Shawnee Mountain Ski Area

I’m giving Shawnee five stars for being exactly what I was looking for, which was a friendly affordable resort appropriate for beginners. I wanted to take my daughter skiing for the first time, so I bought a Liftopia package that included a lesson, rental and lift ticket. When I called to ask some questions about it, the woman at Shawnee was very helpful and polite. Basically, EVERYONE we encountered was extremely helpful and polite, from the people at the check-​in desk to the equipment rental attendants to the instructors and the lift operators. I hadn’t skied in many years, so I felt pretty silly and nervous, but everyone was gracious and never made me feel dumb for having trouble fitting my boot or getting on the lift.
We had a Tuesday lesson scheduled for my daughter, 11:45am. There was one instructor for two kids, which was excellent. The lesson went over an hour and she really got personalized service. Gratuity is expected, which I hadn’t known in advance, but there are ATMs on site, so it was no big deal. The best part, for me, was that I could ski on the «bunny slope» and watch my daughter take her lesson right next to me. That slope is great for beginners because you can take a magic carpet or a lift to the top, so you can practice all the important things and feel pretty confident when you eventually take on the rest of the mountain.
Food is a bit pricey, but that’s to be expected, and you can easily bring your own food and drinks and keep them in a locker in the lodge. The large locker ($ 5-​unlimited access, cash or credit) held two pairs of winter boots, extra clothes and lots of drinks and snacks.
We had no problem finding close parking (again, on a weekday, not sure about weekends). The gift shop had a nice selection of clothes, hats, socks, etc. Basically, everything was perfect for our needs. We didn’t try the bathrooms, because I try not to use public bathrooms.
I used to ski in Colorado. Obviously, this is not a western ski resort with western powder. It’s smaller and icier, but that’s not Shawnee’s fault. Easterners should be grateful they get to ski at all.
I was also happy to see so many senior citizens on the slopes. Good for them! It definitely added to the friendly vibe. I didn’t encounter any snobs or competitive jerks at all. I would definitely recommend bringing your beginners to Shawnee. And if you’re a black diamond skier and looking for a challenge? Fly out to Colorado. It’s awesome.

Great resort for the beginners.
The main benefit I have with this resort it is very close to home. So I can go skiing at any time. The mountain isn’t really high, but for the beginners like me it doesn’t really matter. Everything is organized well and ability of the resort to process over 6000 visitors per day is a testament to that (I asked) .
They have an excellent program for the kids to learn to ski and my son is still going to their development program now for the 3^rd year.
Overall I think they have good grasp on everything just wish food and drink was a littl cheaper but I guess I can’t complain about that since you pay for convinience…

Great family friendly resort in the Poconos. I would highly recommend this resort for those that have children and are interested in teaching thei kids how to ski. One of the amazing features of Shawnee is that if your child is under 46 inches tall they get to ski for free. The one big negative of this place is the food which is absolutely horrible. Most people bring their own lunches and beverages and that is what I would highly recommend if you decide to go here. The other thing that I would recommend doing is purchasing the maximizer ticket at the beginning of the season which is a good value. The runs themselves are enjoyable for children and for those that are not excellent skiers. However the good location and family friendly nature of this resorts makes it someplace that we will come back to again and again.

Snowboarded here for two days and had a great time with my friends. There are a good number of green and blue trails that were open, but there was still a good number that was closed. They had man made snow when I went and it was good, no complaints. There weren’t any rough patches of ice on the slopes. My friends and I mainly did the Pennsylvania (green trail) and the Lookout (blue trail). Pennsylvania tends to get a bit crowded, so we often did the Lookout trail (the lift by this trail is super slow, so your better off taking the lift that fits 4 people and then taking the Hiawatha Trail that brings you to the beginning of Lookout).
Only thing is after 4pm, all the kids come for their ski lessons/​trips so it get very crowded with children. So stick to the blue trails, since the green trails you can’t go as fast on since you have to watch out for the kids. This place also has a lot of people taking lessons so when going down the trails, I often had to slow down so I wouldn’t run into any of them. It did get a little annoying to have to constantly stop and slow down, so I stuck to the trails that barely had any people on them.
Also I’d recommend you bring your own lunch or food to eat as their selection of food is rather lack luster. Not much to choose from and nothing looked too appetizing. My friends and I mainly stuck with the hot chocolate they had (got a bit of a stomach ache from it).
If you’re down for about a 25 minute drive, check out Barley Creek Brewery Company in Tannersville! It’ll be worth your trip!

My friends and I were debating between Camelback and Shawnee since we were staying in the area. Shawnee mountain has some decent ticket deals online at
(2 day lift ticket $ 64 midweek). I highly recommend this mountain for beginners and intermediates because there are a lot of decent green and blue trails. It is not too crowded here and the staff is very nice. The parking lot is a quick walk to the lodge.
The only thing I would say needs improvement is the food served at the lodge; I am not complaining about prices. but simply quality. After a few hours of carving you usually look forward to defrosting in the lodge over some hot food but to be honest not many things in the cafeteria looked appetizing. Not the biggest issue in the world because I came here for the snow (all man-​made at the time, and was decently packed).
Recommended!

attended the rodeo/​chili cookoff last weekend. the rodeo was a lot of fun to watch. the chili cookoff was a little disappointing. I like chili, but none of the 6 or 7 samples did anything for me. my gf had the same thoughts. the fist sample was cold, as in right out of the refrigerator cold. all the other were hot, but the taste just didn’t «do it» for us. (not Shawnees fault)
it was our third time here.
once for last years garlic fest. (good time)
and once last winter snow tubing with the kids. (had a blast)

At the Pocono Garlic Festival. Enjoying an excellent Garlic Bloody Mary break at the bar. The festival is a great stop. Lots of great food and best of all Garlic!

Came here for snowboarding and it’s a great place for beginners to learn. There is a long green slope that’s not as packed as the bunny. It’s so much easier to learn on. I made a lot of progress myself! I would recommend this place to beginners.

I went here last weekend and loved how empty it was. One thing I didn’t like about their snowboards was the fact they didn’t have stick pads on the board like other places. But definitely a perk that it’s closeby.

One of the nice places to go for a quick get away for skiing and tubing. Came on the coldest night of the year thus far so the challenge of staying warm was very interesting. They have classes for those that want to learn or clean up what they know.

I went here for tubing (not skiing)
The area was friendly, clean, safe, and fun. The employees were really nice and fun. The area was safe but the route is a little confusing. I think they should have more than one magic carpet for tubing, though. The area was quite safe. I’ve also noticed that the tubes went relatively faster than other tubing places I’ve been to. We went about one round per fifteen minutes. Everything was great. They also had food– deep dish pizza, sandwiches, fries, nuggets, hot coco, etc. The food’s pretty good for a tubing site.
It’s a nice place!

Snow tubing was a blast. Went snow tubing with a group of friends midweek during the 5:30 pm session. There were a few other families there during the session. Lines were quick and we got a lot of runs in. The best part was the staff. They are very friendly and interacted with everyone there. Definitely made the experience a lot more enjoyable.

Well, Shawnee Mountain keeps the bad things consistent from season to season.
First, you have the joy of the ticket booths. This time, it wasn’t a half bad experience… but it’s all relative as compared to prior experiences.
Next, you have the joy of going to the ski school when people in your party purchase the package that includes a lesson. Go there and deal with a rather miserable woman who gets angry at you for filling out your form as the rest of your party is attempting to make their class selection, as if my presence was slowing down any of the other moving parts around us. Then, find that the next available class is more than 1.5 hours later when you purchase the package and check-​in on a Saturday in the later morning. Why are they so under-​staffed? Why would they think that a person in need of a lesson would want to wait more than 1.5 hours to get started with their ski lesson?
Then, you go to retrieve your rented gear. The girl providing your boots is miserable (must have received the same customer service training as the woman at the lesson counter). The guy who sized and adjusted the skis was so pleasant that I really felt badly that he should have to work with some of his cohorts.
Two members of our party then needed to retrieve their rental helmets — rented for $ 12 each for the day. You would think that when the mountain is making what I estimate is a 25% return on an item, the line for retrieving that rental item should be short and alluring. Instead, it was a twenty minute line served by one frazzled teenager doing the best that any single overworked person could be expected to do.
The lift operators are generally the most pleasant of all of the staff. and they remained so this time around.
Anyway, skiing underway… it went fine. It could have used for the snow makers to be on since there was little powder, but it was still fine.
Enjoyed the slopes for a bit, then decided it was time for a beer and a break. We headed up to the lodge at the top of the mountain, ordered beers from a very pleasant (but overtaxed since she was alone) bartender who indicated that it was 3:17 PM and this was «last call» because the lodge was closing at 3:30 PM. Are you kidding?! This is Saturday of a holiday weekend and the lodge’s food area and bar are packed with people who are comfortable eating and drinking and you decide that you are going to close?! Why doesn’t ownership and upper management open their eyes to what is going on at this ski mountain? Why disturb people when they are comfortable and spending money? Wouldn’t you rather that patrons sit there, spend money and enjoy rather than forcing them out the door to either keep skiing (not generating additional revenue) or decide that the day is a wrap? Isn’t it apparent to you that none of those people are getting bundled up to ski down the mountain and re-​settle in the lower lodge?
I hope year after year that you’ll get it straight, but it just does not seem to be happening. Train your staff better, send your friends and family and ask for genuine feedback to see if they are getting treated the way that other customers would want to be treated. When the answer almost certainly comes back that they are not, do something about it! You are losing locals who would now prefer to drive an hour than 10 minutes because the experience on the whole is so much better elsewhere.

We came here on a Saturday for the 4 hour tubing session. It was cold but we were not uncomfortable at all.
They did not have online ticket purchasing but the line to get them was not bad at all. When entering the snow tubing area, they explain the rules and where to go and what tubes to use. Double tubes can be two children (considered under 48″) or one child and one adult. Two adults cannot go down together. The double tubes are HEAVY and you are required to carry them from pickup area to the lift. (Not an issue if there is snow on the ground) Once up the mountain, you can pull them along on the snow. The staff will toss the double tubes over the wall so you don’t have to carry them down. Single tubes stay with you as you go back online.
There is only one hill with many lanes. Each lane is identical with rubber mats located on the tops of the hill where you board, throughout each dip in the hill to slow you down, then at the bottom to stop you.
The lift is a standing people mover type that is narrow. The tube fit on and our kids were fine standing on it.
The staff — this is where I gave extra points. OMG — They were so fun and friendly. Each person talked to us, asked where we were from, asked how we would like to go down the mountain, spin, pushed, ran, etc they did everything they could to make the experience fun and enjoyable. We ended up having favorites. To the guy with the brown hair and dreadlocks… You are awesome!
We went to the restaurant to avoid the crowds in the cafeteria area. The food was so-​so but again — the staff was amazing. The price was reasonable I thought.
Overall — Great experience and would do it again!

1^st time going to take my family on a winter vacation. First encounter of the lady at check in. Where you pay for lifts and tubing. The lady was so rude and thought we suppose to know price information, she gave us a look like you should know already. When we ask where to go afterwards after paying, she sent us on a wild goose chase. Being that we were there to enjoy ourselves we didn’t let that ruin our fun. People are very rude there except for the equipment check out guys, they were cool. Never will go back or recommend. Go out west to the Rocky Mountains.

Although Shawnee is best known for their skiing, they also host a number of events throughout the summer including fireworks for the 4^th of July. My family and I went to that event this year and although the fireworks were excellent we won’t be returning next year.
The entire thing felt very unorganized. The zillions of parking lot attendants they had were very rude and seemed to make things more confusing than needbe. Once inside there is no direction from the staff as to where the fireworks will go off so people were sitting facing all different directions until the last second.
Then came the delays. Their website claimed the fireworks began at 9pm. The sign by the entrance said 9:15. Then the DJ kept claiming they were just about to start. Finally some time after 9:30 the show began. Like I said, the fireworks were very impressive.
Finally the nightmare of trying to leave began. In total it took us an hour just to get out of the parking lot because of how disorganized this place is. I’ve been to quite a few sporting events and never once have I seen such a mess. There was one point where we literally sat still for over twenty minutes before the traffic started moving again.

One of my favorite winter actives… skiing! I hate the cold… but there are actually fun things to do at the winter time… such as tubing, snowboarding and skiing…
So I came here during my winter break… stay at the Hampton for three days and two nights hopping to have some skiing adventures… little did I know there was no snow… It was fake snow in a cold area… so the whole skiing area tuned into ice… I’m not a pro skier… but How the hell do you ski on a slope of ice… when I went to Toronto skiing in fluffy snow was the best… every time i fall I get a nice soft landing… but this was just terrible… The area didn’t snow but they still make the area nice and cold so there something to ski on which is ice… My body felt like shit after a few times skiing… I almost had frost bite… that how cold it was… nuts…
Getting in the lift chair was a pain in the ass too… I always get stuck on how to get on or off… Ugh… it was like my fourth time skiing and I still suck at it… Oh wells… there is a lounge area where you can get comfortable and cozy… Many people stay there to keep warm or take a break from skiing/​snowboarding… They sell items for foods… Got a bottle of water and a pack of candy to cure me from the cold lol… there’s a locker room to hold al your belongings… I went to the ski shop to get a face mask and a helmet cause I was going insane… Falling all the time lol
I also tried tubing it was fun… but gets really tiring… You have to carry a giant ass tube each time you get on the railing to take you up the slope… the way down is fun… just sliding down… Nothing really scary about it… Very easy and carefree… I had fun even though it was icy… maybe next time I will go when there’s fluffy snow …

This place is small and great for beginners. It was a tad icy on my trip in early March, but I’ve fallen on harder ice patches. My day was made better by a former ski instructor that happened to see me struggling and offer some advice. The staff are very active and attentive to all the skiers/​snowboarders.
They even had a restaurant with pretty good food and 2 bars for drinks.
This place is just kind of small, so it got a little boring, even for this beginning, after a very short time. Though there weren’t many trails open, they were still wide enough for beginning snowboarders which was really helpful for me!
I also didn’t like the unusual bindings they had on their snowboard rentals… I’ve never seen this type before.

Shawnee Mountain is a little baby mountain that is a great starting place for beginners.
Lift tickets and equipment rentals are totally affordable. They have discounts on their website and for students. (Yup. I’m still milking that for all it’s worth.)
The staff are helpful and pretty quick, and the lodge has a good-​enough food options which are not too expensive.
My only advice is if you’re going on a weekend or long weekend, get here early or get a twilight ticket because when we went at 2pm, the parking lot was «at capacity.» We had to park in a random lot off site and walk there! Good thing the lifts are open til 9pm!

My friend and I bought a 3 day beginner ski package at Shawnee Mountain Ski Area. Neither of us have skied before and wanted to learn. Our experience was very fun overall, but there were a lot of pros and cons.
To start with the pros:
–Resort is not crowded at all on the slopes
–Very welcoming to beginners, tourists, and children
–Decent prices and discounts for ski packages
–The ski instructors revised the lessons for us depending on our beginner ski level
Cons:
–Ski instructors are extremely young and mostly Argentinians who were on summer vacation. Some of them have never skied before, but learn for a few days at Shawnee and then give beginner lessons. Needless to say, the lessons aren’t exactly top notch and vary significantly according to the instructor
–The cafeteria is disgusting, smelly, and very expensive. I didn’t eat anything but all of the food I saw people eating made me want to gag. I bought a Vitamin Water (usually $ 0.99) for $ 4.75
At the end of my vacation, I did learn how to successfully go down the beginner slope. Not sure if I would’ve been able to learn more at another resort because I can’t compare it.
Overall, we had a lot of fun, but we’ll probably try somewhere else for our next ski adventure.