The Jack Frost and Big Boulder ski areas will be spending more than $3.8 million in capital improvements this year, tripling last year’s investment of $1.2 million. The two nearby Poconos resorts are operated by the same group of investors.

“When the season opens, Jack Frost and Big Boulder will offer the most extensive equipment rental inventory in the Pocono region, plus two new chairlifts that will bring an additional 1,200 people an hour onto the mountain, two new ‘Ski Carpets,’ improved snowmaking, and countless other new and improved amenities,” explained Patrick Flynn, president of the two resorts.

Despite the improvements, the two resorts plan to hold the line and possibly reduce some lift ticket prices for the 2002-2003 winter season, he added.

Children to the resorts will find a new 100-foot Ski Carpet at Jack Frost and a new 300-foot Ski Carpet at Big Boulder. Ski Carpets have gained popularity at resorts across the nation as a means of moving novice skiers up short hills -; the lifts act like conveyer belts, slowly moving skiers up a hill without leaving the ground.

To further appease children, many soft foam fantasy figures such as dinosaurs have been added around the grounds of the resorts.

Snowboarders will find a new surface lift to Jack Frost’s Half Pipe, giving them a quicker path to the top of the pipe.

For those that prefer to slide down the snow in a tube, Jack Frost will bring back two family chutes to its tubing area, and Big Boulder will add three new chutes to its own area.

The rental fleet will offer nearly 1,400 snowboards including 435 new boards, and approximately 4,200 pairs of shaped skis, including 900 new pairs. Rental Snow Blades will be increased from 285 to 485 to reflect the growing popularity of the ski and snowboard alternative.

The resorts will also be making enhancements to their snowmaking infrastructures.