| Vertical drop: | 935 feet |
| Base elevation: | 865 feet |
| Peak elevation: | 1,800 feet |
| Skiable acres: | 117 |
| Longest run: | 1 mile |
| Trails: | 23 |
Located in south-central Pennsylvania, Whitetail is a comfortable 90-minute jog down I-70 from D.C. and Baltimore. Skiers and boarders will find 23 trails, a 935-foot vertical, and a high-speed quad. Whitetail’s convenient location to D.C. also means skiers and boarders will often find crowds — on weekends and holidays, Whitetail’s slopes can become as crowded as the Washington Beltway during rush hour. On non-holiday weekdays, the crowds completely disappear and you’re likely to have the slopes to yourself.
Whitetail has a strong track record of continuous capital improvements. Over the past couple decades, it has added new trails, expanded its base lodge, added a snow tubing park, expanded lighting across the slopes, and made significant snowmaking improvements. Whitetail’s state-of-the-art snowmaking system can quickly take slopes from bare to skiable with just a few nights of snowmaking.
Whitetail is now part of the Vail Resorts family after a 2019 purchase. Previously, it was owned by Peak Resorts, and before that, Snow Time. Its new ownership means you can purchase a single Epic pass and ski at Whitetail, Liberty, Roundtop, Jack Frost, Big Boulder, and dozens of resorts across North America.
Skiers at Whitetail are pampered by a modern base lodge and amenities such as free ski check. Food is reasonable, with cafeteria-style food available in the Market Place. Other dining options include sit-down service at the Solstice, and brick oven pizzas at Mountain Hearth Pizzeria.
Whitetail developed a residential village that lines the Northern Lights beginner ski slope, but despite this lodging, Whitetail does not offer many year-round activities except for golf and is primarily a day resort in the winter. In 2019, Whitetail was granted its first liquor license.
Photo by M. Scott Smith.
| Resort Name: | Whitetail Resort |
| Vertical Drop: | 935 feet |
| Base Altitude: | 865 feet |
| Peak Altitude: | 1,800 feet |
| Trails: | 23 Trails:
|
| Skiable Acres: | 117 |
| Longest Run: | 1 mile |
| Lifts: | 9 (1 high-speed quad, 3 quads, 2 doubles, 3 magic carpets) |
| Night Skiing: | Night skiing on all trails |
| Terrain Park: | Two terrain parks. |
| Tubing Park: | Serviced by an enclosed magic carpet and its own lodge. |
| Address: | 13805 Blairs Valley Road Mercersburg, PA 17236 |
| Phone: | (717) 328-9400 |
| Social Media: |   |
| Webcams: | View resort webcams |
| Web Site: | http://www.skiwhitetail.com/ |
| Directions: | Via Google Maps |
| Humidity: | 40% | Visibility: | 10.00 |
| Wind Speed: | 5 mph
 |
Sunrise: | 6:44 a.m. |
| Barometer: | 30.08 in | Sunset: | 5:07 p.m. |
| Dewpoint: | 23 °F |
Weather supplied by the National Weather Service. Errors or reporting delays may be possible.
August 12, 2025 - Vail Resorts will introduce simplified “Friend Tickets” for the 2025-26 season, giving Epic Passholders six to ten discounted lift tickets — each at 50% off — to share with friends. The tickets can also be applied toward the purchase of a future Epic Pass, a move aimed at easing costs for newcomers and growing the sport’s participant base.
March 14, 2025 - Vail Resorts has opened early sales for its 2024-2025 Epic Passes, offering discounted access to its ski resorts with multiple pass options and perks like discounted lift tickets for friends.
January 16, 2025 - In DCSki’s Interview Series, we take a look at interesting people who have a connection to the mountains. We recently interviewed Pete Tolsdorf, who created a resource called SkiTripPlanner.com that helps match skiers with the perfect resort.
January 11, 2025 - DCSki Columnist Matthew Graham kicks off the season with a weekday trip to Whitetail Resort, enjoying perfect snow conditions, a nostalgic lift ride, and numerous runs, teaming up with a friend for an adventurous day. He provides this Firsthand Report.
January 9, 2025 - DCSki’s Editor made his first local turns of the season at Whitetail Resort. Recent sub-freezing temperatures and natural snow have made Whitetail’s slopes look and ski more like a western ski area. He describes his visit in this story.
December 16, 2024 - The majority of ski resorts in the Mid-Atlantic region are now open for the 2024-2025 winter season, with a variety of trails available for early-season skiing and snowboarding. Additional resorts are set to open in the coming days, supported by snowmaking efforts and natural snowfall. Above, Pennsylvania’s Roundtop Mountain began its 60th season on December 14, 2024. Photo provided by Haley Mowery / Roundtop Mountain.
December 1, 2024 - An arctic air mass has brought ideal snowmaking conditions to the Mid-Atlantic, enabling resorts across the region to prepare for their winter season openings, with many planning to open in early December. Resorts like Seven Springs, Wisp, Snowshoe, and Timberline Mountain are leading the charge, while others are building their bases for upcoming announcements. Photo by Heidi Lews / Hidden Valley Resort.
November 22, 2024 - Vail Resorts offers a variety of Epic Passes - providing unlimited, multi-day, or single-day skiing at ski resorts across the country - but the opportunity to buy one of these passes will soon come to an end when they go off sale on December 2, 2024.
October 1, 2024 - Whitetail Resort plans to auction off 30 vintage ski lift chairs and 17 trail signs on October 12-13, 2024, with proceeds benefiting the EpicPromise Foundation, which offers hardship relief grants and academic scholarships to Vail Resorts employees. The auction precedes the upcoming removal of the Jib Junction double chairlift, which has been out of service in recent years.
September 1, 2024 - Vail Resorts is gearing up for the winter season by rolling out new programs and enhancements across its eight Pennsylvania ski areas, including expanded children’s lessons, women-focused initiatives, and improved snowmaking capabilities. Photo by Haley Mowery, Roundtop Resort.
