# Spring riding near PA?



## Sincraft (Sep 6, 2010)

I live in Southwestern PA, closest hills are 7 springs and Hidden Valley, about 45 mins away. Sadly, with prime snowmaking temps in the past couple of weeks, they opted out of this option as they figured the interest was too low to commit the $$$ to make snow. Could have easily extended their season another 2 weeks...

alas, this did not happen.

So - does anyone know where , within driving distance, one would ride well into Spring? 

someone on the lifts yesterday said Holiday Valley was nice, but I'm not really sold just yet. 

I'd like to take a weekend and get in as much riding as possible before I have to deal with summer...I dread summer, even before I started riding. Most hated season, I dislike it about as much as most people seem to dislike winter.

To each his own I guess.

any tips would be greatly appreciated. Such as, Holiday Valley is ok but an extra 2-3 hour ride you have such and such and they running lodging deals etc?


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## tj_ras (Feb 13, 2011)

Probly a bit of a drive for you but ill post em up anyway. Big boulder park in blakeslee pa is open on weekends 28$ tickets, big boulder has some regular riding groomers but its mostly a park. Camel back in tannersville pa is also open i think weekends only last i heard 25$ tickets, they have some long runs few blacks and dbl blacks. Not sure if elk mountain is still open but u can try there, i havent looked into it much since i just go to big boulder.


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## neednsnow (Nov 30, 2007)

I wouldn't waste the time driving to eastern PA. If you're going to make a trek, your best bet is Holiday Valley, unless you want to go balls-out and make the long-haul up to VT. Weather this weekend is looking to wash-out much of the east, but HV might get snow and VT is looking to be white. Poconos will be wet.


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## tj_ras (Feb 13, 2011)

I agree if it were me i would not make the trek to eastern pa if i can go places closer, but im just tossing out options. I would definetly suggest hauling out to vt rather then nepa, youll get more out of vermont.


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## Sincraft (Sep 6, 2010)

hmmm, sounds like Holiday Valley it is then. I did look at VT as an option but, I'll probably have family with, and their idea of a long drive would involve a beach. The complaints I would hear to drive that far and not plant down at the beach would be far too risky to endure. Holiday Valley is only 4 hours away and we have family about 1.5 hours from there so, we may even stop there on the way so we can see we visit  

Never been there though, reviews are mixed on onthesnow but overall was rated better than my 'home' hill, 7 springs.


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## neednsnow (Nov 30, 2007)

Sincraft said:


> hmmm, sounds like Holiday Valley it is then. I did look at VT as an option but, I'll probably have family with, and their idea of a long drive would involve a beach. The complaints I would hear to drive that far and not plant down at the beach would be far too risky to endure. Holiday Valley is only 4 hours away and we have family about 1.5 hours from there so, we may even stop there on the way so we can see we visit
> 
> Never been there though, reviews are mixed on onthesnow but overall was rated better than my 'home' hill, 7 springs.



I spent a few seasons at springs and have been to HV. Yes HV is better than the springs. A little more elevation top-to-bottom distance. Take that with a grain of salt on the dawn of April, though. I guess they are definately better than the springs this week since they'll be open. Here's hoping your weekend trek is a white one!


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## Sincraft (Sep 6, 2010)

not sure if you heard, but 7S is open again this Saturday. Checkout their site. Was just checking it out to show someone the crazy jumps they put in on their web cams for some reason end of season (some photo shoot) and their site says "no april fools joke, we open saturday"

only problem is, they aren't running their high speed lift.

odd, just two lifts near each other, even more odd. 

But hey at least they are open. Im not sure we are going to HV now. Might have to take 7S up on their latest opening. The wife isn't in the mood to deal with cold anymore and said she would just hang at the hotel or their indoor pool. I dont htink there is much to do at HV so im sure she'll be plenty bored or racking up a liquor bill, either way bad unless I can get her in the mood to SKI. Told her to try riding a board for a change up, she'll have no part of it..


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## neednsnow (Nov 30, 2007)

Sounds like irreconcilable differences to me!:laugh: Though springs is probably your better option. Enjoy!


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## jdang307 (Feb 6, 2011)

Joke's on Northeast as April Fools' snow nears - Yahoo! News

Big storm coming to the region.


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## neednsnow (Nov 30, 2007)

The Joke is how rapidly the forecast snow amounts are dropping.


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## Sincraft (Sep 6, 2010)

neednsnow said:


> The Joke is how rapidly the forecast snow amounts are dropping.


weather folks are reporting like regular news people now. Whatever gets the ratings.

Of course, JUST after I set reservations for Holiday Valley this weekend, I check the weather to see how much snow they are going to get on the weekend, only to find it's going to rain for 2-5 hours on friday, and probably drizzle here and there with full on rain for 2-5 hours on saturday. isn't that great/!??!?!

I've been dodging rain all year this riding season. It's gotten downright frustrating. Seems like EVERY weekend after mid jan has been CRAP.

Hoping they screwed this up and they end up getting all snow, or the rain is not during riding hours, but being that it's april, the elevation of the mountain is very very small, I doubt my wish will come true. Sadly, if it rains I'll remember Holiday Valley as a bad place unless of course I pickup a scratch and win lottery ticket and win 1000/wk for life mkay? 

Wish me luck gents. If it rains I will have to pry my wife's hands off the doorframe next time to get her to go with me.


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## tj_ras (Feb 13, 2011)

was supposed to get 2-4 overnight when they forecasted this morning. now its pretty much just rain and they are reporting a dusting for the morning......cool, i get to drive to philly on slushy roads now.


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## neednsnow (Nov 30, 2007)

Sincraft said:


> weather folks are reporting like regular news people now. Whatever gets the ratings.
> 
> Of course, JUST after I set reservations for Holiday Valley this weekend, I check the weather to see how much snow they are going to get on the weekend, only to find it's going to rain for 2-5 hours on friday, and probably drizzle here and there with full on rain for 2-5 hours on saturday. isn't that great/!??!?!
> 
> ...



Roses! Lots and Lots of Roses, and wine, bring her wine! Young Grasshopper, learn from this mistake.....with a late-season storm that rides up the coast....make it a game-time decision. Bummer, for sure. I watched in anticipation all week, but balked at any decision figuring it would be worthless. It is looking worthless, even in Vermont


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## Sincraft (Sep 6, 2010)

Wow the weather guy really **** up the forecast, twice, in a matter of 3 days!
Holiday Valley - Blue Skies, a few clouds on Sunday for an hour or two then opened up blue again. Only complaint, lifts always had someone on them, most of the time jammed but lift lines were only a couple minutes long. Not a complaint there, complaint comes from them NOT OPENING a large portion of the slopes. Not due to the lack of riders, but trying to be cost effective er, I mean 'green/enviro friendly' Darn. Missed out on alot of runs. 

Conditions were spring riding like. Didn't start till almost noon Sat because we didnt get in till midnight friday. Daughter forgot her coat, so had to buy another  breakfast, etc etc etc etc etc etc and we finally started the day. Not many places to go with new riders but enough to keep it from being boring with what they had open. REALLY wish they would have had sunrise (on the left) open, we stayed slopeside on that run. wife/kid left early, last run for me at 4:30 I rode down to our room. That made me pretty happy. And the slope was perfectly groomed, no 2 feet of sand to fight through.

I was surprised how much snow they have here. On sunday the bottom of the express lift was pure water at the end of the day but most of the areas were pretty good. The park near the main lodge wasn't steep enough with the warm snow to really get good speed to get air, but most of the rest of the slopes were pretty good. Early sunday it was pretty icey, when the sun hit it though, it softened up pretty quick and made riding pretty sweet. 

Very glad I tried Holiday Valley. Paid 119 a night and thought this was normal for HV. Found out from many locals that they were EXTREMELY happy with this weather as it wasn't normal and normally, the rooms are MUCH more expensive. 

I dont think I would pay the rates they want (360) for a room per night for that place to be honest. It's a great place, I would imagine even more if they had all runs open, but the price is a real deal breaker. Amazing once you leave the complex how many places there are, condos, etc. There are entire housing complexes built around this place and it doesnt' seem big enough to hold that many people.

Pretty busy in my eyes, when I asked a worker if it is normally this busy he laughed and said buddy the lift lines sometimes stretch to the lodge. O.O Whaaaaaa? Must be the only game nearby or something. I would think with all lifts open you would find it very hard to find parking, but lift lines shouldn't be that bad. 

Will try again, hopefully when slopes wide open. I really like how they laid this place out. 7 springs supposedly has the SAME acres of ridable terrain, but I just don't see how. Their slopes are wide at springs, but it's basically all the same short runs. Holiday valley has 3 or 4 runs next to each other, then at the bottom part you still have a slope to ride to get to the lift. HV seems much bigger than springs but maybe thats just me.

So there you have it. If I were anyone looking to get some final runs in end of season, HV is the place to give a shot next weekend if the weather holds out ok. 

Looks like I'm done for the season unless I win a trip out west. 

EDIT!!!!! So for grins and giggles, I took the 7 Springs sat view and the HV sat views, HV runs are much longer, unless you consider the black diamond slopes at 7 springs on the north face. If I were them, I would work that side a bit better, better use of real estate. So in my satellite travels, I noticed more runs right NEXT to HV. And realized, this is a DIFFERENT resort all-together. No wonder there are so many condos in that area lol, and yet how can BOTH resorts be that busy, where is everyone coming from!?!? How is Holimont vs HV?


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## Deviant (Dec 22, 2009)

Wish I would've seen this earlier, we had a couple weekends (last weekend of March and April 2nd) here in Ohio. They went nuts with the park and was a really fun session, maybe for next year check out Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resort, there's some really cheap (Days Inn) lodging about 3 miles away too. It's a super small couple resorts (one price for both) but they put a ton of time into the parks here.


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## Sincraft (Sep 6, 2010)

Deviant said:


> Wish I would've seen this earlier, we had a couple weekends (last weekend of March and April 2nd) here in Ohio. They went nuts with the park and was a really fun session, maybe for next year check out Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resort, there's some really cheap (Days Inn) lodging about 3 miles away too. It's a super small couple resorts (one price for both) but they put a ton of time into the parks here.


Yea I know that when I was in ohio, it was flat flat flat and more flat. I'm sure what they lack in mountain riding they make up for in parks. There used to be a single slope ski place that ran when golf season was over. I learned to ride there. MANY MANY years ago, they had 40' jumps that were poorly made. People would carve them out so you would get much air but landing was almost vertical. eventually I went balls out, hit one of those jumps, did a spread eagle (cool at the time), and cleared the entire jump. At the bottom was a solid slab of ice. I cracked two vertebrae and have never been the same since. 

Parks today amaze me 1. that they exist with insurance claims so high and people so oblivious to inherit risks and 2. so many people willing to risk life long pain for a bit of fun.

Me, personally, I think it's worth the risk  most of the time. I'm very very cautious. That's why I wasn't havent the time of my life at Holiday Valley. SO many people ZOOMING by on greens while I'm teaching my daughter how to ride. Im very paranoid and cautious in my old age. I have to say though, I was VERY happy the Holiday Valley had so many jumps. The one beginner park at the bottom near the lodge had 4 nice sized jumps. The resorts in my area are all medium jumps or large jumps. You have to clear 10' in the air before you hit the landing pad. Not good for people like me that just want to get a couple feet of air, tilt the board over to make it look respectable and then land and rush to the next feature. 

They are claiming they will be open next weekend. Suggest going for some final runs if you have the time/money/and will power to drive there. 

Oh I forgot to mention, EVERY time my daughter fell and was learning how to get up, before she could get up a ski patrol person was there asking if everything was ok. There were SO many ski patrol out there riding this weekend. Not sure if this is normal but they were super nice and helpful.


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