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Skiing in the Pocono Mountains

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Pocono Mountain Skiing
Pocono is the Lenape Indian term for stream between mountains. Perhaps the Lenape people had a habit for understatement because the stream is the huge Delaware River and the Pocono mountains in winter offer decent-sized ski areas.

The snow slopes in Eastern Pennsylvania just might be better than the honeymoon heart-shaped tubs that have made this region so well-loved, at least among brides and grooms.

With the increasing popularity of snowboarding and terrain parks in the last two decades, Pocono resorts have really extended the volume with the latest terrain features. If your kids are anything like mine, they love their slopes sprinkled with hits, spines, rails and rolls (ask your kids for terrain lingo translation) â€“ they will find generous portions of halfpipes and parks here.

Moms and Dads may not share the same desire for launching off ski jumps, but tubing is one brainless, simple sliding activity that the entire family can enjoy, and all these Pocono playgrounds have designated tubing parks, most with multiple chutes to spin, glide and giggle your way down.

Here is your guide to skiing the Poconos:

Big Boulder was the first commercial ski area to open in Pennsylvania in 1946. Downhill skiing has evolved dramatically in the 60 years since, and while the Pocono slopes havenâ€™t become any more precipitous, the facilities now include high-speed lifts, grooming and snow making, and terrain parks to keep up with the latest slope styles.

Big Boulder is great for little children. Its trails are well-manicured, the ski schools have experienced instructors and the mascots (Snowball the Snowtiger, Blizzard Babies, etc.) are frequently noticed on the slopes pressing their furry flesh to make kids smile.

In the heart of the Pocono ski region is Shawnee Mountain Ski Area, which has a handful of lifts (a quad, a triple and 6 double chairs) to get you up the 700-foot hill for skiing and riding on 23 trails. A 3,000-foot-long terrain park with music gives teens and tweens plenty of room to slide on their boards. Shawnee also offers a six lane tubing hill.

Nearby is Alpine Mountain, which has a very family-friendly Penguin Play Park for the littlest tykes. Alpine has 21 trails with a 550-foot vertical drop, and features a terrain park and half pipe plus a tubing hill open all day and night.

Camelback is the largest Pennsylvania ski area with 33 trails and 13 lifts including two high-speed quads. All of Camelbackâ€™s 800-foot vertical slopes are lit up and open for night skiing too.

To the west is Jack Frost, an intermediate ski mountain. 600 foot vertical drop with pleasant cruising. Like Big Boulder, which shares its ownership. Jack Frost provides three terrain parks filled with hits and happening events. Jack Frost also provides snowboarding, snow tubing, and features the Snow Monster characters on the slopes.

The highest of the Pocono ski areas is Blue Mountain with 1,082-foot vertical fall and 30 trails served by 10 lifts, and two terrain parks. To encourage young families to get started, Blue Mountain actually has free childcare midweek, or a nominal fee on weekends and holidays.

All these ski areas are fully geared to newbie skiers and young families; many are equipped with on-site daycare, rental equipment and ski schools for learning kids and adults. These ski areas all make their own snow, like making ice cream, to provide predictable conditions â€“ since Mother Nature is so darned mercurial these days.

Thereâ€™s plenty to do if you donâ€™t downhill ski in Pocono winters. You can ice-skate across frozen area lakes and ponds, explore the rolling countryside on snowshoe or cross-country skis, or just stay at your resort and relax during a horse-drawn sleigh ride. This winter playground is a must go destination for many major metro regions, so you can pack up the car and drive to your week of winter play. The scenic snow-covered hills are an easy change of pace from the usual rat race.

Think of it as a second honeymoon on snow.

Article credit to www.familyskitrips.com/newengland