6/24/2023 0 Comments Montage ski resort“White Lightning” Montage Mountain Photo: Gregg Frantz It was not icy at all which made the run great for anyone who wanted to attempt to ski it for the first time. Montage’s “White Lightning” has a 1,000′ vertical drop and it claims it is the second steepest vertical in the East! The afternoon I was there the conditions were great! The double black diamond slope had fresh snow on it and had small to medium-sized moguls on it as well. This trail quickly turned into a very fast and fun run and offered some bumps to hit along the way! Montage Mountain Photo: Gregg Frantz At the end of “Upper Fast Track,” you had the option of hitting a chair back up the top part of the mountain or continue down the mountain to the North Face Complex and hit “Lower Fast Track” which was an expert trail. It was better to follow paths already made through the glades than to try to blaze your own trail and get bogged down. The glades were fresh and deep, and, unlike the skiing out West, the snow here was heavy and it was easy to get stuck in. It then dropped down into “Upper Fast Track” which was also an intermediate trail and was a little steeper and offered great paths through the glades on the right side of the slope. It was a moderately wide trail that was more flat than steep but gave you the opportunity to get your legs under you before you descended down the rest of the mountain. There was one run that I really enjoyed and was a legit top to bottom run that combined three different trails for you to hit! The first trail was an intermediate trail, “Snake” which started at the top of the mountain. Montage Mountain offers a variety of trails suited for every type of skier/boarder regardless of their skill level. The day I visited Montage the Poconos had almost 20 inches of snow the previous two days. So, all the trails and glades were perfectly covered with fresh snow, the ground teams did a great job grooming all the trails and areas and I have to say that the conditions were absolutely amazing! North Face Complex Entrance Photo: Gregg Frantz Quick Facts and History Terrain Diversity Having the lodge in the middle of the mountain turned out to be quite convenient for meeting up with other people who were spread out across the mountain hitting other trails. The North Face area of the mountain is where “White Lightning” is located at. The top part of the mountain is comprised of beginner and intermediate trails while the bottom of the mountain is geared to expert skiers/boarders. Montage Mountain’s layout is unique because the lodge is actually located in the middle of the mountain. It ranks only behind “Superstar” at Killington Ski Resort in Vermont for the steepest slope in the East. ![]() It now has 26 trails and also claims to have the second steepest vertical slope in the east with its signature trail, “White Lightning,” which has a 1,000-foot vertical drop. ![]() It first opened in 1984 with seven trails and expanded in 1987 and added their North Face Complex for expert only ski/board area. Montage Mountain is a relatively “new” winter resort for the Poconos and is located off of Interstate 81 just outside of Scranton, PA.
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