Ski season in the Pocono Mountains has arrived. In preparation for opening day, many of the ski resorts have been busy making snow. Mother Nature has also been helping out with some snowfall already also. So, it’s time to get your gear ready to hit the slopes for the 2021-2022 ski season in Pennsylvania.
There are several ski resorts in the Poconos including Blue Mountain Resort, Camelback Mountain Resort, Jack Frost Big Boulder Ski Resort, Shawnee Mountain Ski Area, and Ski Big Bear at Masthope Mountain. Here’s a quick rundown of each of the resorts.
Blue Mountain Resort
Blue Mountain Resort is on 171 skiable acres located along the Kittatinny Ridge in the Pocono Mountain region and sits in Little Gap Valley. Known for being the home to Pennsylvania’s highest vertical drop at 1,082 feet, Blue Mountain has 40 trails and 16 lifts and 5 terrain parks for skiing, snowboarding and tubing. New for the 2021/2022 season is the expansion of the snow tubing park from 24 to 46 lanes, making it the largest snow tubing park in the country. Opening day this year is scheduled for December 3rd.
Camelback Resort
Camelback Resort, located in Tannersville, PA, is the largest ski resort in the area with 166 acres of slopes on the 560-acre resort. It has skiing, snowboarding, and snowtubing and 3 ski-in/ski-out restaurants. The resort has one of the biggest snow tubing parks, 39 ski trails, 42 snow tube lanes, a 800-foot vertical rise and 100% snow coverage. All trails are illuminated for night skiing and riding. Camelback Resort was recently named one of the “Best Ski Resorts in the U.S. and Canada” in Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. While opening day was not announced by the writing of this article, it is expected to open in early December. Check back for the official opening day.
Jack Frost Big Boulder Ski Resort
Jack Frost Ski Area is a companion resort to Big Boulder Ski Area. Together they form Jack Frost Big Boulder Ski Resort. The two mountains of Jack Frost and Big Boulder Park complement one another and offer guests two experiences with one lift ticket. Both provide a variety of terrain. Jack Frost has 20 trails with a range of difficulty and 12 lifts and a vertical drop of 600 feet. Big Boulder Mountain has 15 trails and 10 lifts. Scheduled to open for winter on Dec. 3rd this year, JFBB prides themselves on being the first ski area to open in the state every year.
Shawnee Mountain Ski Area
Shawnee Mountain Ski Area is a family focused and family-owned ski area for skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing. It has 125 skiable acres, 23 trails, the Tomahawk Express high-speed quad lift, 2 terrain parks and a snow tubing park with 100% snowmaking. While Shawnee Mountain offers children’s and beginners’ programs, it also has terrain for experienced skiers.
Ski Big Bear at Masthope Mountain
Ski Big Bear at Masthope Mountain is a ski area for families, specializing in beginner private lessons. Located in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, it offers skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing with 100% snowmaking. There are 18 trails, 7 lifts including 3 Magic Carpet lifts, 650′ vertical drop and a terrain park. Ski Big Bear typically opens in mid-December for weekends only until the Christmas – New Year’s Holiday Week. Then they open daily through the holiday week.
Don’t Forget Your Lodging
Don’t forget to make your lodging reservations. Depending on the ski resort you choose, there are various lodging options including the rooms at the ski resorts, hotels, lodges, and vacation home rentals. We are partial to vacation homes since they give you some added benefits including more space to spread out, fully equipped kitchens and more privacy. Stay For Vacay has a ski-in/ski-out townhome in Tannersville, right next to Camelback Resort. Our vacation rental is also not far from some of the other resorts listed as well. It’s a great area to stay for vacay for your ski trip.
Know Before You Go
So that you enjoy ski season in the Pocono Mountains, make sure you check on COVID-19 safety protocols and vaccination requirements before you go. They may have changed since you last visited.
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