It’s winter.  In winter it snows.  People like to play in snow.  Booomph. A very popular way to enjoy the chilly white stuff is to strap on a pair of skis or a snowboard and let gravity pull you down a mountain.  That’s right, it’s ski and snowboard season! Road trip it.

Check NorthDelaWHEREHappening’s wicked awesome list of frosty semi-local places where you can shoosh down the slopes that are just a car ride away.  From black diamond to bunny slopes, there’s something rad for everyone. You’ll also find Ski and Snowboard ABCs, local retailers and sporting clubs that organize local ski and snowboard trips and provide discounted lift tickets to boot.  Wintersports are fun for the whole family, so grab the kids and head to the mountains!

Wax up your planks or board and get on the lift!  It’s SNOW TIME!

Ski & Snowboard Mountains within 2 hours

• Alpine Mountain
• Bear Creek Mountain Resort
• Big Boulder
• Blue Mountain Ski Area
• Camelback Mountain Resort
• Campgaw Mountain (New Jersey)
• Eagle Rock
• Elk Mountain Ski Resort
• Jack Frost
• Liberty
• Montage Mountain
• Roundtop Mountain Resort
• Shawnee Mountain Ski Area
• Ski Big Bear
• Spring Mountain Ski Area
• Tussey Mountain
• Whitetail Resort

*All listed ski mountains are in Pennsylvania except where noted

Most of the listed resorts provide options other than downhill slopes — e.g. tubing, cross country skiing, sledding, etc.  Resorts often typically offer family packages as well as instructional classes for all ages and ability levels.  Several mountains also cater to skiers and snowboarders with special access needs.  Please visit the resort websites for more information.

Avalanche Express is a snow tubing spot near York, PA for those who’d rather skip the skis, boards, and boots.

Ski and Snowboard ABCs

Get hip with Ski and Snowboard lingo tips. Are you a Betty, Herb, or Biff, a yard saler or a blazin’ raisin, a ski bum or a blinger — find out here.  If you french fry when you should have pizza’d, life’s going to get fudgy.  Getting any of this?  Whether you’re new at the slang or want a refresher, this list covers the ABC’s to help you fake it ’til you make it.  The ultimate decoder is here at your fingertips –> www.abc-of-snowboarding.com/snowboarddictionary.asp

Local Ski & Snowboard Shops and Clubs

The Ski Bum schedules lots of local and regional ski trips through Banchi Outdoor Adventures.  A list of trips to Vermont and New York can be found here on the website.  The Ski Bum also sells discounted lift passes for many local mountains.  Check out the full list and the savings here.  Why pay retail at the mountain when you can buy discounted tickets locally?

Switch often has 1-2 ski trips per season at very affordable prices.  These day excursions are typically not widely advertised, so call the shop and ask when the bus is heading to the mountains!

Wilmington Ski Club was founded  in the 1960s and is a non-profit sporting and social club currently open to families and individuals over 21 years of age.  Its  primary mission is to promote and foster the sports of skiing and snowboarding.  The Club does this mainly through ski trips, which  provide WSC members with group-discounted rates for some of the finest skiing and boarding in the world.  WSC offers day, weekend, and week-long trips led by experienced trip leaders.  There’s even a Beginner’s Program that helps new members become involved in the great sport of skiing.  WSC has scheduled trips to Elk Mountain (Feb. 5), Montage (Feb. 20), and Elk Mountain (March 4).

Discounted lift ticket sellers include Ski PA and Liftopia.