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Montage Mountain Ski Resort facts for kids

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Montage Mountain
Montage Mountain from the lodge area
Montage Mountain from the lodge area
Location Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States
Coordinates 41°21′12″N 75°39′33″W / 41.3533°N 75.6592°W / 41.3533; -75.6592
Vertical 1,000 ft (300 m)
Top elevation 1,960 ft (600 m)
Base elevation 960 ft (290 m)
Skiable area 140 acres (0.57 km2)
Runs 26
Ski trail rating symbol-green circle.svg - 19% - beginner
Ski trail rating symbol-blue square.svg - 46% - intermediate
Ski trail rating symbol-black diamond.svg - 19% - advanced
Ski trail rating symbol-double black diamond.svg - 15% - expert
Longest run 1.183 mi (1.904 km)
Lift system 7 chairlifts
2 surface lifts
Lift capacity 8,000/hr
Terrain parks 2
Snowfall 60 in (1.5 m)
Snowmaking 100%
Night skiing 100%
Website www.montagemountainresorts.com

Montage Mountain is a super fun ski area in Pennsylvania! It's about 8 miles from downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania. If you're coming from Philadelphia or New York City, it's about 125 miles northwest.

This mountain has 26 different trails for skiing and snowboarding. There are also two cool terrain parks where you can do tricks. Plus, it has one of Pennsylvania's longest snow tubing areas, which is a blast! The very top of the mountain is 1,960 feet high. From top to bottom, you can drop 1,000 feet!

History of Montage Mountain

Who Owned the Mountain?

Montage Mountain first opened in 1984. A non-profit group called Montage, Inc. owned and ran it until 1991. The money to build the ski area came from both public and private sources.

In 1991, Lackawanna County bought the ski resort. They owned it for many years.

Later, in 2006, a group from Philadelphia bought the ski area. They changed its name to Snö Mountain. But in 2012, this company had financial problems. A bank then bought the property in 2013.

Finally, in May 2013, a real estate company called Jefferson-Werner bought the area. They brought back the original and well-loved name: Montage Mountain!

How the Trails Grew

When Montage Mountain first opened in 1984, it had seven trails. It also had three chairlifts to take skiers up the mountain.

In 1987, a special area called North Face opened. This part of the mountain was just for expert skiers. It included trails like Cannonball, Smoke, and Boomer. Later, another super tough trail called White Lightning was added in the late 1990s. A special chairlift takes skiers up to the North Face area.

Skiing and Snowboarding at Montage Mountain

Montage.mountain.ski.1
View from the mountain

Montage Mountain has 24 exciting trails for skiing and snowboarding. One of its most famous trails is White Lightning. It's known as the second steepest trail in the Eastern United States!

You'll find a mid-mountain lodge with a patio and grill. It's a great spot to take a break and grab some food.

  • Above the lodge, you'll find easier slopes for beginners and intermediate skiers.
  • Below the lodge are the more challenging slopes for advanced and expert skiers. This area is often called North Face. It has the steepest skiing in all of Pennsylvania!

Montage Mountain also has two terrain parks. These parks have jumps, rails, and other features. They are designed for all skill levels, from beginners to experts. There's even a special gladed ski trail, where you can ski through trees!

Types of Trails

Montage Mountain has trails for everyone, no matter your skill level. Here's a quick guide:

  • Beginner trails (marked with a green circle) are perfect for learning. These include the Learning Area, Limited (the bunny slope), Runaround, Easy Street, Highball, and Mainline.
  • Intermediate trails (marked with a blue square) are for skiers who are getting better. Look for Spike, Switch, Whistler, Upper Runaway, Upper Fast Track, Snake, Nordic, Sidewinder, and the Glades.
  • Advanced trails (marked with a black diamond) are for experienced skiers. These include Lower Fast Track, Lower Runaway, Rattler, and Cannonball.
  • Expert trails (marked with a double-black diamond) are the toughest challenges. These are Smoke, Boomer, and the famous White Lightning. White Lightning is the signature slope of Montage Mountain!

Mountain Facts

Montage Mountain starts at a base elevation of 960 feet. It rises all the way to a peak elevation of 1,960 feet. This means the mountain has a vertical drop of 1,000 feet. This is one of the highest vertical drops in Pennsylvania!

Lifts to the Top

To get up the mountain, Montage has several lifts:

  • 5 fixed-grip chairlifts:
    • Shuttle (a triple chairlift)
    • Short Haul (a double chairlift)
    • Iron Horse (a triple chairlift)
    • Long Haul (a triple chairlift)
    • Phoebe Snow (a quad chairlift)
  • 2 magic carpet lifts:
    • One is next to the snow tubing tracks.
    • The other is for skiers who are just starting out.

Trail Difficulty Breakdown

The trails are divided by how hard they are:

  • 35% are for beginners.
  • 30% are for intermediate skiers.
  • 20% are for advanced skiers.
  • 15% are for expert skiers.

There is also a fun snow tubing area for everyone to enjoy!

Summer Fun at Montage Mountain

When the snow melts, Montage Mountain transforms into a fantastic summer destination! The Montage Mountain Waterpark is located right on the ski area grounds.

It has six exciting water attractions, including:

  • A relaxing lazy river
  • A thrilling wave pool
  • A giant tornado_(ProSlide_ride)] slide
  • Many other cool water slides

Besides the water fun, there are also dry attractions like:

  • Batting cages
  • Beach volleyball courts
  • Tetherball
  • Mini-golf
  • The ZipRider, which is a super fast quad cable ride that goes up to 50 miles per hour!
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