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Camelback Mountain Resort

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Camelback Resort
Camelback Resort in Winter
Camelback Resort in Winter
LocationPocono Township / Jackson Township, Monroe County, near Tannersville, Pennsylvania, USA
Nearest major cityScranton
Coordinates41°03′05″N 75°21′19″W / 41.05139°N 75.35528°W / 41.05139; -75.35528
Vertical800 feet (240 m)
Top elevation2,133 feet (650 m)
Skiable area166 acres (0.67 km2)
Trails35 trails
39% Beginner
26% More Difficult
26% Most Difficult
9% Expert
Longest run"Nile Mile" – 4,646 feet (1,416 m)
Lift system16 2 high-speed detachable quad chairlifts, 3 triple chairlifts, 5 double chairlifts, 4 Surface lifts, 2 Tubing Surface Lifts
Terrain parks2
Snowfall50 in/yr (1.27 m/yr)
Websitewww.camelbackresort.com
Camelback Resort's skiing and snowtubing trail map
Camelback Resort Hotel Summer
Camelback Resort's hotel

Camelback Resort is a four season resort located in Tannersville, Pennsylvania in the Pocono Mountains in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The resort opened in December 1963. It is the largest ski resort in the Poconos.

History and features

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In the 1950s, when developers were working to expand the original solitary ski run, they negotiated with the then Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources for permission to use a small portion of the state park for the ski area in exchange for $1 a year and the obligation to maintain the entire park.[1]

Camelback Mountain reaches an elevation of 2,133 feet (650 m). There are 166 acres (67 hectares) of skiing & snowboarding terrain. The resort has a total of 39 slopes; the longest is the Nile Mile, at .88 miles. It features a vertical drop of 800 ft (244 m), two terrain parks, 16 lifts, including a high speed detachable chairlifts the Stevenson Express, and the new Black Bear 6 lift. The mountain summit receives an average of 50 in (127 cm) of snowfall each winter. It has snowmaking facilities on ski slopes, primarily relying on portable snow guns to create snow, and is 100% lit for night skiing.[2]

Camelback has over 40 snow tubing lanes, making it the largest snow tubing park in the nation.

In May 2015, Camelback opened their 453 room hotel, which includes both suites and condos, and Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark. Additional attractions were added with Camelback Mountain Adventures, which features a 4500' mountain coaster and multiple ziplines.

Camelback Resort is 2 miles (3.2 km) from Pinemere Camp, and about 45 miles (72 km) north of Allentown, Pennsylvania.[3][4]

Camelback has invested in their educational ski and snowboard programs. The resort uses the marketing phrase: "Learn Here, Learn Right".[5]

Waterparks

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Camelback Mountain Resort's ski area in February 2014
Aerial View of Camelback Mountain Resort in October 2014

Camelback Resort has two waterparks, Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark and Camelbeach, the largest outdoor waterpark in Pennsylvania.

Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark was opened in 2015. Aquatopia was voted the #1 Indoor Waterpark in the country by USA Today in 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2022. The indoor park is open year-round while the outdoor park, Camelbeach Waterpark is open only in the summer. Aquatopia includes over 37 waterslides, the most in Pennsylvania, including four body slides, a mat slide, five tube slides and four raft rides, in addition to a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) wave pool, lazy river, a children's play area, and a full-sized competition pool. Aquatopia also features the FlowRider, a wave riding pool for surfing and boogie boarding. In 2022, Aquatopia added a new slide, Mountain Mayhem, which offers a virtual reality experience.

Camelbeach offers similar slides with the newest addition, Rival Racer, opening in the summer of 2023 for their 25th anniversary season.

Camelback Mountain Adventures

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Camelback Mountain Adventures offers 1,000 ft (300 m) of zipline, 4,000 ft (1,200 m) ZipFlyer, Mountain Segways, UTVs, and a 4500' Mountain Coaster. Camelback Mountain Adventures are open between spring and fall with the mountain coaster operating in the winter depending on snowfall.

The ski trails

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  • The Birches, an Advanced Novice ski run
  • King Tut, an Intermediate run
  • The Hump, Expert
  • The Asp Black Diamond
  • The Rocket Black Diamond
  • Marje's Delight Black Diamond
  • The Dromedary
  • Big Pocono Run
  • Upper Cleopatra
  • Marc Anthony
  • Julius Caesar
  • Little Caesar
  • Laurel Glade
  • Coolmoor
  • The Meadows
  • John Bailey Black Diamond
  • Sulivan's Trail Black Diamond
  • The Sphinx
  • Honeymoon Lane
  • Home Again
  • Lower Cleopatra
  • Sunbowl
  • Oak Grove
  • Turkey Trot
  • Upper Moore's Ramble
  • Lower Moore's Ramble
  • Pocono Raceway
  • The Pharaoh Black Diamond
  • The Bactrian
  • Cliffhanger
  • Near East
  • The Nile Mile
  • Basilisk

Climate

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According to the Trewartha climate classification system, Camelback Mountain Resort has a Temperate Continental climate (Dc) with warm summers (b), cold winters (o) and year-around precipitation (Dcbo). Dcbo climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0 °F (0.0 °C), four to seven months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (10.0 °C), all months with an average mean temperature < 72.0 °F (22.2 °C) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are comfortably humid at Camelback Mountain Resort, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values > 93 °F (34 °C). Since 1981, the highest air temperature was 95.4 °F (35.2 °C) on 07/22/2011, and the highest daily average mean dew point was 70.7 °F (21.5 °C) on 08/01/2006. July is the peak month for thunderstorm activity which correlates with the average warmest month of the year. The wettest month of the year is September which correlates with tropical storm remnants during the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was 6.77 inches (172 mm) on 09/30/2010. During the winter months, the plant hardiness zone is 6a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −9.4 °F (−23.0 °C).[6] Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was −21.6 °F (−29.8 °C) on 01/21/1994. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < −22 °F (−30 °C). The average snowiest month is January which correlates with the average coldest month of the year. Ice storms and large snowstorms depositing ≥ 12 inches (30 cm) of snow occur nearly every year, particularly during nor’easters from December through March.

Climate data for Camelback Mountain Resort, Elevation 1,883 ft (574 m), 1981-2010 normals, extremes 1981-2018
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 63.9
(17.7)
73.5
(23.1)
82.0
(27.8)
88.7
(31.5)
90.5
(32.5)
90.3
(32.4)
95.4
(35.2)
93.7
(34.3)
91.5
(33.1)
83.7
(28.7)
75.3
(24.1)
67.4
(19.7)
95.4
(35.2)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 31.1
(−0.5)
34.6
(1.4)
42.3
(5.7)
55.2
(12.9)
66.2
(19.0)
73.8
(23.2)
78.1
(25.6)
76.4
(24.7)
69.6
(20.9)
57.9
(14.4)
46.7
(8.2)
35.2
(1.8)
55.7
(13.2)
Daily mean °F (°C) 22.8
(−5.1)
25.8
(−3.4)
32.9
(0.5)
45.0
(7.2)
55.7
(13.2)
63.8
(17.7)
68.4
(20.2)
67.0
(19.4)
60.2
(15.7)
48.7
(9.3)
38.8
(3.8)
27.8
(−2.3)
46.5
(8.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 14.5
(−9.7)
17.0
(−8.3)
23.6
(−4.7)
34.8
(1.6)
45.1
(7.3)
53.8
(12.1)
58.7
(14.8)
57.7
(14.3)
50.8
(10.4)
39.6
(4.2)
30.9
(−0.6)
20.4
(−6.4)
37.3
(2.9)
Record low °F (°C) −21.0
(−29.4)
−11.5
(−24.2)
−3.9
(−19.9)
11.6
(−11.3)
28.2
(−2.1)
33.8
(1.0)
39.3
(4.1)
35.5
(1.9)
29.0
(−1.7)
18.1
(−7.7)
1.2
(−17.1)
−12.3
(−24.6)
−21.0
(−29.4)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.97
(101)
3.36
(85)
4.03
(102)
4.68
(119)
4.81
(122)
5.32
(135)
4.48
(114)
4.51
(115)
5.52
(140)
5.32
(135)
4.48
(114)
4.54
(115)
55.02
(1,398)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 19.7
(50)
14.1
(36)
14.7
(37)
3.5
(8.9)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.1
(0.25)
3.7
(9.4)
11.8
(30)
67.7
(172)
Average relative humidity (%) 72.9 67.4 64.7 61.6 64.0 73.3 73.2 76.3 77.1 74.3 73.0 75.3 71.1
Average dew point °F (°C) 15.4
(−9.2)
16.5
(−8.6)
22.3
(−5.4)
32.6
(0.3)
43.7
(6.5)
55.1
(12.8)
59.5
(15.3)
59.3
(15.2)
53.0
(11.7)
40.9
(4.9)
30.9
(−0.6)
21.0
(−6.1)
37.6
(3.1)
Source: PRISM[7]

Ecology

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According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Camelback Mountain Resort would have transient dominant vegetation types of Northern Hardwood (106) and Appalachian Oak (104) with transient dominant vegetation forms of Northern hardwood forest (26) and Eastern Hardwood Forest (25).[8] The peak spring bloom typically occurs in late-April and early-May and peak fall color usually occurs from early-to-mid October. The plant hardiness zone is 6a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −9.4 °F (−23.0 °C).[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Camelback Resort | Pocono Mountain Resort | Family Resort in Poconos PA". Camelback. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  2. ^ David G. Allan (January 28, 2009). "Camelback Mountain Resort". The New York Times. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  3. ^ Peterson's (1994). Summer Jobs USA 1995. Peterson's. ISBN 9781560793977. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  4. ^ Paul Robbins (January 1995). Cheap Sleeperies '95; Camelback, Pennsylvania – Pinemere. Skiing. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  5. ^ Dave Belin (January 9, 2014). "Top 4 Places to Learn to Ski and Snowboard". The Huffington Post. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  6. ^ a b "USDA Interactive Plant Hardiness Map". United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on June 18, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  7. ^ "PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University". Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  8. ^ "U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions)". Retrieved September 10, 2019.
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