What’s New for 2005: Blue Knob Resort
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Pennsylvania’s Blue Knob Resort has added a 15 million pond over the summer, which will allow the resort to address previous water shortage problems. In past years, Blue Knob was able to open upper mountain trails after three solid days of cold weather, but then ran out of water. According to the resort, the new pond will dramatically improve snowmaking by providing a steadier supply of water. With this new capacity, Blue Knob anticipates being able to open the lower mountain before Christmas if the temperature is right.
Blue Knob has used 6,500 cubic yards of soil to regrade the beginner’s slope, making the pitch more gradual. The Terrain Park at Blue Knob will double in size this winter, adding new rails and jumps and its own arsenal of snowmaking equipment.
Also new for the 2005-2006 winter season is the Blue Knob X-C Ski Center. According to the resort, the number of cross country skiers visiting Blue Knob has increased considerably in recent years. The new facility will provide rental equipment as well as refreshments.
Finally, condominiums at Blue Knob have received new siding and a fresh coat of paint. The Clubhouse Bar and Grill, Conference Center, and Black Bear Inn were also repainted.
I often wondered why they couldn't open more terrain, especially with the cold temps that are often there. With this increase and the 100 inches of snow, this will be a place to be. If they only would install a high speed lift, that would put it as one of the best. Of course the costs for that ,and increased crowds would be a downside.
It is a tragedy that this resort can not get open sooner and can not blow more snow. The terrain is by far the most gnarley in the mid-Atlantic. I grew up in Johnstown and skied here as a youth but have since "transferred" to Timberline in WV just for the reasons cited in this article. Hopefully adding a 15 million gallon pond will help BK get open sooner and stay open later. It is a fabulous mountain.
I wouldn't get my hopes up about the supposed improvements at Blue Knob. The new snowmaking pond was (in my opinion) VERY poorly constructed and looks like it will hold water only in a small area near the dam. In fact, the new pond currently has very little water in it. I have to wonder that, if Blue Knob was actually serious about improving their snowmaking capacity, then why haven't they bought some new air compressors? As things stand now, I believe that BK has only ONE working air compressor and about 10 fan snowmaking guns (guns that don't require compressed air). And, as for the Terrain Park expansion, all that BK has done is bulldoze some more trees down, NOTHING else. Furthermore, I would call the repainting of a few buildings a maintenance project NOT resort expansion/improvement effort. Trust me, little if anything has changed at Blue Knob.
Does not surprise me, MM. More of the same with BK. I guess they just don't get it. Funny, the last time I was there, I skied at night, mid-week. It was early/mid March and they were listing like a 48 to 72 inch base on the website. We got there and there were piles of snow 4 to 6 feet tall, surrounded by bare spots. It was incredible. All they would have had to do was push some of the snow around and they would have had a fabulous base. Then we were heading over to Stemboggen Bowl and they turned the lights out on us. Woo, tough skiing mush potatoes in the dark. Maybe a big time operator will buy the place. One can only hope.
