ok call me a cheapo southerner, but i was wondering if there is such a thing as a place you can go skiing for free in pennsylvania, as in rent some skis walk up a hill and ski down (or even ski up with xc) any help is appreciated =)

Hey, you can ski for free at Snowshoe... It will just take you a heck of a walk up the mountain...

i take it this isnt a common practice in the east... i'm kinda looking for ski mountaineering sort of thing. like some where in a national park, or state park. with some sort of a ski trail

Like?????

http://www.whitegrass.com There is a very reasonable trail fee.

Closer to home, your local golf course. As a courtesy to the golfers, stay off the greens.

Are you talking about XC or ski mountaineering? There is a very big difference. The latter is essentially not done in the mid Atlantic. It is done in northern New England and New York. David Goodman's books are an excellent primer, "Backcountry Skiing Adventures - - - " There are two of them, one for NH, ME, MA, and one for VT & NY. We do what I would call light backcountry skiing in WV but I wouldn't call it ski mountaineering. The terms cause much confusion in the general public. When I say backcountry skiing in this area, people assume flat ground XC - couldn't make a turn to save his life. In western Canada 'ski touring' means ski mountaineering.

I actually had to do that once. As part of a condo package deal I received free junior tickets. I mistakenly put one on my jacket. The liftie wouldn't believe me and wanted to fine/cite me (whatever they do)...I said, "surely there is some option here, I am being honest, this was a mistake."

He said, "yeah, there's an option, you can walk up the hill."

So I did.

Wow, what a jerk. That must have sucked. Seems like snowshoe management may have reprimanded him if you would have complained enough.

Sure, White Grass, WV, or Laurel Mountain, PA. There's just not much snow right now.

This doesn't look like a bad mountain to doing some backcountry skiing for free on. Goodluck finding it. If you do you'll have it all to yourself. I'll give you a hint... it MAY be in WV.....

Way back in the mid 80's when I XCed, I remember a Laurel Mt SP trail map, that had part of the Laurel Mt ski area slopes marked on it.

Due to the simple cost of snowmaking, and the lack of natural snow, you are going to be hard pressed to find any "free" skiing in the area. On top of that, insurance issues often make it a nono to be skiing on a persons private property, without permission.
Where there is natural snow, some have posted that it is possible to earn some turns at the former Oregon Ridge Ski Area in the Baltimore area. It has also be rumored that those "in the know" can take some runs at the former White Mt ski area, which is hidden back behind Seven Springs. Don't some people go to TL or CV after the season ends to skin up and ski down?
Of course, if you go up to the NE, there is allways the Thunderbolt on Mt Greylock

TORY???
The colonel

Looks like it would make for a nice day of backcountry turns huh? Or maybe I should say would have been nice when the pic was taken....

muchos gracias senors, i am kinda thinking there's not going to be snow when i am up there in april...

btw are any of these illegal?