Hidden Valley (New Jersey) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hidden Valley |
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 Hidden Valley
Location in Sussex County, New Jersey
Hidden Valley
Location in New Jersey
Hidden Valley
Location in the United States
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| Location | Vernon, Sussex County, New Jersey, United States |
| Nearest city | New York City 1 hour southeast |
| Coordinates | 41°11′8.16″N 74°28′50.16″W / 41.1856000°N 74.4806000°W |
| Vertical | 620 ft (189 m) |
| Top elevation | 1,435 ft (437 m) AMSL |
| Base elevation | 815 ft (248 m) |
| Runs | 15 - 25% easiest - 30% more difficult - 45% most difficult |
| Longest run | Browse Along 0.75 miles (1.2 km) |
| Lift system | 3 chairlifts - 1 triple - 2 doubles 1 surface lift |
| Lift capacity | 3500 per hr |
| Terrain parks | 1 |
| Snowmaking | 100% |
| Night skiing | 100% |
Hidden Valley was a popular ski resort located in Vernon Township, New Jersey. It was a great place for people to learn how to ski and snowboard. You could find it off County Route 515, close to Route 94. It was about an hour's drive from the George Washington Bridge.
Today, this area has a new purpose. Since January 2016, it is known as the National Winter Activity Center. This center helps groups of young people learn about winter sports. It gives them a chance to try skiing and snowboarding, even if they normally wouldn't get the opportunity.
What Happened to Hidden Valley?
Hidden Valley ski resort first opened its doors in 1976. For many years, it tried to compete with a much larger ski area nearby called Mountain Creek. This made things difficult for Hidden Valley.
In 2007, the resort ran into financial trouble and had to close down. It was then sold at an auction. A group of investors bought it. They hoped to turn it into a resort where everything was included in one price.
However, after a very warm winter in 2011 and other problems, the resort faced difficulties again. It was put up for sale once more in 2013. It did not sell at that time and did not open for the 2013-2014 ski season.
In February 2014, the National Winter Activity Center (NWAC) started operating at the old Hidden Valley location. This new center uses the mountain to teach winter sports.
Exploring the Mountain
The top of Hidden Valley mountain is 1,435 feet (437 meters) above sea level. The bottom of the mountain is 815 feet (248 meters) high. This means the total vertical drop for skiing was 620 feet (189 meters).
The resort had 15 different ski trails. About 25% of these trails were for beginners, which are the easiest. Another 30% were for intermediate skiers, meaning they were a bit more challenging. The remaining 45% were for advanced skiers, offering the most difficult runs.
The longest trail at Hidden Valley was called Browse Along. It was about three-quarters of a mile long (1.2 kilometers). The mountain had three lifts to take skiers up: two chairlifts and one surface lift.
Famous Skiers Who Trained Here
Many talented skiers learned and trained at Hidden Valley.
Donna Weinbrecht is a champion freestyle skier. She won a gold medal in moguls at the 1992 Winter Olympics. Donna learned to ski and practiced her skills right here at Hidden Valley.
The Schneider brothers, David Jr., Drew, and Todd, were also alpine skiers who trained at Hidden Valley. David joined the U.S. training squad when he was 17. Drew was invited to the U.S. Ski Team at just 14 years old. Todd later raced for the U.S. Ski Team in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Their father, David Schneider, started the alpine training program at Hidden Valley in the 1970s. He was also Donna Weinbrecht's first coach.
Nolan Kasper, a slalom racer for the U.S. Ski Team, started skiing at Hidden Valley when he was only three years old in the early 1990s. His father was a ski instructor at the resort.
