The city of Pittsburgh sits amid the hills and valleys of western Pennsylvania, skirting the fringes of the Laurel Highlands and the Appalachian Mountains. Several quality ski resorts lie within approximately one-hour's drive from town. No matter if you're an expert or a complete beginner, Pittsburgh's nearby ski facilities offer a diverse range of settings and slopes for winter fun.
Area Ski Resorts
Ski resorts abound in the tri-state area surrounding Pittsburgh. However, it takes more than two hours by car to reach the majority of these facilities. Luckily, people in Pittsburgh can still drive to three nearby resorts in roughly one hour or less. The Boyce Park Ski Area in the suburb of Upper St. Clair lies just 30 minutes from the city, providing the closest option. Alternatively, you can visit the Seven Springs and Hidden Valley resorts in the Laurel Highlands. Both of these facilities sit about an hour southeast of Pittsburgh.
Beginner Skiing
Boyce Park stands out as the best option for beginners learning how to ski, according to TripCart. The park features only nine slopes, all of which are relatively small. The modest summit measures just 1,232 feet, making it the tiniest ski facility in the area. It should be noted that while the ski park is diminutive, lift ticket prices are also quite low compared to other resorts.
Seven Springs and Hidden Valley both offer beginner slopes as well. Hidden Valley boasts the Outback Park, a snow-playground for kids with its own set of miniature slopes and snow-tubing chutes. Likewise, Seven Springs has a couple of easy trails and bunny slopes for novices to tackle before moving up to intermediate and advanced courses.
Expert Skiing
Experts searching for more challenging skiing and boarding should head to either Hidden Valley or Seven Springs. Seven Springs, which was rated as the No. 1 ski resort in the Mid-Atlantic by SKI Magazine in 2007, features a 2,990-foot summit and myriad courses to choose from. The resort has a massive terrain park for tricksters and daredevils as well as seven black diamond slopes with curves, moguls and steep grades. Hidden Valley, which ranks as the 5th largest ski resort in Pennsylvania, also has seven black diamond slopes draping down off a 3,000-foot summit along with a terrain park and half-pipe.
Local Ski Shops
Willi's Ski Shop holds sway as the biggest chain of winter sports stores in western Pennsylvania. Willi's has five locations in and around Pittsburgh, including one at the Seven Springs Resort. The Hidden Valley Resort also has a sport shop on site, where knowledgeable staff sell new equipment from top industry vendors, as well as older discounted merchandise. Additionally, you may want to check out the new and used equipment sold at the Peak Ski Center, located just off the Parkway East heading out to the Laurel Highlands.
Ski Season
Pittsburgh has moderate winters, with cold and snowy conditions typically lasting from mid-November to late March. The ski season here spans roughly the same period, although individual resorts have their own unique opening and closing dates.
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