SkiTown Review

Ski resort reviews can be helpful only if you know the skill level and skiing perspective of the person authoring the review. My perspective is focused on the actual skiing experience (terrain, crowd, and snow factors), and not so much on the ancillary aspects surrounding skiing. I am a middle-age advanced skier with no interest in jumping off cornices or cliffs. I will often at high speeds hit a small lip in the terrain and get a little air, but that is about the extent of it. I venture in and out of moderate mogul fields in an attempt to become a better all-around skier, but I tend not to spend a majority of my ski day dealing with the bumps. If I had to describe the type of skier with which I most closely identify, it would be a high speed cruiser who enjoys medium to giant slalom turns. On the Martin Luther King holiday weekend, My granddaughter and I traveled to ski the Endless Mountain Region, located in the northeast corner of Pennsylvania. This is where Sno Mountain and Elk Mountain reside, and we managed to ski both mountains. With that said, here is my opinion of Elk Mountain (Elk).

Terrain: Rated 4.0:
Elk has it’s relatively steep signature bump run called “Tunkhannock” which is located directly under the North Chair, and produces quite a show for those riding the lift. But I believe the thing that stands out most with Elk is the character of many of the trails. Even “Lehigh,” their longest beginner trail, snakes around the left perimeter of the mountain with switchbacks, turns and great views of the valley below. Elk skis a lot bigger than it looks, and gives the skier a big mountain feel. Intermediate trails like “Kickapoo” and “Wissahickon” never cease their turns, dips and undulations. You can ski them numerous times without boredom setting in. It is a tough act to follow the production of good intermediate runs that continue to provide a rush for advanced and expert skiers. The one unfortunate fact regarding Elk’s terrain is that management refuses to provide glade skiing. It could be an environmental thing or a lack of available space, but it does put Elk at a distinct terrain disadvantage.

Service: Rated 3.0:
The services provided by Elk was nothing more or less than what is usually provided at most ski resorts. As I waited on a short lift line, I did see the presence of the Elk sponsored courtesy patrol (Or are they typically called on mountain reps?), but I unfortunately did not get the chance to interact with any of their members. I did not like the idea that cars were not allowed to drop off or pick-up near the main lodge. One must wait at the bottom of a long hill and wait for their available shuttle flatbed truck to bus them up to the main lodge. At lunchtime I had my standard bowl of watery chili with supposed beef that was indistinguishable.

Crowds: Rated 4.0:
President’s Day and Martin Luther King Day weekends are arguably the biggest weekends during ski season, and at Elk’s crowd was definitely not what I had expected to my pleasant surprise. Elk has been noted to have humongous crowds during holiday weekends. We waited at most three minutes on a lift line, and that was only for the East Chairs directly outside of the main lodge. For the other lifts there were no lines whatsoever. It must be the economy that is killing the crowds. In addition we had no trouble finding seating in the cafeteria.

Activities: Rated 2.0:
Elk does not have a half pipe, but does have a tiny, rinky, dinky terrain park. Elk has no tubing either, and is located in the boondocks surrounded by rolling farmland. It does not seem like there is much to do in the Elk vicinity.

Value: Rated 3.0:
Elk struck me very funny with regard to value. Their lift ticket prices were slightly higher than comparable resorts, but their food was significantly cheaper than most. I guess this is a weird example of, “On one hand we giveth, and with the other hand we taketh away!”

In summary, I found Elk to be a visibly beautiful and aesthetic resort. The main lodge is bright and new looking. The trails are divided by beautiful rows of symmetrical plush and full evergreens, which adds to the spirit of skiing and mountain environment. Elk deserves to be separated from the Poconos and residing in the Endless Mountain region, because the other resorts in the Pocono region cannot hold a candle to Elk’s ability to provide a skiing experience that is not only more challenging, but is definitely more fun and entertaining. Spend the extra 40 or so minutes passing by all of those other Route 80 Pocono ski resorts. You won’t be sorry you did.

Elk is too far from Philadelphia, too cold facing north, and too slow with no high-speed lifts. That said, please go to other hills further south and/or near I-80 and join the crowds there!

Elk is a gem, probably my favorite in the Poconos. Just enough steep, true fall-line trails, some with major moguls, others just flat-out bombers. Laid-back atmosphere, good service, good baselodge. Drawbacks: taking the TRUCK from the parking lot to the lodge. You have to haul all your stuff on board, with everyone else doing the same, but Elk staff run it efficiently.

The lifts are very slow. A detachable high-speed quad should be Elk's #1 capital investment priority.

And how about 4 hour flex lift tickets? It's hard to drive up from Philadelphia for either the morning or afternoon session. Why not 4 hour flex tickets on week-days?

Again, please keep the extra distance you'll need to travel and the slow lifts, and the truck ride from the parking lot in mind as you consider Elk, and go somewhere else.

I am an expert skier having skied almost 50 resorts in N'America over the last 30 years and also work in a ski shop. So I am speaking of Elk as it compares to other PA mountains. My first visit was on MLK day. I was very pleasantly surprised in all ways by this mountain. The terrain was very good, all trails came basically straight down the fall line, no ridicules switchbacks and catwalks or long run-outs at the bottom. A little over-groomed for my taste, but if you like to go all out making big GS turns you'll be psyched! No employees seemed to have any problem with people skiing quite fast (myself included)! We skied every trail and did find some nice un-groomed blacks, which were fun. There was a good diversity of interesting terrain all in all. There were no crowds to speak of even on a holiday and I was blown away by the high-level of skiers, even quite a few tele-skiers!...what a difference compared to many of the other eastern PA resorts! The trails and views were very pretty. No obnoxious snow-guns all over the place. The cafeteria was simple but nice and clean and neat and the food was actually a good value, we even ate lunch in a full-service restaurant and paid the same as I would have in a cafeteria somewhere else. The bar could have had some atmosphere and been more "lounge-y/cozy" especially around the fireplace for apres, maybe it just opened?! kind of had a barren feel, no ski decor, etc....other than that the only real negatives I can think of were the chairlifts (no highspeeds) and the over-zealous grooming, and hard-pack somewhat icy conditions but I know I am in the minority on this one and it is just the way things are in the N'East..... So for me it was worth the additional hour drive and will hopefully be back very soon! This is a true skiers mountain and I will tell all my ski customers and friends!

Probably should not say this since it will only cause the lift lines to grow but this mountain is the best ski value around. You would have to go to the Catskills to get more terrain and vertical. Don't go there for the nigthlife or if you are looking for a halfpipe and an advanced snowboard park. If you like to ski, this is the best place in all of eastern PA.