We are planning a Mid-Atlantic Gathering in Western PA over the weekend of Feb 1 to 4, 2019. The Gathering will be centered around rustic and affordable Laurel Mountain Ski Area, where we plan to ski on Sat and Sun, Feb 2 and 3. For those who want to extend the weekend, we may ski Friday, Feb 1 and/or Monday, Feb 4 at Laurel Mtn, or Blue Knob (one hour east of Laurel Mtn), or Seven Springs ski area (45 minutes south of Laurel Mtn). For maximum flexibility we may wait until a week or two before the event to assess local conditions and firm up the exact roster of ski days and venues to be visited by the group, but Feb 2 and 3 are targeted for Laurel Mountain. One example of Laurel Mtn's affordability is that a three day lift ticket there for Fri, Sat and Sunday is only $104 adult, $98 child.
Several of us will be staying Fri, Sat and Sun night in a rustic cabin in Linn Run State Park near Ligonier, about a dozen miles from Laurel Mtn. We can host some après-ski activities/meals at this house, but we expect participants to identify their own overnight lodging. Other rustic cabins are also available, full kitchens but no bathrooms or indoor water, the shower house is nearby. Here are a few other suggestions: On the west side of the mountain, In Ligonier, the Ramada Inn. Located in Laughlintown a little closer to the mountain, is the Ligonier Country Inn. Here is an AirBnB option on the mountain less than a mile from the ski area, Laurel Mountain Cabin. Another AirBnB option between Ligonier and Laughlintown, one of several identical new constructions, is the Sunset Cottage. On the east side of the mountain in Jennerstown there is the Huddleson Court and the Laurel Manor Motel. Several other AirBnB and VRBO options are available. There are several motels in Somerset, PA or Donegal, PA each about a 30 minute drive to the mountain.
We have a few options for extending the weekend and skiing at two additional nearby ski areas depending on interest and conditions. A three day (Fri, Sat, Sun) lift ticket at Laurel Mtn is only $104 adult and $98 child, a Monday ticket at Seven Springs is $67, a Friday ticket at Blue Knob is $35.
We will post further details in this thread as the date approaches. Let us know if you have any questions. Come one, come all!
Details on Laurel Mountain: this is a throwback kind of place and although not huge (760' vertical, 20 trails, numerous glades), it has great character, scenic groomers, a challenging steep run (groomed), and several terrific glades and mogul fields when Mother Nature cooperates. It is never crowded and often feels like your own private ski area with a mountaintop base lodge that has amazing views and an awesome pub. We are hoping that in early Feb there will be good ski conditions at Laurel Mtn, but the option of skiing nearby Seven Springs and their extensive snowmaking system will ensure a good variety of terrain to enjoy over the weekend. Laurel Mtn and Seven Springs also offer a joint three-day weekend Highlands Ticket that participants might want to consider among the various ticket options. If we have enough participants we will look into group discounts on lift tickets.
FYI, here are a couple of trip reports with photos on Laurel Mountain and nearby ski areas: http://www.dcski.com/articles/1507
http://www.dcski.com/articles/1554
Here's another DCSki thread with a link to a video we did at Laurel last year. That place was fun. Scroll down about 4 posts to see the video.
http://www.dcski.com/forum/92179
Hello, new poster here. I've skied Laurel for years, and have enjoyed the past 2 years sking with Laurel hill crazy. I hope to join in the fun that weekend and finally meet some of you folks. I've enjoyed reading all the posts the past year or so.
Penciled in to our to do list. Hope nothing pops up in conflict with a drive up Friday, ski day Saturday, and drive home Sunday morning. Might also ski a couple hours Sunday if something amazing happens which would make a good excuse to delay an early departure.
Just an FYI, depending on exactly where your cabin is. The road between Linn Run and the top of the mountain washed out this summer. They were working on it this Fall but I'm not sure if they got the work done or not. If they did not, you may want to make sure your cabin is above the closure.
It wouldn't be the end of the world either way, but you'd have a longer route around to get to the resort if the road is closed still.
If there'd been any decent mt biking weather this fall (or summer for that matter), I'd have a better update but it's been a few weeks since I've been up there and it wasn't finished the last time I was there. I'm sure the DCNR office in Laughlintown could tell you.
the road was to reopen this week, I believe Laurel Hill Crazie will be staying in the Linn Run cabins and he is on top of things
that said the road up thru Linn Run and across to Laurel is somewhat scary as it is a snowmobile trail in winter.
Sounds like great fun! Unfortunately I can't make it because I'll be starting a week at Taos that weekend. Hope you have great weather!
Seven Springs, 11/10/18 10AM. cranking for real or just blowing out the mice?
It looks like an earnest attempt to cover Wagner, Stowe, Fawn Lane, and somebody said they were blowing on the North Face but I could only see above the tubing park from the main lot and maybe they're blowing on Lost Boy.
Wagner Slope
Stowe Slope
Time to bump as we get closer. There is a Roll Call thread for potential attendees. https://www.pugski.com/threads/roll-call-mid-atlantic-gathering-in-western-pa-feb-1-4-2019.13294/
I just confirmed with Sarah Brown from Laurel Mountain that they will extend day group rates to all individuals who tell the ticket desk that they're with the Support Laurel Mountain Group. Daily weekend open to close ticket is $41, all sessions discounted, see the link above. Support Laurel Mountain discount tickets wil be available Friday Feb1 - Monday Feb4. When you purchase your ticket tell the cashier that you are with the Support Laurel Mountain group.
This Gathering is being promoted on DCSki, PugSki, and the local Support Laurel Mountain Facebook group. Hence the secret password. Tell the cashier you Support Laurel Mountain and get a discount ticket.
THANKS LHC!
Also, the standard three-day weekend special from Fri open (9AM) to Sunday close (7PM) at Laurel Mountain is available to all at $104 adult and $81 child. This is the best deal for those considering three consecutive days of skiing at Laurel Mountain and is offered to all the general public. (The Support LM group deal is the best for those considering just one or two days of skiing over the weekend of our Gathering on Feb 1-3, 2019.)
MORE PHOTOS OF BEAUTIFUL LAUREL MTN, PA
- Child rate applies to ages 6-11.
- Children 5 and under ski free with paying adult (must obtain ticket).
- Adults 80+ ski free (must obtain ticket).
- Adults 70-79 receive half price off the regular rate (50% = $28.50 on weekends)
There is a nice long period of cold snowmaking temps and chances for natural snow leading up to this event, only eight days from now: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-79.30938005447388&lat=40.0234080022677
We're still on target to arrive late Friday and ski Saturday.
The natural coverage survived the rain. Here's a link to the PA X-C Skiers Association web cam on Laurel Mountain just down the Summit Rd. from Laurel's Gate House: https://www.paccsa.org/lmwebcam. The rain took down 3 to 4 inches. It is snowing now and we should see some lake effect over the next few days.
Laurel Hill Crazie wrote:
The natural coverage survived the rain. Here's a link to the PA X-C Skiers Association web cam on Laurel Mountain just down the Summit Rd. from Laurel's Gate House: https://www.paccsa.org/lmwebcam. The rain took down 3 to 4 inches. It is snowing now and we should see some lake effect over the next few days.
How does Laurel Hill compare to Liberty or Whitetail? With the conditions they would have this weekend?
The snow conditions at the resorts west of the Appalachian front are almost always better than the local resorts. The other day it was 40 degrees in Baltimore and 6 degrees on Laurel Ridge. The elevation makes a huge difference as well as the Lake Effect snow that we get west of the Appalachian front.
Laurel Hill Crazie wrote:
The natural coverage survived the rain. Here's a link to the PA X-C Skiers Association web cam on Laurel Mountain just down the Summit Rd. from Laurel's Gate House: https://www.paccsa.org/lmwebcam. The rain took down 3 to 4 inches. It is snowing now and we should see some lake effect over the next few days.
Great link!, thanks
Forecast I saw shows cold and sunny next Saturday. Will keep an eye on things, Friday might might snow a little. Hoping for good travel weather Friday. Just got a heads up that my new job assignment is likely changing next week. Interviewing with a potential new manager Tuesday. Hope they're also cool with me leaving at noon on Friday. If not, I might have to bail on this damnit..
I just returned from a pleasant day on the mountain. Laurel is looking pretty good. Just as I had hoped, all the natural cover froze after the rain and now has become a very solid base. We've had several inches of snow on top of that making the groomed surfaces velvet and the natural surfaces skiable. Of the natural, Laurel Run was officially opened today after being skied by outlaws all day Saturday. Laurel Run's base was solid with loose mounds of snow throughout. I poached, er, skied Upper Lincoln Highway which had nice stretches of powder between the small ice caps on high spots of the trail. Middle Snow Bowl had some deep blow in that skied like butter. Hat's off to the skier that skied the entire length of the lift line. Dream is still about a half a foot away from opening. A few have poached it but the water bars are a problem for intermediates.
All the machine made was in good shape especially Broadway and Innsbruck. Lower Wildcat was getting pretty polished by mid-day. The lodge was crowded upstairs and down. I even had to wait almost a minute for a chair once or twice.
Wait? LHC, as the savior of Laurel Ski Area?!! You wait? Not when you deserve the throne chair!!!!
MorganB.
Als The Colonel
Occasionally looking at the webcam, it apeared that they had good crowds on the last 2 weekends. This is encouraging.
When will Lincoln Highway and Hegan's cut be open? Pretty late for these two blues to not be open yet, no?
someone saw LHC on top of the highway Sunday, both are nonsnowmaking but good chance for the weekend with someone else's skis
LHC made a wrong turn down Hegan's too and the Kitty Cats. As imp says, rock skis or someone else's skis, lol. Although it is mostly very firm (but not blue) base, rocks are frozen over.
I think the whole mountain will be open this weekend. Natural snow areas will be thin. There is a solid, firm base that's had about 6 to 8 inches of snow on top of that. The wind has done its grooming so some spots will very deep and other will have the base expose. My guess is that if this were 1940 this morning's ski report would call the skiing "good" with a 6 to 12 inch base and 3 to 4 inches of new snow overnight. In other words, I skied powder all day.
Excellent! They are forecasting 100% chance of snow on Friday. And the temps should moderate by the weekend. Friday high at elevation 2785' will be 20 degs, Sat 30, Sun 40. Should be a good time at Laurel Mtn this weekend!
Just to clarify, the snow report I gave above was for natural snow trails. The machine made trails base is 18"- 36". This morning's official report confirms, the entire mountain is open and more snow on the way.
Looks like we found the sweet spot for PA skiing season. Sucks that it takes until Februry for the resorts to get 100% open. Hopefully it will last well in to March or April as a make up to the slow start.
We skied at Laurel 2 Fridays ago. My Buddy just returned to the area this year after 30+ yrs away. We were thinking of HV so he can see a different resort but that $41 liftie is going to be tough to pass up.
Blue Don 1982 wrote:
We skied at Laurel 2 Fridays ago. My Buddy just returned to the area this year after 30+ yrs away. We were thinking of HV so he can see a different resort but that $41 liftie is going to be tough to pass up.
I think some of us will try to tie yellow ribbons around our ski poles as an identifier. You do same if you think of it. Everyone uses same chairlift, so should be fairly easy to make connection.
JimK wrote:
I think some of us will try to tie yellow ribbons around our ski poles as an identifier.
Hey Jim - my ski jacket is one giant yellow ribbon. I can't hide if I wanted to. Honestly, it's as bright as the one in your avatar. My kids call me Big Bird - Haha
Blue Don 1982 wrote:
JimK wrote:
I think some of us will try to tie yellow ribbons around our ski poles as an identifier.
Hey Jim - my ski jacket is one giant yellow ribbon. I can't hide if I wanted to. Honestly, it's as bright as the one in your avatar. My kids call me Big Bird - Haha
Ha, good to know. I know what some of you look like and vice versa. I'll also keep an eye out for yellow bellied Don. I haven't 100% decided what jacket I'll be going with the way the weather keeps changing, but probably a purple and red Spyder shell that screams 1990s. Our helmets have PugSki stickers on them.
The lift starts running at 9. It will be easy to find the early arrivals but let's set 10 AM as the first official meeting time. That will give the early birds an hour to ski and an opportunity for later arrivals to meet up. Laurel only has one lift so meeting will be no problem. Some of us will have ribbons tied to our poles. Meet by the side door of the lodge on the Ski Top side of the building. Afternoon meeting will be at 1 o'clock at the same spot.
Laurel Hill Crazie wrote:
JimK wrote:
1. If you need a ticket say the magic words on Fri, Sat or Sun: "Support Laurel Mountain Group", that will get you a Daily ticket open-to-close for $41 (or you could get a three-day ticket for $104).
2. Tie a yellow ribbon on your ski pole if you want to be recognized by the Gatherers, which could be fun or trouble depending on your point of view:-) Some of us will be up there on Friday, more coming Saturday.
3. 3-7" of snow forecast for Friday during the day up on Laurel Mtn!
I'm not sure but there might be a discount on the all weekend pass so tell them that you're with the Support Laurel Mountain Group and see if one is available.
Looking forward to meeting you all on Saturday, and putting faces and skis to some of the people that have made my non-snow hours much more enjoyable & knowledgable over the past many years.
My most recognizable feature might be my orange poles, around which I may tie an orange ribbon if i have a roll. Will look for you at or under the lift sometime between your 2 meeting times.
LHC, JimK, Imp and group,
Great SOTS (State of the Snow) reports from Laurel Mountain! Thanks for the updates.
Just found out that I can break free for some Saturday skiing with you. Should arrive around 1030 a.m. that day. I'm grappling with some non-ski-related shoulder pain but will ski as long as I can and head back to the Shenandoah Valley in the afternoon or early evening. Will find some yellow ribbon (Police Line - Do Not Cross) for my poles.
See you soon,
Woody
Laurel Hill Crazie wrote:
Just to clarify, the snow report I gave above was for natural snow trails. The machine made trails base is 18"- 36". This morning's official report confirms, the entire mountain is open and more snow on the way.
Laurel was fantastic yesterday. I bumped into JimK and LHC briefly. I think I got some video of the two of you doing Lower Wildcat - I need to sort thru more of my files.
Here's a quick edit of videos / pics from Friday. I must say, Saturday must be a winner - winner chicken dinner day for you guys today. Mom turns 80 today or I wouold be there again!
https://go2snowshoe.com/laurel-mountain-2-1-19/
And for those of you with the super secure firewalls
Thought I saw snowsmith (in a different jacket?) under the lift rippin' sunshine corduroy at HV this morning. HV North was really fun snow this morning
from yesterday:
Was a fantastic time. Didn't stop to take photos. Son had my GoPro and used it some. Definitely have the crew bombing lower Wildcat sheet of ice. Probably a few days before he gets around to editing. Jim Kenney may also still have copies of the raw video footage. I dumped it to his c-drive desktop Saturday night.
Thanks to everyone, good times, good food, and lots of laughs!
This is our annual do or die event.. Only missed one Mid A gathering in the past 10 years.
camp wrote:
Thought I saw snowsmith (in a different jacket?) under the lift rippin' sunshine corduroy at HV this morning. HV North was really fun snow this morning
from yesterday:
Camp - great time on Saturday! Very nice actually meeting all of you in person. Hats off to Rob for organizing this event. And yes that was most likely me getting some turns on Barracuda.
Great day yesterday at Laurel! Thanks Jim, Don and Justin for showing me and the wife around. We had a great time, and we have made Laurel our new #1 place in PA. If anyone hasn't tried it yet, they really should, it is a hidden gem in Western PA!
This is some VERY SHORT raw footage of JimK and Laurel Hill Crazy coming down Lower Wildcat on Friday while I was on the lift.
https://www.wevideo.com/view/1299954481
Videos from Saturday;
Gang down Wildcat
https://youtu.be/8B1BeTo99xA
Chance down Dream Highjway
https://youtu.be/upULBgW5ARw
Jim down Wildcat
https://youtu.be/3I2_E-WP4dI
Groomer run
https://youtu.be/3I2_E-WP4dI
Steepest Mid Atlantic Run :-P
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MTlD1nJFSM
Thank you all for showing up. You made the best day at Laurel even better. I'm so happy to share my home mountain with all of you. Thanks Chance for th video and Blue Don too. I know there were many more of you that I missed. I made the 10 AM meetings but fun got in the way of the 1 o'clock meet up. I would say that I was sorry but, no friends when there is still untracked on the mountain. For those that did make it out, you had the best weekend since reopening 3 years ago.
I hope the powers that be take note that a lot of the comments and stoke was over the natural snow terrain. We need snow making on that half of the mountain!
Special thanks to Jim Kenney. It was a nudge from him that got this latest (and many other) Gatherings going. Best of all, Jim picked the dates. From now on we will ride his intuition, it served us very well this weekend.
Initial reports from the ticket window said about 30 took advantage of the discounts by Saturday. I'll get the final report later this week.
Great mtn, great conditions, great people, great time!
Just had a great three days at Laurel Mtn, PA, Feb 1-3, 2019. This ski area goes back to about 1940 and was lost until reopening three years ago. Really cool retro place with light crowds. Met many nice people there. Here's a first blast of photos.
Feb 1, L-R: Ron, Elizabeth, LHC, Mrs. LHC, Rus
Yes indeed, a great time at Laurel Mountain!
Thanks JimK and Laurel Hill Crazie for organizng this get-together, getting that nice discount, and hosting us so graciously. And, somehow, you arranged the weather and snow conditions, too. Glad to meet and ski with nearly a dozen from this group on Saturday - well worth the 3-hour trip each way.
Woody
I posted those pics in a way that made it hard to go back and add captions. Feb 1 was a powder day, Feb 2 was a nice mid-winter day, and Feb 3 was spring skiing. Longest lift line all weekend was about 15 people, while other mid-Atlantic resorts were slammed.
Photo 1. Feb 1, L-R: Ron, Elizabeth, LHC, Mrs. LHC, Rus, in front of historic Midway Cabin built 1940
2. Mrs LHC
3. Son of LHC on lower lift line
4. Joey same area
5. LHC pow
6. Josh (one of several Josh's in our group) on Upper Wildcat
7. Feb 2: L-R Snowsmith, Josh, Jim, Marcus, Camp
8. LHC night skiing on Feb 1
9. Morgan in Doc's glades, which she helped clear last off season
10. Mike C. on Dream Highway (long, narrow, curvy, all natural trail)
11. Snowsmith
12. CRGildart and son, all the way from North Carolina!
13. Deann leading on Lower Wildcat
14. Bousquet19 exiting Lincoln Highway (another interesting old-timey, narrow, all-natural trail)
15. LHC and daughter with hand painted Laurel Mtn t-shirt she created
16. Laurel Mtn local Elizabeth
17. Ron
18. Ron and Elizabeth with summit view
19. Justin and LHC
20. LHC on Feb 3, King of Spring. He got many compliments for his distinctive T-shirt, note lodge and antique snowcat in background. Laurel Mtn is the bomb!
21. Justin on Lower Wildcat (my photos do a poor job conveying how steep this slope is)
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