Western Pennsylvania ski resorts eagerly await winter

CHAMPION, Pa. (KDKA) — When it comes to skiing and snowboarding, there is no business like snow business and in just a few months, business will be back up and running at Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain.

Brett Cook, the vice president and general manager for Vail Resorts, which owns Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain, says this is the time of year when people at his resorts start getting excited.

"We all out here at Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain are always looking forward to ski season," said Cook. "It is always in the back of our minds because we are planning all summer long for it. We've got projects here and there that we are getting the resorts ready to go. And we can't wait, we're amped up."

Some of the projects they have been working on include infrastructure work on all three resorts, including new piping for snowmaking, new snow guns at Seven Springs, communication system improvements at Hidden Valley and aesthetic improvements to Laurel Mountain. And when people come out to Seven Springs this season, they will notice more places to park.

"We are adding about 300 new parking spaces this year to our Meadow Woods area, which is going to be great," said Cook. "It is going to make it a whole lot easier for guests to come into the mountain and make our arrival experience much more seamless."

Seven Springs this year will see increases in both full- and half-day kids programming, and all three resorts will have more Slope Days, a program that allows local schools to have days where their students can get out and ski at a discounted rate. And both Seven Springs and Hidden Valley will offer new seasonal women's lessons.

Cook says that if the mountains are calling you this winter, now is the time to act, because prices for passes go up after Oct. 9.

"When you plan ahead, you save money on either lift tickets or your Epic Pass," Cook said. "Epic Passes are on sale right now, whether it is a one-day pass of a full Epic Pass, you can really tailor your experience for what is important to you."

If you are looking to purchase an Epic Pass or are just looking to find out more about the winter season at all of the Laurel Highlands Reports, click here. The first three weekends of October are AutumnFest at Seven Springs, which has been rated one of the top five best fall festivals in the entire United States. For more on AutumnFest, click here.