blue knob

PROS: The best technical runs in PA. Beautiful scenery, lack of crowds, more affordable lift tickets, best vertical in PA. CONS: inconsistent information on website. Blue Knob lives and dies by natural snow fall because that is the way the runs and trails are setup. It is a skiers mountain and the best runs require ample natural snow. By best runs I mean the glades and black to double black. They even have back country runs if you put in some research online. It’s easily the best mountain in PA if the conditions are right. On Feb 28th, 2015 all the stars were aligned. Every slope and glade was opened. There was powder with 20 degrees and endless sun. I never got bored and skied till my legs gave way. This is not an easy feat in the Mid-Atlantic for a skier who has been to Tahoe, Big Bear, Whitefish, Mammoth, Utah and SnowShoe in WV. Blue Knob trumps 7Springs, White Tail, and Camelback due to its fantastic glade runs. Those other resorts are more commercial with a lack of intricate difficult runs and draw big crowds. But the pros to the fancier resort are better conditions when Mother Nature isn’t helping. A common problem in PA winters where anything goes. The biggest drawback to Blue Knob for me seems to be a lack of integrity on conditions, and slope availability. The website isn’t well updated. Whoever is in-charge of opening slopes, measuring snow fall, and echoing weather reports doesn't updating the website well. THAT NEEDS FIXED. That being said. It can be a gamble going there. I try and be smart and go late season, I look for multiple sub 25 days where they claim all trails are open and I know it’s been snowing. I see a lot of complaints from people on the lodge, staff, and resort. None of that matters to me, nor do I agree with it. I think a lot of those reviews come from DC snobs who don’t do their homework about the resort. Do your homework, watch the weather, and watch ski reports from people that have gone and this place is amazing. Show up on a bad condition day and its just a discounted lift tix over nearby resorts.

My daughter and I skied at Blue Knob on Friday 2/13 and Saturday 2/14. We went specifically for the challenging trails. Blue Knob did not disappoint! On Friday, the grooming was top-notch and there were maybe 20 other people on the mountain besides us. On Saturday or President's Day weekend, we never had to wait more than 2 minutes to get on the lift. The lack of crowds is so nice compared to resorts closer to DC/Baltimore. On Saturday night it had snowed overnight and snowed the entire day and there was lots of fresh powder. This made the glades and the ungroomed trails particularly fun.The terrain is fantastic. There is a bowl, steep and narrow trails lined with trees, and a long run of steep moguls, among others. I loved the many glades, some are fairly wide open and others quite a challenge. The intermediate trails have great variation, some are steeper than others, but all are pretty wide and would be a great place for someone looking to improve skills.For whatever reason, it seemed like less of a hassle to take a break because the lodge was at the top of the mountain. The downside is that you need to drive down the mountain to leave, which was not fun in the snow. All the infrastructure at Blue Knob is old, but I found it charming. Everyone who worked there was super-nice and the place has a very laid-back vibe.The double lifts take some getting used to, but the option to get off a mid-station was a plus. We did not stay at the resort because it was a last minute trip, but Altoona is a short drive and has many lodging options.We will definitely be returning to Blue Knob!

Visited this weekend. Would recommend for skiing only as I loved the ski staff and really enjoyed learning how to cross country ski. The brochure listed housing that looked updated and a pool and hot tub that looked inviting. What I experienced was a pool and hot tub that looked liked you would get MRSA or some infection if you got in. The sides of the pool were dirty and the water was cloudy, the entrance to the recreational area was flooded with water which was unsafe. The first condo had popcorn on the pull out sofa and was old and outdated. When reported to staff she stated that she did not actually see the different condos and that they are all individually owned and then and offered us an upgrade for 80.00 more dollars($200.00/night). Next room had an old pizza box in the closet, no curtains over the bed area, stains on the comforters and the water heater did not support more than 2 people having a semi warm shower. Would never stay on site again and would suggest you "not" stay either.

Booked a very reasonable package at Blue Knob for my family. In our group we have one experienced skier, one skier who had been four times, and three who were skiing for the second time. I think Blue Knob is great for experienced skiers, but agree with previous reviews that it is not good for beginners. It may have been a better experience for the beginners in our group if their easiest slope had been open, but it didn't open until 3. I am still not sure why because no work was done to groom it during the time it was closed so if they had turned on the lift, we could have used it. So stuck with the next hill - I was shocked to that the plows were on it while we were skiing. I really did find it unacceptable and dangerous for a plow to be in the ski space on the most beginner hill where folks are still trying to gain control. In my opinion, somebody should have plowed it before the slope opened.So those were my complaints. On the upside, while the facilities were dated - they were perfectly comfortable and we enjoyed skiing someplace that was not crowded. The runs were long and beautiful and in great condition with hardly any ice to be found. I think it was a great value and it was nice to have the lodge at the top of the summit so that even novice skiers got to take in the view.The condo that we rented was adorable and cozy. Coming from the Washington/Baltimore suburbs - I think it was well worth a bit of extra time in the car to avoid the mobs that are sometimes at Whitetail, Liberty, etc.

Blue Knob is a 50 year old, family-oriented, ski and snowboard resort near Claysburg (Altoona) in Pennsylvania on the site of a former military base. I am told it is one of only five resorts in North America with its main lodge at the summit instead of the base. With a total vertical of 326 meters, Blue Knob boasts Pennsylvania's highest skiable mountain at 3,146 feet, Pennsylvania's longest run at two miles, Pennsylvania's steepest vertical at 1,072 feet, and Pennsylvania's most challenging double black diamonds a six runs. In total, Blue Knob offers 34 runs/trails (16 km) serviced by four lifts. Approximately 20% of the runs/trails are for novice skiers (green), 35% are for intermediate skiers (blue), 35% are for advanced skiers (black), and 10% are for expert skiers. There is also a terrain park. The lifts at Blue Knob are dated and slow. Two of the four lifts can only carry two people at a time. The other two lifts carry only three people at a time. All-day passes cost $60 for adults and $48 for children. Five-hour, flex passes are also available at a reduced rate. Passes drop to just $25 for everyone on Tuesdays. Lifts operate daily from 10:00 to 9:00 and are rarely crowded. One of the lifts, Route 66, has an innovative midpoint station that lets riders either get off and ski/snowboard advanced runs or continue on to the mountain's summit. People can also board Route 66 at its midpoint station. I have never seen anything like it. But that is not all. Another lift, Expressway, crosses over both the Route 66 lift and the High Hopes lift. In fact, Expressway shares a pole with both Route 66 and High Hopes. Again, I have never seen anything like it. Food in the lodges is what you would expect and includes homemade soups, sandwiches, fries, nachos, pretzels, salads, pizza, and burgers. Prices are reasonable. There is also an on-site pub. Equipment is available for rent on site if you need it. Blue Knob also offers ski and snowboard lessons. A private lesson is only $50 an hour. Lodging is available on site in fully furnished and equipped condominiums. Off-site lodging options include The Tranquil Chalet, Stembogan, Hideaway Hollow, Ski the Knob Chalet, Mountaintop Chalet, and Williams Chalet.

Blue Knob is a great place to snowboard. Long, beautiful runs that are kept in great condition. Thanks to the ski patrol keeping people safe on and off the slopes. Tonight I got stuck on my way home and a ski patrol driving past helped me out. I can't thank you enough! I highly recommend Blue Knob for a great day to shred some pow.

Our time on the ski hill was great. It is a challenging hill so be prepared and if you're a brand new skier I recommend Mount Pleasant in Edinboro Pennsylvania. If you're lodging there call and ask for specifics about the condo. We arrived late at night to a room with a door that wouldn't lock and a smoke detector pulled out from the ceiling. The staff was excellent and understood my concerns. They let us leave after one day without penalty and took 10% off. Again if you're going to stay there ask in detail about the rooms. I would return but only with assurance of a safe room. Also these are basic ski condos.

We had six skiers on the hill the first day and three ended up in the ER. On the up side the ski patrol was very helpful. They take you to Altoona if you need a hospital.

Two friends and I drove up to blue Knob and spent the night in one of their 2 bedroom units just this past week. They helped us out since we got up there late and left the key inside their office which was highly appreciated. The rooms that we stayed in reminded me of something straight out of the Shining, with outdated furnishings and a fireplace that really doesn't provide any heat. The two bedrooms and kitchen were fine and clean as well and the small HD tv was just fine to suit our needs. We got this room for $129 a night when honestly I would think that 80 would be more than enough to suffice. Following suit with other reviews, this place was abandoned. I mean we didn't see a single person from 11pm until 1:30pm the next day. Great when we were on the slopes, but also unnerving in an odd way. Gotta say I love the $38 lift ticket when compared to other regional competitors. My complaints lie in the facts that the variety of slopes are really limited, the lifts are insanity-inducing slow and the lift guys are rude. How is a lift guy going to yell at my friend and I that "you need to move up!" when he was too busy talking to his buddy to grab the lift and hadn't shoveled off any marker for where we should stop. Also, the severe lack of snow, even with snow makers, was disheartening but it was the same deal with every other resort in the area. All in all, I would come back here if on a severe budget or if a larger group of people wanted to come.

I booked a two day lift ticket and equipment rental at Blue Knob hoping to get some Christmas skiing in at a less busy mountain near DC. I got the 'less busy' part, but not the skiing. Blue Knob was positively abandoned when my girlfriend and I showed up on the 23rd, with only a few people (presumably locals) using the handful of trails that were open. Blue knob calls itself an 'all seasons' resort, which is quite laughable, since they only had a thin layer of snow on a handful of trails (5, out of 15+ I believe) Not a good feeling when you pay full price for a lift pass and only get to use a tiny fraction of the mountain, right? To make matters worse, they decided to close the mountain COMPLETELY on the 24th, citing weather conditions. There was no forewarning, or information on their website about this closure they just did it at the last minute. While I was able to get a refund for the lift ticket for that day, I have as of yet been unable to get a refund for my equipment rentals. So essentially, wasted time and money. Do yourself a favor and skip this place. It's a rundown joke with poor skiing and even worse treatment of customers.

Attempted to reserve for February. Unable to book online. Called, staff knew little about the place. Emailed some information which was of little value. Decided to go elsewhere. Reason for low score

I rented a condo to attend a wedding there. The first room offered was DIRTY, Wrong type of bed, a bunk rather than a double, broken blinds, broken TV.etc. I was given a refund for that night and changed rooms. I had to accept a 2nd floor room, a hardship, because there were no 1 bedroom units on the first floor. While the second condo was better, it was still dirty and lacked silverware and glasses. The condo units need a thorough maintenance check and loose carpet/floor covering needs to be fixed. I would never recommend that place to anyone unless I knew that a complete overhaul of the facility has been done.

SKIERS BEWARE! After 35 years of skiing Blue Knob, numerous Eastern resorts, and numerous Western resorts, I’m fed up. Over the years we have anxiously awaited improvements without success. The previous reviews are accurate in that it is good skiing after tons of natural snow and if you are an expert skiier, but it is still the ice capital of the world. Every aspect of the lodge is rundown and cannot accommodate weekend and holiday crowds. Inconsiderate skiers leave their lunches, ski bags, snow boots, etc., on and under the eating area tables instead of spending fifty cents to rent a locker. Besides being antiquated and not interested in providing any amenities Blue Knob is a dangerous mountain, and not for beginners. There is only one beginner slope which can only be reached via a steep hill and there is no magic carpet for children. On weekdays the beginner slope is rarely open. Some genius, who obviously has never skied out West, decided to cut “glades” through the trees. These “glades” are blind to skiers on the regular slopes. There is one “glade” that enters from a 5 foot bank (of course to keep the nuts happy) and could easily decapitate the unsuspecting skier below. These “glades” would be better named suicide alleys. The ownership at Blue Knob allows reckless snowboarders and brat packs to rule the mountain. Complaints over the years have been ignored in lieu of the almighty dollar rather than safety. Ski patrollers are scarce and when you can find one, requests to control the brat packs go unheeded. Responsible resorts take action in many ways that the management at Blue Knob refuses to consider. The trails merging above the triple chair create a traffic jam on the best of days, and equal a 60- car pile-up on weekends and holidays. Two minute lift lines you say, only midweek with bad conditions. On busy days, extra chairs are not turned on until there is at least a 20 minute wait. If you have experienced less, then you have not skied Blue Knob frequently.If you ski with your family please stay with your children and ski defensively. Better yet, go to another ski area. If you are one of the hundreds who allow their kids to ski unsupervised or with large groups you are part of the problem. I guarantee, what your kid tells you he does on the mountain is totally different than what he really does.Be safe and have fun by skiing somewhere else.

Bucket list: Go snow-skiing. Swoosh, thanks to Blue Knob resort.The season was winding down and we were in the area. Thanks to their March Madness specials, my family's first-time at snow skiing was done relatively inexpensive for this expensive sport. But the experience was so memorable thanks to the "group" lesson we received from Bob and Bear. Couldn't get kids and hubby off the mountain, but my less-than-stellar performance -- no fault of Bob's -- put me in the lounge while I was waiting. Even Tara, the barkeep, was so pleasant with conversation and quick service, and I love the wide selection of brewskies. Even the pizza from the café was pretty good. Great place. We will be back.

I can't review comparing with other mountain because that was my first time skiing and I loved it!The beginners' trail is awesome to start and with some company is possible to try part of a blue trail.Some friends, with more experience skiing, liked it too.The restaurant has reasonable prices and the fireplace in the common area is great!! I recommend it for everybody!