Camelback Conditions

Second hand report from a buddy. He says the snow was soft but not clumping up too much and that they're 100% open as far as he can see




Looks pretty good to me

Camelback Resort Announces Biggest Upgrade in the History of Camelback Mountain

377 New Energy-Efficient Snowmaking Initiative Underway

Opening Day Set For Friday, Dec. 6

 
Tannersville, PA (Dec. 4, 2019) Powder chasers and novices alike can look forward to improved conditions and a longer season at Camelback Resort in the Pocono Mountains with a large investment into snowmaking and grooming operations for the 2019/2020 season.

Camelback Resort has invested in 377 new energy-efficient snow guns, which has replaced and exceeds older technology guns. Leveraging the latest in snow gun technology improvements, Camelback Resort will be able to make and distribute significantly more and better snow, while saving energy.

Camelback Mountain will open daily for the season on December 6th. The Ski mountain will be open from 9a.m. to 4p.m. through December 13th and then will move to full time hours with night skiing starting December 14th. Snowtubing will be open regular operating hours. Visitors can look to a season with more snow, more trail counts, improved trail conditioning, and a better experience than ever before.

“This is the single biggest upgrade in the history of Camelback Mountain,” said Brian Czarnecki, President of Camelback Resort. “ The new snow guns will not only significantly improve conditions and our guests’ experience, they use a quarter of the amount of compressed air, notably lessoning our impact on the electrical grid.”

The 377 snow guns were selected to best suit Camelback Mountain’s unique runs and terrain and include 196 tower guns, 86 boom tower guns, 94 Vipers, and a Halo Fan. Advanced nozzle configurations designed specifically for Camelback Mountain allows for increased snow operations in marginal temperatures, advanced flow distribution, and a more consistent snow texture.

In terms of energy efficacy, the new snow guns use three quarters less compressed air than older models. In seasons past, operations team could only run 70 snow guns using 28,000 CFM during marginal temperatures. With these improvements, Camelback Resort will be able to operate 280 low-energy guns utilizing the same CFM. With the addition of more snow, Camelback has also added a second PistenBully 400 snowcat to the fleet of six groomers.

Last winter, Camelback expanded their terrain with a new trail, Basilisk, bringing trail count to 39 - the most trails in PA. The trail is defined by its long, winding banked turns; resembling a gigantic snake. This boardercross style trail is rated double diamond and is intended only for experts due to its drops and narrow turns.

Visit skicamelback.com to purchase season passes.

Camelback Resort continues to reinvent itself since opening in 1963 with 14 trails and 3 lifts serving 41,656 skiers. Today, Camelback serves more than 1.6 million outdoor enthusiasts and visitors annually with 39 trails, 16 lifts and USA’s largest snowtubing park (with an out-of-this-world “Galactic” light experience) Camelback Mountain Adventures (featuring PA’s only mountain coaster and North America’s longest twin 4,000-foot Zip-Flyers), Camelbeach Waterpark (PA’s largest outdoor waterpark) and Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark, voted USA Today’s #1 Indoor Waterpark. For more information, visit: www.camelbackresort.com

Good on them.  Energy savings and more snow!  Big improvements and I’m sure it will be a great season.

That said.....not to be a Debbie Downer, but do I recall correctly a lot of complaints last year about the quality of the snow the new low-e guns produce?  I seem to recall a lot of observations that the snow was wetter and stickier.  In a marginal snowmaking environment (higher Pocono temps) that could be exacerbated.

Sounds like the snowmaking purchases are a direct benefit of the recent change in ownership.  People were a bit confused when it happened because the new owner is KSL Resorts.  That's a different company than KSL Capital Partners, which is the co-founder of Alterra and the Ikon pass.

KSL Resorts mostly has beach and golf properties.  Also owns a resort hotel at Vail Mountain.  Obviously interested in Camelback because it's a successful 4-season resort that happens to include skiing as well as golf and an indoor waterpark.  A lot of people live within a few hours driving distance of Camelback.

I haven't skied Camelback and not likely to bother.  But I did driving around the base during a drive north that included a stop in the Poconos.  Definitely felt like a 4-season resort that knew what they were doing.  From a skiing perspective, it's the typical horizontal ski area with short runs off a long ridge.  Night skiing and the waterpark are important for the target market, which is families.

I bet KSL Resorts is well aware of Big SNOW in American Dream.  It's not a "resort partner" but Blue Mountain in PA is listed on the Big SNOW website.  Mountain Creek too.  I assume both are direct competitors to Camelback.

JTG4eva! wrote

Good on them.  Energy savings and more snow!  Big improvements and I’m sure it will be a great season.

That said.....not to be a Debbie Downer, but do I recall correctly a lot of complaints last year about the quality of the snow the new low-e guns produce?  I seem to recall a lot of observations that the snow was wetter and stickier.  In a marginal snowmaking environment (higher Pocono temps) that could be exacerbated.

There are plenty of snowmaking teams who know how to make the best use of low-e guns.  If it can be done in the southeast and Berkshires, no reason it can't be done in the Poconos.

I’ve skied camelback a decent amount- probably won’t go back again. It’s an OK place but it just gets too crowded.
JTG is right. Low E guns make crappy snow