Laurel Mountain Ski Resort

Laurel Mountain is the resort that keeps on ticking. Over the past several decades, the iconic Pennsylvania ski resort has had a bumpy ride. The resort first shut down in 1989, but was revived in 1999. But then several mild winters forced the ski area to shut down again. During the 2004-2005 winter season, Laurel Mountain re-opened as The Springs at Laurel Mountain, but closed again the next season. But that wasn’t the end of the story. With consistent pressure from members of the community, Laurel Mountain once again re-opened during the 2016-2017 winter season, and hopefully this will be the re-opening that sticks. Laurel Mountain, Hidden Valley, and Seven Springs are now under the same ownership.

Dating back to the mid-1930’s, Laurel Mountain has a rich heritage. Located in the scenic Ligonier region, the resort was first operated by the Mellon family, initially as a private resort. In 1958, the Mellon family made the ski area public. The ski area was turned over to the state of Pennsylvania in 1962, and various concessionaires operated the resort until March of 1989, when the resort was forced to shut down due to mild winters and a constrained water supply which restricted snowmaking.

DCSki readers report that Laurel Mountain has some of the most advanced terrain in the region - particularly Lower Wildcat, which is so steep that crews had to invent new techniques for putting in snowmaking pipes. Portions of Lower Wildcat have a 60% grade, making it the steepest slope in the state of Pennsylvania. But not to fear — there are plenty of beginner and intermediate slopes, too. Located within 493 acres of Laurel Mountain State Park, the area also offers some of the best views in the region.

A new quad chairlift was installed prior to the 2016-2017 winter season.

Although there is no lodging on-site, there are numerous hotels, inns, and bed and breakfasts within a 5-30 minute drive.

Photo provided by Laurel Mountain.