Montage, PA: 2/23/25 on the Indy Pass

[Brownski]

Camelback has better terrain but it’s always so crowded, it doesn’t matter.

 

[PA Ice]

Camelback has much better terrain and layout, but some serious problems this year. They JUST got completely open a week or so ago with some help from Blue's snowmakers and groomers. In contrast Blue, a few miles South and lower, was 95% open before the new year.

@gorgonzola glad you brought the snowmaking issue up regarding Camelback and Blue. PA Skiing’s big mystery this year. These resorts have the same ownership but for some reason CBack couldn’t get trails open early. Approximately only 50% of acreage open by MLK day The slow opening of trails at Camelback this year only surpassed by Gore in the Northeast it sounds like.

 

[MarzNC]

Playing with the interactive maps on SteepSeeker for Montage and Camelback is interesting. Clicking on a trail name gives extra stats now. Becomes pretty obvious that for an advanced skier, the black trails at Montage are more challenging than those at Camelback. Of course, no substitute for first-hand reports.

 

[tirolski]

Camelback has better terrain but it’s always so crowded, it doesn’t matter.

Reminds me of a great Yogi-ism.

 

[gorgonzola]

@gorgonzola glad you brought the snowmaking issue up regarding Camelback and Blue. PA Skiing’s big mystery this year. These resorts have the same ownership but for some reason CBack couldn’t get trails open early. Approximately only 50% of acreage open by MLK day The slow opening of trails at Camelback this year only surpassed by Gore in the Northeast it sounds like.

What I get out of all the stories I've heard this season is that management of both areas is basically independent of ownership. Where blue has done a phenomenal job this season, CB, well, hasn't. It will be interesting to see if/how that changes moving forward. Hoping for the best and all those CB skiers and riders go back home lol

Playing with the interactive maps on SteepSeeker for Montage and Camelback is interesting. Clicking on a trail name gives extra stats now. Becomes pretty obvious that for an advanced skier, the black trails at Montage are more challenging than those at Camelback. Of course, no substitute for first-hand reports.

Neither hill as any sustained pitch but there's very little runout after the steeper sections at Montage, they stop abruptly at the lift, 2 or 3 turns to hockey stop kinda thing. Its much more enjoyable/challenging to be able hold a little speed and momentum afterwards imo.

 

[Country Gun]

My son and a friend ski both Camelback and Montage during the midweek Friend@s College is near CB.
They prefer Montage for the lower black diamonds at Montage. But with Camelback’s fast lifts you can turn out the laps.
One thing about Montage, Lower mountain it is tucked out of the wind. Sometimes you can’t move forward in the wind on the upper slopes, while on the lower mountain you don’t even know it’s windy.
Always lock you equipment up or check it. Things go missing often there. We park next to the LM lift and put our equipment in the car if we go inside.