Seven Springs kicks off season this Saturday, other ski resorts gearing up

With more than a week of snowmaking already underway, Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion will open its slopes Saturday.

This year’s major upgrade is a new Doppelmayr Alpen Star chairlift that replaces the resort’s former Avalanche lift. The new lift will be able to carry an additional 600 people per hour.

“Our new Doppelmayr chairlift will greatly improve our guest experience on the front face of the mountain, allowing for many more runs each day,” said Joel Rerko, director of mountain operations. “Travel will now be only four minutes and 21 seconds to the top.”

Ride time on the former Avalanche lift was a few minutes longer, resort spokesman Alex Moser said.

“We’re incredibly excited to offer a brand-new one for our skiers and snowboarders,” Moser said.

OPENING DAY: DEC. 4https://t.co/76HbQ32OCS pic.twitter.com/aE7UOeXJC4

— Seven Springs (@7SpringsPA) November 30, 2021

Since Nov. 22, resort workers have been piling up snow as temperatures began to drop for winter, aided by the addition of two new HKD tower snow guns.

The Seven Springs slopes will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Ski and snowboard tickets are $72 for adults and $55 for children 6-11. Lodging also is available.

Moser said health and safety precautions this season include asking guests to wear masks indoors.

“This has been a fluid situation, so if the pandemic worsens, we may tighten our restrictions,” Moser said.

Skiers and snowboarders can check the snow report daily at 7Springs.com for the latest on weather conditions and slope availability.

Seven Springs also operates ski slopes at Hidden Valley Resort and Laurel Mountain, with the trio being among 26 ski resorts across Pennsylvania. Those sister slopes, however, are not opening this week. Instead, they will continue making snow in anticipation of a mid-December opening.

One regional resort that was quick out of the gate was Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia, which opened some of its trails on Thanksgiving. Sister operation Silver Creek is slated to open Dec. 17.

Throughout the region, other skiing and snowboarding hotspots also are gearing up to get going:

• Boyce Park in Allegheny County has not yet opened its slopes but is advertising several positions in its skiing and snowboarding areas in anticipation of a mid-December start. County spokesperson Amie Downs said Boyce officials are aiming for a mid-December opening but have yet to set a firm date.
• Likewise, both Wisp Resort in Deep Creek, Md., and Peek’n Peak in Clymer, N.Y., also plan to open in mid-December, according to SnowPak.com.

Other ski areas around the Pittsburgh region and within a half-day drive include:

• Blue Knob Resort in Claysburg, Blair County.
• Mount Pleasant of Edinboro in Cambridge Springs, Crawford County.
• The Peak at Nemacolin in Farmington, Fayette County.
• Whitetail Resort in Mercersburg, Franklin County.
• Canaan Valley Resort and Timberline Mountain in West Virginia.
• Holiday Valley Resort in Ellicottville, N.Y.