Blue Mountain Ski Area
Encyclopedia
Blue Mountain is a ski resort
located near Palmerton, Pennsylvania
, on Blue Mountain
in the northern part of the Lehigh Valley
, in Pennsylvania
. Blue Mountain services the Allentown
, New York City
, Philadelphia and Wilmington
urban area
s; with 300,000 visitors per year, the resort is one of the most popular in the Poconos
.
In 2002 and 2003 Blue Mountain added two advanced runs and a teaching hill with two beginner slopes, fed by a triple chairlift
and a conveyor lift. In 2006 the resort added eastern Pennsylvania
's first high-speed six-pack chairlift.
In summer 2008 the resort implemented a $3.1 million upgrade for the 2008-2009 ski season. It included improvements to the resort's snowmaking equipment, a newly built dining facility, and the addition of a new intermediate trail between Razor's Edge and Paradise named Dreamweaver.
In 2009 Blue Mountain added an Expert Trail Nightmare located in between Razor's Edge and Paradise which connects to Dreamweaver a Big Air Bag for tricks and outside Bar & Grille located at the Summit Lodge .
In 2010 Blue Mountain has added 2 Glade Trails, Renovated the Summit Lodge Ticket Office new Summit Lodge Court Yard and Outside Dining area. More high output Snow Guns, RFID Scanners at each lift.
In 2011 Blue Mountain added an Expert Trail Razorback located to the right of Razor's Edge, a beginner trail Little Gap connects Midway and Burma, renovated Vista Ballroom, Expanded the outdoor patio including 2 new outdoor eateries, and a brand new natural luge run. Snow making capacity has increased by way of 5 new fan guns, 32 double B6 guns, and increased water pumping capacity.
of 1540 feet (469.4 m) and vertical elevation
change of 1082 ft (329.8 m), the biggest vertical drop of any ski resort in Pennsylvania. The Summit is accessed by a High Speed Quad and a Six Person lift along with 3 double chairs. A beginner trail and a newly built intermediate trail run down the outer, eastern side of the north-facing slope; 4 expert runs follow the chairlifts to the bottom, and an access trail connects the summit to the western half of the resort.
Three double chairlifts rise up the western side of the resort, accessing mixed Novice Intermediate and Expert terrain. The main resort lodge, located at the top of the mountain is accessible by car. A dedicated beginner section adjacent to the lodge is served by a double chair and two surface lifts. A beginner trail, Burma Road, connects to the beginner section at the bottom of the hill. A second lodge and the resort's snow tubing facility are also located at the bottom of the mountain.
The resort has a total of 37 slopes, new for the 2010/2011 Season Includes 2 new Glade Trails, Sleepy Hallow & Blue Baumer with 5 new portable fan guns to blow snow on them. More High efficiency snow guns have been added to 2 existing trails for more snow. Blue Mountain did more remodeling at the Summit Lodge and it consists of remodeled Ticket office now has 9 Ticket windows, Summit Lodge Court Yard & Summit Deck for outdoor dining, Lift Line Ticket Scanners Via RFID Scanners at every lift for less wait.
There are 5 Terrain Parks which include Sidewinder Park, Terrain Run, Lower Sidewinder, Come Around Park & Central Park. Blue Mountain purchased a Big Air Bag in 2009, it's the Second Air Bag in the United States. The longest trail is 6400 feet (1,950.7 m) in length; the mountain
has 162 acre (0.65559132 km²) of skiing terrain. Although it receives an average of only 30 inches (762 mm) of natural snowfall per year, resort staff supplement it with 100% snow making coverage.
Other notable features include automated kiosks for distribution of lift tickets purchased online. However, before you decide to come up to the mountain, be sure to pay especially close attention to the conditions. People say that it gets "icy" at night. In fact the snow does not freeze over, it is just throughout the day the groomed snow gets skied off the most crowded trails and all of it gets pushed to the sides of the trails and hard packed base comes through where the groomed snow was pushed away. Best time to visit is Weekdays between 8 and 4 and Weekends from 8 to 12. Holidays get extremely crowded so it's not suggested to come on those days.
The resort hosts a ski team consisting of more than 50 people. Its ski patrol is featured in the truTV reality series
Ski Patrol. which aired in 2008/2009 Season.
-themed lazy river, with an operating lock to raise tubers to a more elevated part of the river. In addition, it will feature a Switchback-themed train, a coal-mining themed children's area, a Mollie Maguires-themed bar, and Victorian buildings. The waterpark's wave pool will hug the edge of a 40 feet (12.2 m) cliff with an overhanging deck and an infinity edge. Green envisions guests frolicking in waves of up to five feet as they peer over the spectacular view of the Aquashicola Valley.
Blue Mountain is in the process of raising funds for the estimated $12 million first phase of the waterpark. This phase will occupy 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) of a 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) site. Green feels a staff of 500 will be required to handle the 5,000-guest capacity included in the first stage. When the park is completed, it will have a capacity of 10,000 visitors.
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
located near Palmerton, Pennsylvania
Palmerton, Pennsylvania
Palmerton is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the coal region of the state. It is a part of lower Carbon County, which is considered part of the Lehigh Valley and the greater Allentown Metropolitan Area....
, on Blue Mountain
Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania)
Blue Mountain is a ridge that forms the eastern edge of the Appalachian mountain range in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It cuts across the eastern half of the state from New Jersey to Maryland, providing a distinct boundary between a number of Pennsylvania's geographical and cultural regions...
in the northern part of the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
, in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Blue Mountain services the Allentown
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Philadelphia and Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
s; with 300,000 visitors per year, the resort is one of the most popular in the Poconos
The Poconos
The Pocono Mountains is a region located in northeastern Pennsylvania, United States. The Poconos, located chiefly in Monroe and Pike counties , are an upland of the larger Allegheny Plateau...
.
History
The resort was opened by Ray Tuthill in the mid 1970s as Little Gap Ski Area; he re-established it as Blue Mountain in 1977. The resort celebrated its 30th anniversary during the 2007-08 season.In 2002 and 2003 Blue Mountain added two advanced runs and a teaching hill with two beginner slopes, fed by a triple chairlift
Chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel cable loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs...
and a conveyor lift. In 2006 the resort added eastern Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
's first high-speed six-pack chairlift.
In summer 2008 the resort implemented a $3.1 million upgrade for the 2008-2009 ski season. It included improvements to the resort's snowmaking equipment, a newly built dining facility, and the addition of a new intermediate trail between Razor's Edge and Paradise named Dreamweaver.
In 2009 Blue Mountain added an Expert Trail Nightmare located in between Razor's Edge and Paradise which connects to Dreamweaver a Big Air Bag for tricks and outside Bar & Grille located at the Summit Lodge .
In 2010 Blue Mountain has added 2 Glade Trails, Renovated the Summit Lodge Ticket Office new Summit Lodge Court Yard and Outside Dining area. More high output Snow Guns, RFID Scanners at each lift.
In 2011 Blue Mountain added an Expert Trail Razorback located to the right of Razor's Edge, a beginner trail Little Gap connects Midway and Burma, renovated Vista Ballroom, Expanded the outdoor patio including 2 new outdoor eateries, and a brand new natural luge run. Snow making capacity has increased by way of 5 new fan guns, 32 double B6 guns, and increased water pumping capacity.
The mountain
Blue Mountain has a summit elevationElevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 1540 feet (469.4 m) and vertical elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
change of 1082 ft (329.8 m), the biggest vertical drop of any ski resort in Pennsylvania. The Summit is accessed by a High Speed Quad and a Six Person lift along with 3 double chairs. A beginner trail and a newly built intermediate trail run down the outer, eastern side of the north-facing slope; 4 expert runs follow the chairlifts to the bottom, and an access trail connects the summit to the western half of the resort.
Three double chairlifts rise up the western side of the resort, accessing mixed Novice Intermediate and Expert terrain. The main resort lodge, located at the top of the mountain is accessible by car. A dedicated beginner section adjacent to the lodge is served by a double chair and two surface lifts. A beginner trail, Burma Road, connects to the beginner section at the bottom of the hill. A second lodge and the resort's snow tubing facility are also located at the bottom of the mountain.
The resort has a total of 37 slopes, new for the 2010/2011 Season Includes 2 new Glade Trails, Sleepy Hallow & Blue Baumer with 5 new portable fan guns to blow snow on them. More High efficiency snow guns have been added to 2 existing trails for more snow. Blue Mountain did more remodeling at the Summit Lodge and it consists of remodeled Ticket office now has 9 Ticket windows, Summit Lodge Court Yard & Summit Deck for outdoor dining, Lift Line Ticket Scanners Via RFID Scanners at every lift for less wait.
There are 5 Terrain Parks which include Sidewinder Park, Terrain Run, Lower Sidewinder, Come Around Park & Central Park. Blue Mountain purchased a Big Air Bag in 2009, it's the Second Air Bag in the United States. The longest trail is 6400 feet (1,950.7 m) in length; the mountain
Mountain
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has 162 acre (0.65559132 km²) of skiing terrain. Although it receives an average of only 30 inches (762 mm) of natural snowfall per year, resort staff supplement it with 100% snow making coverage.
Other notable features include automated kiosks for distribution of lift tickets purchased online. However, before you decide to come up to the mountain, be sure to pay especially close attention to the conditions. People say that it gets "icy" at night. In fact the snow does not freeze over, it is just throughout the day the groomed snow gets skied off the most crowded trails and all of it gets pushed to the sides of the trails and hard packed base comes through where the groomed snow was pushed away. Best time to visit is Weekdays between 8 and 4 and Weekends from 8 to 12. Holidays get extremely crowded so it's not suggested to come on those days.
The resort hosts a ski team consisting of more than 50 people. Its ski patrol is featured in the truTV reality series
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
Ski Patrol. which aired in 2008/2009 Season.
Water Park
Barbara Green, one of the current owners of the Tuthill Corporation, has recently applied for permits to begin construction on a planned an outdoor water park attraction that is scheduled to open the summer of 2012. The water park is planned to feature a Lehigh CanalLehigh Canal
The Lehigh Canal was constructed by the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company to carry anthracite from the upper Lehigh Valley to the urban markets of the northeast, especially Philadelphia...
-themed lazy river, with an operating lock to raise tubers to a more elevated part of the river. In addition, it will feature a Switchback-themed train, a coal-mining themed children's area, a Mollie Maguires-themed bar, and Victorian buildings. The waterpark's wave pool will hug the edge of a 40 feet (12.2 m) cliff with an overhanging deck and an infinity edge. Green envisions guests frolicking in waves of up to five feet as they peer over the spectacular view of the Aquashicola Valley.
Blue Mountain is in the process of raising funds for the estimated $12 million first phase of the waterpark. This phase will occupy 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) of a 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) site. Green feels a staff of 500 will be required to handle the 5,000-guest capacity included in the first stage. When the park is completed, it will have a capacity of 10,000 visitors.
Hotel
Barbara Green foresees once the waterpark is established, that plus the skiing will generate enough year-round demand for Blue Mountain to look into constructing time-share hotel rooms.Lifts
| Lift Name | Manufacturer | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge Express | Leitner-Poma Leitner-Poma Leitner-Poma of America is a North American aerial lift manufacturer based in Grand Junction, Colorado. It is the North American subsidiary of French-based Poma, which is owned by the Italian company Leitner Technologies, part of the Leitner Group. The North American company was formed in 2000 when... |
Detatchable 6-Pack | 2006 |
| Comet Quad | Leitner-Poma Leitner-Poma Leitner-Poma of America is a North American aerial lift manufacturer based in Grand Junction, Colorado. It is the North American subsidiary of French-based Poma, which is owned by the Italian company Leitner Technologies, part of the Leitner Group. The North American company was formed in 2000 when... |
Detatchable Quad | 1994 |
| Valley School Triple | Partek | Triple | 2002 |
| Main St. Chair | VonRoll | Double | 1981 |
| Burma Chair | Hall | Double | 1981 |
| Vista Chair | Hall | Double | 1976 |
| Valley Conveyor | N/A | Carpet | N/A |
| School Hill Lift | N/A | Rope Tow | N/A |
| Explorer Conveyor | N/A | Carpet | N/A |