. Rental: adults $15, children $10. Snowboard rental (includes boots): adult and child $20. Cross-country rental (includes trail fee): $18.
Lifts: One regular quad chairlift and one handle tow.
Slopes and trails: 5.
Vertical drop: 300 feet.
Address: 1001 Lafayette Drive, Farmington, PA 15437; 800-422-2736, 724-329-8555.
Internet: .www.nemacolin.com
Seven Springs
Adult weekend lift ticket $40; weekday $32. Child (11 and under) weekend $32; weekday $25. Children 5 and under ski free when accompanied by an adult with a ski ticket. Adults 70 and older ski free. Group lesson: $18. Rental: adult $20; child $15. Snowboard rental (includes boots): $29.
Lifts: Three quad chairlifts, seven triples, six surface lifts.
Slopes and trails: 30.
Vertical drop: 360 feet front, 750 feet back.
Address: Champion, PA 15622; 800-452-2223; 800-523-7777 for recorded snow conditions and 814-352-7777.
Internet:.www.7springs.com
Ski Denton
Adult weekend lift ticket $30, weekday $20. Youth (11 and under) weekend $20, weekday $14. Child (5 and under) $3 anytime. Senior (65-69) weekend $15, weekday $10; (70 and older) free. Group lesson: $12. Rental: adults $16, child $13.50. Cross-country rental: $13.50. Snowboard and snowblade rental (includes boots): $25 all day, $9 for two hours. Sled Dog Boot Skis: $3.75 per hour, $6.50 for two hours.
Lifts: One triple chairlift, one double, two pomas, one handle tow.
Slopes and trails: 20.
Vertical drop: 650 feet.
Address: Box 367, Coudersport, PA 16915; 814-435-2115.
Internet:.www.skidenton.com
Whitetail
Adult weekend lift ticket $43; weekday $35. Teen (13 to 19) weekend $39; $30 weekday. Child (7 to 12) and seniors (65 to 69) weekend $36; weekday $24. Child (6 and under) and seniors (70 and over) ski free. Group lesson: $20. Ski and snowboard rental (includes boots): adult weekend $28; weekday $23. Children and seniors weekend $23; weekday $17.
Lifts: One high-speed quad chairlift, three regular quads, one double, one handle tow surface lift.
Slopes and trails: 17.
Vertical drop: 935 feet.
Address: 13805 Blairs Valley Road, Mercersburg, PA 17236; 717-328-9400.
Internet: .http://www.skiwhitetail.com
West Virginia
Canaan Valley
Adult weekend lift ticket $42; weekday $31. Child (12 and under) weekend and weekday $22. Children 5 and under ski free when accompanied by a parent who skis. Group lesson: $16. Rental: adult $18; child $15. Snowboard rental (includes boots): adult $26; child $21.
Lifts: One quad chairlift, two triples.
Slopes and trails: 34.
Vertical drop: 850 feet.
Address: HC 70, Box 330, Davis, WV 26260; 800-622-4121, 304-866-4121.
Internet: .www.canaanresort.com
Snowshoe/Silver Creek
Adult weekend lift ticket $49; weekday $42. Student (high school or college) and seniors (60 and over) weekend $45; weekday $34; junior (7 to 12) weekend $32; weekday $27. Children 6 and under ski free when accompanied by a parent or guardian who skis. Group lesson: $25. Rental: adult, student and senior $26; child $18. Snowboard rental (includes boots): adult $35; child $30. Helmet rental: $5.
Lifts: Two high-speed quad chairlifts, five triples at Snowshoe; two quads, two triples, one tube tow at Silver Creek.
Slopes and trails: 38 at Snowshoe; 18 at Silver Creek.
Vertical drop: 748 feet front and 1,500 feet back at Snowshoe; 663 feet at Silver Creek.
Address: Box 10, Snowshoe, WV 26209; 304-572-1000, 304-572-5252 for reservations.
Internet: www.snowshoemtn.com.
Timberline
Adult weekend lift ticket $39; weekday $29. Child (6 to 12) weekend $27; weekday $22. Child (5 and under) ski free when accompanied by a parent who skis. Group lesson: $20. Rental: adult $17; child $15. Child (5 and under) $9 anytime.
Lifts: One triple chairlift, two doubles.
Slopes and trails: 35.
Vertical drop: 1,000 feet.
Address: 488 Timberline Road, Davis, WV 26260; 304-866-4801, 800-766-9464 (SNOWING) for general information; 304-866-4828 for snow reports.
Internet:www.timberlineresort.com
Western Maryland
Wisp
Adult weekend lift ticket $42; weekday $35. Child (11 and under) weekend $29; weekday $25. All tickets include night skiing Tuesday through Saturday. Group lesson: $15. Rental: $20; shaped skis and snowboards (includes boots), $29.
Lifts: Two triple chairlifts, three doubles, one handle tow, one rope tow.
Slopes and trails: 23.
Vertical drop: 610 feet.
Address: Box 629, McHenry, MD 21541; 301-387-4911.
Internet: .http://www.gcnet.net/wisp
Western New York
Cockaigne
Adult weekend lift ticket $27; weekday $18. Child (12 and under) weekend $22; weekday $15. Group lesson: $16. Rental: adult weekend $16; weekday $14. Child weekend $13; weekday $11. Snowboard rental (includes boots) weekend $25; weekday $20.
Lifts: Three double chairlifts, one J-bar.
Slopes and trails: 15.
Vertical drop: 430 feet.
Address: 1493 Thornton Road (CR66), Cherry Creek, NY 14723; 716-287-3223; taped snow reports (free call) 888-287-3545.
Internet: .http://www.cockaigne.com
Holiday Valley
Adult weekend lift ticket for any eight hours $36; weekday $32. Junior (6 to 11) weekend lift ticket for any eight hours $26; weekday $22. Child (5 and under) free. Group lesson: $18. Snowboard lesson: $18. Downhill rental: $18. Cross-country rental: $10. Snowboard rental (includes boots): $27.
Lifts: One high-speed quad chairlift, five standard quads, two triples, two doubles, two rope tows.
Slopes and trails: 52.
Vertical drop: 750 feet.
Address: Box 370, Ellicottville, NY 14731; 716-699-2345, 716-699-2644 for recorded ski reports.
Internet:www.holidayvalley.com.
Kissing Bridge
Adult weekend lift ticket $32 for any eight hours; $30 for any four hours. Child (11 and under) $22 for any eight hours; $20 for any four hours. Friday Night Late Night/Great Night (9 p.m. to midnight Jan. 1 to March 5) $15. Group lesson: $15. Rental: adult $19; child $14. Snowboard (includes boots) $25, plus a $300 security deposit (cash or credit card).
Lifts: Two quad chairlifts, four doubles, two T-bars, one J-bar and one handle tow.
Slopes and trails: 36.
Vertical drop: 575 feet.
Address: Route 240, Glenwood, NY 14069; 716-592-4963, 716-592-4961 for recorded ski reports.
Internet:http://www.sanyips.com/kb/
Peek'n Peak
Adult weekend lift ticket $34 for any eight hours, $29 for any four hours; weekday $29 for any eight hours, $25 for any four hours. Child (11 and under) weekend $24 for any eight hours, $21 for any four hours; weekday $17 for any eight hours, $15 for any four hours. Group lesson: $16. Rental: adult $22, child $18 for any eight hours on a weekend; adult $17, child $12 for any four hours on a weekend. Snowboard rental: $28 for any eight hours; $25 for any four hours. Cross-country rental: $9. Trail fee: $8.
Lifts: Six triple chairlifts, three doubles.
Slopes and trails: 27.
Vertical drop: 400 feet.
Address: 1405 Olde Road, Clymer, NY 14724; 716-355-4141.
Internet: http://www.pknpk.com.
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