When people think of a ski and snowboard getaway, many overlook a treasure right in their own back yards. Pennsylvania offers a variety of ski resorts with great snow conditions and amenities. You may be surprised to learn that Pennsylvania averages roughly the same amount of skier visits as Utah! That puts PA 5th or 6th in the country. Pennsylvania is one of the few states in the nation to have ski resorts distributed over the entire state and close to where the people live. Colorado is flat as a board east of Denver and Utah is all dessert west of Salt Lake. Pennsylvania ski resorts are conveniently located to just about every major city in the state as well as many out-of-state metropolitan areas. The bottom line is that skiing in PA means a lot less travel and more slope time.

But what about the mountains? It’s true, the mountains in Pennsylvania aren’t the Rockies, but they offer a solid 600 to over 1,000 vertical feet. That’s more vertical than most skiers and riders can handle in one continuous run. Even at the big Western areas, the slopes tend to be broken up into “neighborhoods” of roughly this vertical. However with today’s snowmaking technology, most local resorts offer 100 days or more per season. With snowmaking, the resorts can get you on the slopes as soon as cold weather arrives and freshen up the snow surface whenever needed. The average skier or rider could not tell the difference between natural and machine-made snow except for when it is falling.

The amenities at many local resorts rival those at bigger resorts. Many have lodging on-site or close by, a variety of dining choices, pubs and entertainment. In summer, just about every resort has outdoor activities from golf courses to zip lines and truly unusual attractions like OGO Balls. So the next time you are planning a ski or snowboard getaway, don’t overlook Pennsylvania. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the quality and convenience.