![]() ![]() Montage Mountain Intermediate SkiingĪs discussed above, intermediate skiers at Montage are confined to the upper mountain. These three main green slopes comprise the entirety of Montage’s beginner offerings. There are no top-to-bottom green runs or even an interesting trail from the top of the mountain back to the midmountain area. However, more seasoned beginners will quickly tire of Montage’s small beginner area. A magic carpet provides first timers with an easy uphill lift and access to a short practice slope. The Shuttle chairlift services three main green runs (Highball, Mainline and Easy Street). ![]() Unlike many resorts, Montage’s beginner skiing is actually found at the top of the mountain. Annual snowfall averages around 60 inches per year. Montage does an excellent job maintaining the road to the lodge and 4WD is not necessary except during the worst of blizzards. In Montage’s favor, its expert runs (particularly White Lightning) are steeper than Elk and it’s limited upper mountain intermediate terrain offers wide slopes perfect for improving intermediates learning to carve. Skiers should be aware that the main lodge is located at midmountain. Moreover, Elk is slightly farther from New York City, which tends to lessen the crowds. Elk’s summit and base elevation are also about 1,000′ higher than Montage’s which ensures better snow conditions. Both resorts offer a 1,000 feet vertical drop, but Elk’s is skiable by skiers and snowboarders of every ability level, whereas Montage’s full vertical can only be skied by black diamond skiers. Given its proximity to Elk Mountain, comparisons are inevitable. This can lead to the slopes, and particularly the base lodge, being crowded on weekends and even some weeknights as Montage offers night skiing. Stuck on the upper mountain, these less skilled skiers have access to only around 400 feet of vertical. Montage is popular with school groups and busses make up a large percentage of the resort’s traffic. However, intermediate and beginner skiers can feel penned in and are unable to ski the resort’s full 1,000 feet drop. Experts enjoy this layout as it keeps the intermediate and beginner skiers on the upper mountian. The top portion of the mountain is home to all of the blue and green trails, while the decidedly steeper lower mountain is an expert’s playground. More than perhaps any ski area in the East, Montage is split into top and bottom sections. Trails like “Smoke,” “Highball,” and “Fast Track” all fit nicely into this theme. All of the trails and lifts are named after things in the railroad industry. A railroad motif, paying homage to Scranton’s heritage as “Steamtown USA,” pervades the ski area. ![]() New management has reverted to the “Montage Mountain” name and invested heavily in upgrading and modernizing what was becoming a tired resort. With a 1,000 feet vertical drop and excellent expert skiing by regional standards, Montage is a popular choice for both Scranton locals and skiers in the NY/NJ/PA region. Originally owned and operated by Lackawanna County, the ski operations were licensed to a private operator who ran the resort as “Sno Mountain” for a number of year before going bankrupt. Montage Mountain, just outside of Scranton, is one of the largest ski areas in the Poconos. With a 1,000 feet vertical drop and some of the steepest trails in Pennsylvania, it is a popular choice for expert skiers. So whether you’re a beginner or experienced, you can ski right out of the hotel and right onto the slopes,” said Charlie Jefferson, co-owner of Montage Mountain.Montage Mountain is the closest ski area to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre region. “You’ll be able to ski in and ski out both Black Diamonds as well as ski down Blues and Greens. To enhance their experience, the owners of Montage are planning to put a hotel between the Northface and Cannonball trails, removing its maintenance buildings. Hundreds of thousands of people head to the mountain each year for all of its events. “This coming spring we have a brew festival in April and then another wine festival coming up in May and then we open the water park for Memorial Day weekend,” said Jeff Slivinski, director of marketing at Montage Mountain. Montage Mountain is looking to the future. Ski season is still here, but it’s coming to an end with warmer weather moving in. ![]() Who wouldn’t want to sleep up on the mountain? Once you wake up, you’ll be able to enjoy everything this place has to offer throughout the year. Soon, you’ll be able to enjoy a new amenity: sleeping. SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU-TV) - Montage Mountain offers year-round fun from skiing to its water park and festivals. ![]()
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