The snow sport season is about to kick off at local ski resorts

Tis the time for snow sports. And yes, our local ski areas are making snow for your downhill enjoyment. 

At Bear Creek Resort in Macungie, Gary Klein, Director of Marketing, said Bear has not yet set an opening date but they are in the process of making snow and are open for Season Pass holder purchase. So, he advises to check Bear’s website for dates and times. 

New for this snow season is the Polar Bar, a new outdoor bar located at the base of the mountain. They’ve also added RFID gates on their beginner carpet and their very popular tubing area to make access quicker and easier. 

Blue Mountain Resort in Palmerton with the largest vertical and some of the longest runs in the state, opened for limited skiing on Thanksgiving Day. It also has one of the largest snowmaking systems in the state that covers its 171 skiable acres. 

In case you haven’t visited Blue in recent years, it has 40 trails that include 14 beginner, six intermediate, 11 expert, four expert only and five terrain parks. In addition, there’s a 46-lane Snow Tubing Park that Blue says is the country’s fastest. It’s also the most popular for families that don’t ski or snowboard. 

A new addition for the 2022-23 snow sports season is the Main Street Express lift which replaces two double lifts and improves access to the western part of the mountain. It also connects between Valley Lodge and Summit Lodge. The new lift, according to Marguarite Clark, Blue Public Relations Manager, will transport riders from bottom to top in under five minutes and accommodate 3,000 guest per hour. 

Also new at Blue is the all-lit nighttime, after-dark Sonic Tubing with music for its over 1,000-foot-long 46 lanes that’s serviced by three lifts. Tubers can choose between single or double tubes. 

Clark added that the first slopes to be opened will include Paradise, Tut’s Lane, Connector, Vista, Burma Road, Shuttle, Homestretch, Frontier Alley, School Hill (terrain park on this trail) and Free Fall. All will be serviced by the Comet or Challenge lifts. 

Up at Camelback Resort in the Poconos, they opened their largest in the country snowtubing park this past Saturday with 10 of its 40 snowtubing lanes. The lanes will be open for day and night tubing in solo, double or chained tubes. Two Magic Carpet lifts will service the snowtubing park. 

Camelbacks’ all-lit after-dark Galactic Tubing is back and features it’s tubing party slope side that’s complete with music, disco lighting and up to 40 lightning-fast lanes serviced by two magic carpet lifts. 

Snowtubing sessions are two hours long and start every hour on the hour. To save time, tickets may be purchased online at www.camelbackresort.com/ski-tube/poconos-pa-snowtubing. 

Snowtubing is complimentary Monday-Friday on non-holidays with purchase of an Unlimited Value Season Pass. Riders must be 44 inches tall to ride alone. Riders who are 33-43 inches tall may ride in a double tube or chain with a participating adult. 

As for skiing, Camelback is blowing snow on major trails but it’s best to check their website for updates on ski/boarding dates and times. 
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