Elk Mountain Expert Skiing
Elk Mountain’s expert skiing is some of the best in Pennsylvania. The ski area attracts more than its fair share of expert skiers due to of its steep terrain, smaller crowds and better snow quality. Being so close to the New York border, Elk skis much more like a New York ski hill. In fact, the only material difference between Elk Mountain and its Catksill competitors is a lack of tree skiing necessitated by Elk’s more limited snowfall.
Moguls on Upper Tunkhannock
In keeping with Elk’s reputation as a Vermont ski area plunked down in Northeastern Pennsylvania, its black diamond runs are steep and intersting. In particular, Upper Tunkhannock (pictured above) ranks as Pennsylvania’s premier mogul run.
The expert skiing at Elk Mountain is split into two pods. On the looker’s left side of the hill are the original black diamond runs. Susquehanna is perhaps the most well popular expert slope since it is the most direct summit to base run. The first few turns on the headwall are steep before giving way to a consistent pitch intermediate pitch with only a short runout. Seneca, underneath the dual double chairs, is often allowed to bump up, creating a less stiff liftline mogul examination than Tunkhannock. The Slalom trail is often closed for racing, but when open is perhaps the most difficult test on this side of the hill because of its double fall line. The three other black diamonds on the looker’s left side of ski area – Tuscarora, Mohawk and Iroquis – are less steep. Tuscarora is the best and longest of the three and is the type of winding expert trail rarely seen in Pennsylvania.
The quad/double from the lower parking lot services five black diamond runs. It is important to note that skiers cannot access any trails farther left than Lackawanna without poling. Lackawanna is almost always groomed flat and has a pitch similar to Susequehanna, but is generally less crowded. Upper Tunkhannock is Elk Mountain’s signature black diamond trail. Large moguls on its very steep initial headwall make it one of the hardest runs in Pennsylvania. Lastly, the three parallel black diamond trails that empty into the Snow Bowl are the longest black runs on the mountain, but also perhaps the least interesting with a consistently upper intermediate pitch.