# Pocono's Suggestions?



## Ocho (Mar 13, 2011)

Hi,

For the Poconos, Jack Frost/Big Boulder, Camelback, and Blue are good; I've never been to Elk.

Definitely check out JFBB. You might really like Jack Frost for cruising groomers, but they are only open during the day. When JF closes, your pass gets you onto Big Boulder for night. Or you could just get a night pass for Boulder.

Boulder is more park oriented. Still a fun mountain, even if you don't ride park, but the runs are pretty short. It's a great place to learn park if you ever wanted. If you're a beginner, you might not mind the short runs.

Keep an eye on the Regional section here, too, for any meet ups in the area.


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## 566487 (Jan 3, 2012)

EatRideSleep said:


> Hi,
> 
> For the Poconos, Jack Frost/Big Boulder, Camelback, and Blue are good; I've never been to Elk.
> 
> ...


Thanks, I was thinking about checking out JFBB later in the season and doing a full day/night. I hope to get into parks next season so that would be a good place to get a little experience.


Is Shawnee any good? I haven't heard much about it.


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## Ocho (Mar 13, 2011)

appage said:


> Thanks, I was thinking about checking out JFBB later in the season and doing a full day/night. I hope to get into parks next season so that would be a good place to get a little experience.
> 
> 
> Is Shawnee any good? I haven't heard much about it.


You won't be disappointed by JFBB. And yeah, Boulder is a great place to learn park. The vibe there is super, too. I've always had fun there.

Shawnee...I went up a bunch of times years ago when I first started, mainly because it was the closest drive. I've had one of the worst days (my first time out) and one of my most fun days at Shawnee. It's small and gets pretty icy, especially at night. I haven't been there in years because I prefer JFBB, Camelback, and Blue over Shawnee. 

Sorry I can't give you more recent experience there. If you're coming up from south jersey, the other three resorts are probably a bit closer (depending on your route).


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

I was at Elk on MLK day and had the chairs to myself all day long. I honestly have no idea how this place stays in business. The terrain is pretty solid in addition to never being crowded. I definitely recommend it. :thumbsup:


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## ilikecoupons (Jan 20, 2012)

JFBB, Camelback, Elk, and Blue Mountain are the only ones worth going too. Of the 4, I would say that Elk is the least crowded with Blue Mountain being the most. It's really annoying sometimes at Blue Mountain when all of the new riders are hitting trails completely out of their league and slowing everybody down. Elk is really nice though. I have heard good things about JFBB, and Camelback is in the middle. They have a nice choice of trails, but it's also sometimes crowded. It is the biggest resort though. I would just wait and go to Elk.


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## 566487 (Jan 3, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the input.

I'll stick to the 4 mountains you guys mentioned. This will hopefully be my last winter in Jersey so I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out on anything worthwhile. I'll wait for some more storms and make a day out of JFBB & Elk. Until then I'll keep practicing at night at Blue & Camelback. Hopefully this warm rain isn't ruining everything!

Thanks again


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## SnowRock (Feb 28, 2011)

I don't have much to add that wasn't covered except that this rain is not helping things. These local mountains can't catch a break. Locally I have ridden camelback/JFBB this year and I think they both have done wonders with the hand they have been dealt. I rode camelback MLK day and it wasn't too crowded and the conditions were not bad at all. Did another weekday or two early there and a friday at JF which were all enjoyable since they were empty... despite some rougher conditions 

I grew up riding at Shawnee in the 90s.. had a seasons pass there for three years in HS. I have never been back (since 97) if that tells you anything. ELK is a bit farther haul but a nice little mt and personally I have never liked blue. If there was any snow Mt Creek is worth checking out, but I have not even gone there despite it being the closest mt to me.


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## Ocho (Mar 13, 2011)

LuckyRVA said:


> I was at Elk on MLK day and had the chairs to myself all day long. I honestly have no idea how this place stays in business. The terrain is pretty solid in addition to never being crowded. I definitely recommend it. :thumbsup:


Good to know. I chatted with the guys from Elk at the Meadowlands sale this year. Sounded like a decent place to check out in talking with them, but good to hear from an outside perspective.



SnowRock said:


> I don't have much to add that wasn't covered except that this rain is not helping things. These local mountains can't catch a break. Locally I have ridden camelback/JFBB this year and I think they both have done wonders with the hand they have been dealt. I rode camelback MLK day and it wasn't too crowded and the conditions were not bad at all. Did another weekday or two early there and a friday at JF which were all enjoyable since they were empty... despite some rougher conditions
> 
> I grew up riding at Shawnee in the 90s.. had a seasons pass there for three years in HS. I have never been back (since 97) if that tells you anything. ELK is a bit farther haul but a nice little mt and *personally I have never liked blue*. If there was any snow Mt Creek is worth checking out, but I have not even gone there despite it being the closest mt to me.


I never liked Blue, either, except for last night. The vibe was way better than the last time/s I was there and their coverage was better than Camelback's was Saturday night. It really surprised me. They were blowing huge mounds of snow on some of the closed trails, although with this rain who knows what shape they're in now. I still don't like how some trails cross each other awkwardly and the flats are a bit much. The only time I go to Blue is when friends are set on it (majority vote).


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## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

Well, some may knock Shawnee but if you have only been boarding 3 times, Shawnee is a good place to learn at. Definitely no terrain I would consider hard, no steep pitches to speak of really. It does have good greens and blues to learn on and although not much of a pitch, there really aren't any completely flat spots that you might get stuck on and have to skate around. Then it has few very short blacks that you can dabble around on before you outgrow it.

Plus with a student ID you can get a lift ticket at Shawnee that lasts from like 8:30 am to 9 pm. Once you get more experience it will seem real tame though. I prefer Blue or Elk. I don't really hit the parks at all though, more freeride. If your willing for a bit more of a drive the Catskills will offer a bit more challenge after the Poconos.


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## Redmond513 (Jan 27, 2011)

I have not been to Shawnee in a long time but I felt like it was a good place to learn. I mostly go to Camelback and Blue. I really like both of them. I like Blue better because it usually less crowded then Camelback. I have never been to JFBB however I might make it out there this year as I would like to get better in the park and I hear that this is the place to be for park.


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## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

Redmond513 said:


> I have not been to Shawnee in a long time but I felt like it was a good place to learn. I mostly go to Camelback and Blue. I really like both of them. I like Blue better because it usually less crowded then Camelback. I have never been to JFBB however I might make it out there this year as I would like to get better in the park and I hear that this is the place to be for park.


I would give Elk a go if I were you, some good freeride terrain for PA, and usually not as crowded. Been a while though, usually head to the Catskills or Adirondacks if I can last couple years.


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## Redmond513 (Jan 27, 2011)

Efilnikufesin said:


> I would give Elk a go if I were you, some good freeride terrain for PA, and usually not as crowded. Been a while though, usually head to the Catskills or Adirondacks if I can last couple years.


Blue and Camelback are roughly a 2 hour commute for me. ELK is an additional hour on top of that. Do you think its worth the additional hour?


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## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

Redmond513 said:


> Blue and Camelback are roughly a 2 hour commute for me. ELK is an additional hour on top of that. Do you think its worth the additional hour?


For a change of pace I would say yes. Plus usually better snow conditions and nice little natural features to play on on good days.


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## 566487 (Jan 3, 2012)

SnowRock said:


> I don't have much to add that wasn't covered except that this rain is not helping things. These local mountains can't catch a break. Locally I have ridden camelback/JFBB this year and I think they both have done wonders with the hand they have been dealt. I rode camelback MLK day and it wasn't too crowded and the conditions were not bad at all. Did another weekday or two early there and a friday at JF which were all enjoyable since they were empty... despite some rougher conditions


The weather has been awful this year. I went to Camelback on New Years Eve and Blue Mountain on MLK and was impressed with the conditions considering all the warm days and lack of snow recently. 



Efilnikufesin said:


> Well, some may knock Shawnee but if you have only been boarding 3 times, Shawnee is a good place to learn at. Definitely no terrain I would consider hard, no steep pitches to speak of really. It does have good greens and blues to learn on and although not much of a pitch, there really aren't any completely flat spots that you might get stuck on and have to skate around. Then it has few very short blacks that you can dabble around on before you outgrow it.
> 
> Plus with a student ID you can get a lift ticket at Shawnee that lasts from like 8:30 am to 9 pm. Once you get more experience it will seem real tame though. I prefer Blue or Elk. I don't really hit the parks at all though, more freeride. If your willing for a bit more of a drive the Catskills will offer a bit more challenge after the Poconos.


Well I have been more than 3 times actually. I went a couple times in High School (27 now) so I wasn't a complete beginner but it felt like I was starting from scratch when I picked it back up this year. But I feel like I've progressed quickly the 3 times I've been this year but some good greens and blues sounds great so maybe I will check out Shawnee. I still have my college ID too 


I'm hoping to get some riding in this Sunday so hopefully this rain doesn't ruin all the hard work these mountains have been doing.


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## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

appage said:


> The weather has been awful this year. I went to Camelback on New Years Eve and Blue Mountain on MLK and was impressed with the conditions considering all the warm days and lack of snow recently.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah, it like 38 bucks with the ID, so if you want to rest up in the middle of the day and have some beers after some falls, you still have plenty of time to crank out a bunch of runs before close.


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## 566487 (Jan 3, 2012)

Man this weather blows, warm and rainy 

How do you guys think the Poconos will be this weekend after such a crappy week? I was hoping to do some riding this Sunday...


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## Soul06 (Dec 18, 2010)

appage said:


> Man this weather blows, warm and rainy
> 
> How do you guys think the Poconos will be this weekend after such a crappy week? I was hoping to do some riding this Sunday...


I'd guess the conditions are likely to completely suck. The constant freezing, raining, melting and re-freezing has to be doing a number on all those mountains. I know Camelback has been getting hit bad. Stayed closed one day. Opened late another. Then the limited trails. I was supposed to go out to CB last weekend but with the weather out there being so unpredictable I hit up Vermont instead


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## Nito (Oct 16, 2007)

Hi Ap,

I'm surprised no one mentioned Sno (formerly known as Montage). Of all the mtns listed by the other riders in the forum, Blue is my favorite. But I avoid it during the weekends and holidays. Sno is my 2nd fav mtn due to the wide trails and low crowds. The lifts at Blue and Cameback are newer, bigger and faster but I had only a 5 minute wait at Sno on a Sunday.

On another note, check the calender of events for the various resorts. Many have customer appreciation days for local venders. D&Q, Buckmans and Lang's all have CAD and also sell lift tickets at discount.

Hope this helps - Nito


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