A group of couples went out to Elk for Valentine's Day weekend and it was so much fun! The snow was great, which they can't really control, but the lodge was nice. The beer is reasonably priced for ski lodge too. We rented outside of elk so can't say anything for that but the runs are great. Tons of options and a great learning area for first timers!
If you are into a great skiing/riding mountain, Elk Mountain is your place in Pennsylvania. There are really no frills here, just a laid back mountain. The lodge is old, lifts are all fixed cable, no big terrain features, and you have to take a shuttle from the parking lot, but the trails and snow conditions are unrivaled in PA. Lots of variety including open groomers, long runs, and 3 un-groomed trails. My only complaint is the Chili Bowl is total rip off, mostly bread bowl, very little chili and they charge $0.50 extra each for cheese and onions. Bring your own food and enjoy a great day!
It's close to home for us, so we love it! The more snow the better. But be careful on the roads--we see fender benders up here all the time b/c on this side of the mountain we get a LOT more snow than even 10 miles down the road. Elk is small, but well groomed and we love the trails. At night, there are only minimal trails lit, but it is our favorite ski spot in this area!
The staff was great, very friendly and pretty good too, above average.Elk Mountain was my second time on a snowboard. I was signed up for a lesson, so I only had access to the beginner's slope. The lifts seemed a bit slower than average, but on the upside, the resort wasn't crowded, so lines moved quickly.
I am a retired physician who has skied Elk for over 30 years in between trips out west and Canada. It's a throwback from the late 60's so don't expect anything fancy. What you will find is great people, above average food and excellent conditions for intermediates. I have 32 days so far this year band plan more!
great people, great skiing but the ski resort is a bit behind the times. Lodge not comfortable and crowded. Staff very nice.
If you like skiing and don't want to travel to New England then go to Elk. It's the highest elevation in PA and it's runs are the longest and most challenging in the state. The resort says it's Vermont Skiing in Pennsylvania, and it's as close as it comes. Lots of blues and true Blacks with several ungroomed long runs like Tunkhannock and Chippewa will get bump skiers ready for moguls in Vermont and out West. All runs are named for local Native American tribes and you can link many together and never get bored. The mountain makes big snow and stays open into April sometimes. Tucked in the Endless Mountains of the Poconos it's a a treasure. Close to Interstate 81 North it attracts good skiers from NE PA and Southern NY. there are lots of green trails and some snow board parks. Friendly staff and good food decently priced. Tickets are reasonable. My fav in PA.
Pleasant intermediate ski hill with some unique trails. Good to visit once a year since I live just over an hour away. Much more fun on event days but then again lines are short to nonexistent during regular weekdays. Chairlifts are slow but that gives you time to catch your breath! An advanced skier/rider can enjoy the entire hill and repeat favorites within 4hrs.
One lift open on a February night?, you can do better. 4 skiing at 30-40$ each. Lifts shut down for 45 minutes primetime for an observance. You can do that pre or post lift times like out west. We're gonna start looking elsewhere for skiing and snowboarding, good luck
we took the family out to Elk this past weekend and really enjoyed it. Definitely not fancy, but clean, efficient, and comfortable. This is my first year skiing seriously, and I enjoyed moving up from the Green trails to the blues here. My boys (twins age 9) are new snowboarders this year and bombed down the blues and had a blast. My wife is an experienced skiier and raved about the trails and the overall experience. Few bells and whistles, but that's not what we came for. The skiing and the trails were awesome.