Laurel Mountain Ski Resort is a picturesque ski resort located in Westmoreland County in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. The resort is located adjacent to the Laurel Mountain Village and is the prime attraction of Laurel Mountain State Park. Ligonier is the nearest city to Pennsylvania.
About Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania is located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. The state has New Jersey to the east, Ohio to the west, New York, Ontario and Canada to the north, Delaware and Maryland to the south and West Virginia to the southwest. The state capital is Harrisburg.
Laurel Mountain State Park:
It is a state park in Ligonier Township, Westmoreland County and Jenner Township, Somerset County in Pennsylvania. It is looked after by Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Latrobe is the nearest city.
History:
Laurel Mountain Ski Resort was originally founded for the members of the Rolling Rock Club, a body comprising people of higher echelons of Pennsylvania. The original runs of the resort were set up in 1939-1940 and the first skiers hit the turf here in 1940-41. Further amenities were added to the resort over the years and the resort was first opened for the general people in 1958. In 1962, the resort was handed over to the state of Pennsylvania. But the journey of the resort has been inconsistent. It was closed for a decade from 1989-99, owing to insufficient water supply and mild winter. At the time of reopening in the 1999-2000 season, the resort featured a new lodge atop the mountain. Financial problems led to its closure once again in 2003-04. It resumed functioning in 2005-05 and was under operation of Seven Springs Mountain Resort but again faultered after sometime. In 2008, as per an agreement, Seven Springs once again took initiative to reopen the resort. The actual date of reopening is still not certain. As per agreement with Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that owns the resort land, no lodging can be erected in the vicinity of the resort.
Skiing facilities:
The resort has a total of five ski resorts. Two chairlifts serve the main skiing area of the mountain while a rope tow helps the skiers and the boarders learn the sport on an easy slope. There are more two rope tows, one serving the terrain park and halfpipe, while the other serving the snowtubing area. The top elevation of the resort is 270 metres while the skiable area is 70 acres. There are 20 runs in total (10 beginners’, 6 intermediates and 4 advanced) with the longest run being about 8,000 feet. There is one terrain park in Laurel Mountain Ski Resort. The ski resort has a double diamond slope called Lower Wildcat, which is the steepest ski slope in Southwestern Pennsylvania .
Activities/attractions at Laurel Mountain Ski Resort:
- Snow tubing
- Snowboarding
- Cross-country skiing
- Half Pipes
- Night skiing
- Children’s activities include ski school training
- Snowmobiling
- Sleighriding
Location:
Laurel Mountain Ski Resort is located at about 60 miles from Pittsburgh. It can be reached via the PA Turnpike or U.S. 30 East. Harrisburg (169 miles), Arlington (209 miles), Washington DC (213 miles) and Baltimore (219 miles) are some of the other major points near to the ski resort.
Accommodation facilities:
- Midway Cabin, the original lodge at Laurel Mountain, was located near about halfway down the Broadway slope. Set up in 1964, the Pittsburg Ski Club used it as their mountain headquarters.
Others:
- Champion Lakes (Bed & Breakfast) (Bolivar)
- Glades Pike Inn (Somerset)
- Old Stagecoach Bed & Breakfast (Jennerstown)
- Quill Haven Country Inn (Somerset)
- Foggy Mountain Lodge & Restaurant (Stahlstown)
- Indian Lake Resort (Central City)
- Ligonier Country Inn (Laughlintown)
- The Cottage (Ligonier)
- Ligonier Valley Cottages (Ligonier)
- A.B.C. Motel (Ligonier)
- Comfort Inn (Greensburg)
- Wingate Inn (Latrobe)
