Recent Comments

A local 4WD club rented Plateau De Mount in the mid seventies from Steve (last name sounds like "you pour" - not sure of the spelling) for Jeep races. The main ski slope was used for the hill climb event; an area below the slopes for an off road obstacle course and the field west of the lodge was used for field games. I remember the nice A frame out-buildings to the east used for overnight stays. I was back again in the late seventies to see the old lodge in disrepair and abandoned. In the earlier eighties the lodge and the area around it looked like it was subdivided and homes were being built there. I tried to get back into the area today, but the road into the lodge is posted Private Property - No Trespassing. Would like to see the area again - the satellite views today show a lot of tree growth on the old slopes.

I loved skiing at the Peak. And the Spademan bindings! I thought it was long ago turned into a neighborhood. Could it be brought back to life? I'd sure invest in it!

I didn't see any signs of snowmaking, but the place is so grown in. The pines along the trails and liftline would have really helped combat sun exposure and provide wind protection, perhaps to counteract having no snowmaking. IDK

My family owned a cottage in the Split Rock Resort for many years.

In regards to the pool in the picture... it was installed in the early-mid 90's... It WAS used during the winter... not for swimming, but for ice skating. They'd put plastic edges on the pool and rent ice skates for a half hour session for 5 or 10 bucks.

As for the snow making pond, there were a couple years in the early 90s that they had bumper boats in the lake during the summer months. I think this lasted two years or so, (the one time I went there my family were their only customers... and it was a bright sunny day) they later removed the boats, but the abandoned bumper boat dock stayed on the sidelines of the pond for many years. My family sold our cottage there a year or two ago, but the last time i was there, it was still sitting there.

For many years, between the two main trails were large pieces of a water slide. It appeared the parts were delivered, unpacked, and then never installed. Ironically, the resort is in the process of building an indoor waterpark, though I doubt these old slide pieces were reused.

I Miss Cooking In Mount airys Coffee Shop In The Early 80s.Meals On The Days Off Were In The Employees Dining Room "sidehall".Living Quarters Were Across The Street At The "600block".Ill Always Miss Mt. Airy.

Nice find! Never heard of this place. Close to Elk which had a much larger vertical.
Any signs of snowmaking?

WOW! This is hilarious! Nice list Matt! Can't forget Bear Rocks Cycle and Doug Marner or Calvin Hiles' mailbox! I'm sure the statute of limitations is in effect for that one! I remember the great Bicentennial Blast although many other events are a mite fuzzy.

I learned to ski on the original Big Bear slope when I was 6 (1964j. There was just a rope tow and a tiny homosote warming shack. We had lace-up boots, bear trap bindings and huge baskets on our poles. I lived full time there from 1967 to 1977 (9 to 19 years old)my folks are still there.

Anybody can contact me at bluzharp1@sbcglobal.net

cindy, this area is completely separate from alpine mountain (formerly timber hill) still operating down the road - this was just two short rope tows located right on the Penn Hills Resort a couple of miles down on 191/447 - both owned by the same entity - it might not have been open to the public even (guests only), but I'm not sure

The Ski area was purchased with the name of "Timber Hill" and has since been changed to "Alpine Mountain Ski and Ride Center"

yes, the lodge was spectacular and so was the stable. they rented the A frames. They also had horses. I taught riding and helped do stone work on some of the homes built. When I was there I lived in the house with Steve,Phillis and 3 others. Two of us where high school kids. I did go back in 1975 to visit Steve and Phillis. Ken-- they still had the dogs and the pups (grown). gordonandbev1@mac.com

I use to work and live there in the summer of 1968 and 1969. It was a wonderful experience. The owner was an amazing guy that fought in the 56 Hungarian revolution. Ken, I live in Seattle and get up to Whistler all the time. It would be fun to share Steve stories.

I skied this area as a youngster in Latrobe, PA in the late '70s. The lodge was at the north end of Sugarbush Road, and the small ski hill ran north from the lodge. From Google Earth images it appears to be reforested, but the remnants of a trail called "the corkscrew" might be visible. The area was served by a tow rope in the west side. The lodge served excellent hamburgers.

Nice list Matt, but I have to add a few!
21. Remember the tree in the middle of the intersection in front of Imrich's house?
22. What ever happened to Imrich's house?
23. The "Wayno"
24. How do you join the "Polar Bear Club" on the Memorial Day weekend?
25. Buzzy's Trail
26. What it meant to go to the "New Roads"

Keep adding! And Brent, did you ever cut that 'fro?

The Penn Hills Snowy Area was not a ski resort. It was an amenity for guests only and was only open if there was natural snow. It was only in operation for about 4 years. It was closed because the owner bought a ski area nearby.

Jolene I saw your name and it brought back great memories; fishing in Canada what a time!

The best memory of The Buckaloons to me was family; everyone to everybody. It was fun and save. I wish today that my four children had a place like the Buckaloons.

Great memories too long to list.

Ron Campbell

I grew up skiing the Buckaloons. I almost fell out of my chair when I discovered this website. Thank you for putting this information together, it brings back alot of great memories growing up.
Please keep this website up and running as I'm sure many more people will be interested in all of the great stories. Hell yes I remember Ronnie Campbell's double heli!!!!!! We had the X-games before they were even thought of!!

Iwork at Winterplace. We bought 40 0f their SMI 320 tower guns in the early 90's after they closed. Those pea shooters could not have depleted their water supply

The Reunion Date has been set! Mark your calendars for Sunday September 14, 2008! I will be sending out the invitations shortly via email. (Keep an eye out for them)
We are also looking for old photos taken at AH. We are putting together a multimedia presentation. Please contact me for further details.
If you haven't sent me your contact information yet I need you to do so right away. I need your email, home address and phone number.
Please send all information to me at: Christopher.Hamm@ge.com

Hope to see you on the 14th!

Chris

Just spent Memorial Day with my brothers back in Bear Rocks at My parents house on on Skytop Rd. They told me I had to look this site up. I have been laughing until I cried That having been said, You cannot claim to be a true Bear Rocker unless you personally can identify,or participated in at least 50% of the following:
1. Bar's "Cuda"
2. Brents 3-wheeler
3. The Flying "W"
4. Johnny's Trick Knee
5. "Mario Charrio"
6. The "Rocks"
7. Corning Cars from the tree top fort
8. Watched Mark Pomper fall from the tree top fort.
9. Saw Dave Kauffman drive his motorcycle into the lake.
10. Went sledding down Dogwood
11. Fought in the great crab apple war at the lodge lake on July 4th 1970.
12. Know who, Ugly, Stupid, and Sir Greatness are.
13. Went "Parking on the "New Roads".
14. Drove your mini bike up Greenbrier.
15. Played Football into the darkness at Pomper Field with a neon glow in the dark football Chiquita Banana football.
16. Know how to play Indian Ball.
17. Know what a Polish Cannon is.
18. Went to a beer blast at the Ski Lodge after it closed but before it became "Nepenthe"
19. Hot wired the ski slopes tow rope and went sledding/skipping school
20. Watched from the top of the ski slopes or helped in the Great Bicenntennial 4th of July 1976 Slag Dump Blast. And depending on your vantage point,witnessed, either Denny's Jeep going backwards down the ski slopes, or Mt. Pleasant's Finest in action!!

P.S. Dammit Brent! I told you to quit tossing ladyfingers out the window.

I grew up on Rock Pool Road and had the displeasure of being Bob Sandow's younger brother. Bob learned karate while I was growing up, and he was constantly practicing ninja moves on me.

Sledding on the old ski slopes was ridiculously fun, and spending summers swimming at the pool and fishing for Bluegill in the club pond was an ideal way to grow up.

I went to school and was friends with one of John's kids. The story of John Hall is quite cool. As you may know his father was the owner of Halls Trucking. He pretty much paid John to keep out of the daily business. Back in the early 80's I would go to the mansion and play with John Jr.. There was no bell tower back then, but it was cool because they had a playroom that was a 3 story open square. Place was filled with toys and authentic suits of armor (wierd). The garage was incredible. If you ever watch Happy Days and see that Yellow Hot Rod in the opening credits, that car was sitting in the garage. In the late 80's John Hall got busted for embezzelment. He stole over 4 million in bonds from his dad's company. And get this, the bonds where actually buried around his property. Then came the bell tower fiasco. All the owners in my neighborhood put up a huge stink because the tower was in everyone's line of site. He got the thing built and when first built, actually had bells that would ring once and hour. Noise ordinance got the bells taken down. At the time he claimed bankruptcy, he was in the process of building a moat around the entire compound. For as eccentric as John Hall was, his 8 kids and wife were the nicest people in the world. I would love to know what happened to all the kids. Sherri Hall is still living in or around the Harrisburg area and I think the entire family disowned John when he was being investigated for the arsons.

Yes, Shawneeland is quite a nice place to relax. Latest news from there is that the Lake may dry up unless repaired. I do hope that does not happen or there will be little left to go to seeing they have no lodge, no pool, no restaurant, no ski area, but..... they can't take away the views at the top or the memories that some of you have shared on this page!

My wife ("Sam") and I moved to Bear Rocks in 1974. We lived in an A-frame house just over the crest of Greenbrier. (I don't remember how many lightning strikes took out our deep well water pump!) Edith Replogle was the real estate rep. from whom we bought our house.(The Sharbough's lived behind us...through the woods.:)

Both of our children, Katie and Doug were born at Latrobe Hosp. and had their first years in Bear Rocks before we moved in 1979 to Annapolis, MD.

I remember Jim Boggs, Marners, Waits, Freuhaufs (sp), Kinkaids, Butch, Denny, Joe, and so many others that I'm having a senior moment overload remembering.

It was during our years there that a bunch of us built the Bear Rocks fire station as part of the Bullskin Twp. Vol. Fire Dept. Our wives became "widows" as we all worked on it, but would bring us lunch breaks as we toiled. I remember plenty of freezing, snowy nights at a house chimney fires or a hay barn burning.

In the winter, we would build a fire at the top of the old ski slope and bunches of us meet with the children for sleding and tobogganing. A couple of the dads had snowmobiles to tow us all back to the top.

I remember having dinners at the Bear Rocks club house, the Nepenthe and Nino's at the bottom of 3-mile hill.

Hope all our old friends are well and that their children and grandchildren are enjoying life.

Bear Rocks was a wonderful time in our lives!

The base to summit borvig was relocated by Camelback after the area shut down. It is still in operation today at Camelback as the Glen lift.

My parents bought a lot at ShawneeLand in the '60's. I skied there once after they bought it, but was disappointed in the slope. Only one truck-powered tow was running, short slope, etc. The trip up was more fun than the trip down because the tow operator would gun the engine once in a while.
I haven't been there in years, but per GoogleMaps, the old lodge and Keckley cabin would be off Tomahawk Trail at coordinates 39d 11m 21.3 North, 78d 20m 13.6West.

I was a ski instructor at Piper Hill durning the winters of 1966-67, 1967-68 and 1968-69. The ski school director owner/operator was Robin Tiesler. Robin was a very bright person and a inventor by trade. This man could ski and would do a tip roll and royal christe with his ski high in the air.
I remember during warm spring skiing in 1968, Robin and I were alongside a stream that ran down the side of the ski area next to Rt 611. Robin was looking at the stream with an idea about what type of material would be needed to make it easy for people to slide down the water and have fun. At that time I thought it was just another inventors crazy idea..... Robin said it could be a Water Slide. We all know about water slides 40 years later. Robin Tiesler was a genious in so many ways!! Robin was the inventor of the Tiesler Ski Binding. Durning the years I was there we taught the GLM (Gradulated Length Method)and used Cliff Taylor short skis in lenghts from 2.5 feet through 4.5 feet. There were two main ski slopes, the one that ran along the lodge and another one to the left looking down. We only had snow making on the main slope next to the lodge. Yes there was the Piper Hill Pimple. Robin would blow snow all night long in one spot on top of the main slope....This would develope into aprox a 15foot high or more pimple on top that you could side step up a get one fast start down the hill. We had no grooming at that time as you would ski on ungroomed snow as was the case with most ski areas at that time. I remember after a deep snowfall Robin had a tractor and would drag a man made wooded piece of equip behind and we would ride in it as the snow would get packed down. I moved to New Hampshire the summer of 1969 and have been a ski patroller here for the past 38 years. Piper Hill Ski Area was a great place and Robin Tiesler was a real special person. Paul.. From New hampshire

Looking to find brent mendel. We still live on kreinbrook hill.

I worked at Plateau De Mount in the first two years it was opened. I ran the Ski Patrol and also rented out Ski Doos and worked in the rental shop. I remember Steve & Phillis and the fact that the snow was always "Marginal". The lodge when it was new, was phenominal. It is sad to hear that it has deteriorated. There was to be a large real estate development with it and a few lots & cabins were built. I am very curious to see some present day pictures of any of this and of any news of the whereabouts of Steve &/or Phyllis I can be contacted at kencindy@telus.net

Louis: Thanks so much for the quick reply and the info. I was at the location one time around 1991. I was looking for the St. Johns cemetery and thru research somehow I found out that the original Keckley cabin (ca. 1750) still had some existing structure in this Shawneeland Lodge. The lodge was still standing and there were ducks in a pond out in front of it. It must be the same place as you described but I don't know what actual road or route we were on. Do you know the route ? About a year after my visit, a man who worked for the county and had allowed me to go thru the place, sent me an actual log from the log home that was inside the lodge. I loved that. I know we were close to town of Winchester but don't remember how I got there to the lodge site. It was interesting. I'd like to go back and visit the area. Let me know if you know the route I was on. I appreciate your replying. Thanks so much....June

June, the Lodge you are referencing was an inn and dining facility (referred by our family as the restaurant) many years ago, along with a snack type counter off to the side, large nicely decorated sitting area and, if my memory serves me correctly, at least three fireplaces. The Lodge was a two level stone house with a large stone open patio in the front. If Im not mistaken, this used to be a private house and converted into the Lodge for Shawnee Land (time frame unsure). The second floor had many bedrooms that were rented out to member visiting guests. The dining area was also quite large and had decent meals for breakfast lunch and dinner. I do remember eating there from time to time, and after dinner , getting an ice cream from the snack bar. The location is simple to find, although hard to visualize if youve never been there. After you go through the main entrance, turn left; you will pass an old mill on the right at a tight curve with a pond very close to it. Then start looking to the right. You will see another pond and the lodge was a few hundred feet from that. For the life of me I cant remember if they filled in the second pond or its still there. Anyway, if you start going up the hill to the dam, you have gone to far. All this travel is about a mile from the main entrance. I will ask my dad if he can rustle up some old photos for you. If so, Ill post my findings here and somehow figure a way to send them to you. As far as the bankruptcy goes, its true. Im sure you can run through the archives in the Winchester Star for a ton of articles.

I traced my family "Keckley" roots and they went back to a log home in Shawneeland. A portion of the original log home was still inside a lodge in Winchester, Va called Shawneeland. In the early 1990's, I traveled to the lodge. It was shut down but had been a dining/steakhouse type business. There was a pond right in front of it. I know the county office there told me a couple years later that the building had been torn down. Does anyone know the building I'm talking about and could you tell me a precise location. I didn't document it. I believe the county man referred to it simply as "Shawneeland Lodge" which had been a successful dining facility at one time and there had been some kind of a bankruptcy? Thanks.

Sorry my email didn't post right, there is an underscore between the lm and the 100489. THanks!!

Lila M.

Me and my friends took a "ghost hunting" trip up to Plateau De Mount the other weekend (we live very very close). It took us about an hour and a half to actually find the resort but once we found it, it was amazing. We had been up there the week before but didn't get a chance to go inside (this was in the dead of night by the way), so we took some more friends, equipped with expensive cameras and sound recording gear. We had heard some stories about deaths in the lodge after its closing so we wanted to see if we could get anything on camera. What we found was frightening...two pictures that scared us pretty badly. We didn't get a chance to look at the pictures until we were back in the car, but we were eager to leave because we knew that we weren't allowed up there. We got a picture of a ghostly face looking upwards into the top section (the stairs were knocked down). I also attempted to take a picture of the full moon beside a tree outside and my camera acted funny, then took a strange picture. If you would like to see pictures of the inside of this lodge as it looks now, contact me at lm100489@yahoo.com and i would be happy to send them to you. Please contact me, my friends and I are eager to learn its history!!! )

Lila M.

"Sugarbush Road" in Youngstown, PA ends at a gate to a private residence/compound that looks a bit on the commercial side. plan on going back later in the summer to explore lower on the hillside for ski slope remnants.

Drive through the parks on saturday, unfortuantely, there is very little to indicate that there was ever a ski area or race course. There are two farms next to New Germany Rd, bisected by Otto rd, but whether or not either of these were part of the old Otto farm ski area site is unable to be determined.

There is still a notation on the terraserver topo maps indicating that the race course was on the northward facing slope of Big Run. Driving along Big Run, you can see some possible locations, based on younger trees, but nothing substantial. The road to the summit now has a shooting range in the middle of it, so I was unable to explore the top of the mountain. If the map is correct, then the bottom of the course was extremely steep and had no runout unless the stream was covered over.

Fond Memories!

I bought Mill Ridge in the mid 70's and operated it for a number of years. It had operated several years prior to my purchase but I am not certain as to the date of its origin.

My family learned to ski at Mill Ridge but there never seemed to be enough free time for me to get the hang of it. On the few occasions I tried,I drew an audience of jeering,laughing ski bums so, in preservation of whatever dignity I could salvage, I discontinued my attempts. It was a grand time.

Mill Ridge Ski Mountain was a fun place to be and the atmosphere was always joyous. The people came to play and play they did! I remember an older gentleman who came on the weekends. He was always alone and he never had much to say to anyone. He just wanted to ski. He started in the morning and skied all day. He would take a break for lunch and then it was back to skiing. From time to time, he would lift a ski above the snow to rest a leg, then he would rest the other leg as he glided smoothly down the mountain, then he would ski..and ski...whistling or singing to the latest Bee Gees disco music coming from the PA system. It was as if he was on the clock. What an interesting fellow.

A brief and amusing (true)story shared by the staff during my tenure: A lady from Florida arrived with friends at Mill Ridge early in the morning on a wintery, cloudy day. There had not been a natural snowfall at that point of the season and she was amazed to see all of the man-made snow on the mountain. She engaged one of the snowmakers in conversation as he was entering the lodge at the end of his shift. She expressed her intrique and began asking questions as to the procedure of the snow-making operation. As they were talking, a natural snow fall began quite suddenly. She looked up..then looked at the workman in amazement and said, "there is some snow now. Are you making that?

The people who visited Mill Ridge Ski Mountain made it the fun place it was. The facility wasn't much; just a chair lift, a few slopes, a rental section and a sandwich shop. The people brought the fun atmosphere with their joy and laughter. My three sons still recall fondly their experiences at Mill Ridge and I am sure there are thousands who have the same pleasant memories.

I live in Apple Valley est. which is next to Apple hill. I have seen nemorus activity that seems extreemly supernatural. I know, you probably think i am crazy, but please believe me. Just a few days ago I found felt some freezing wind coming from the main lodge on a hot, windless day. I have also seen the building completely illuminated by a strange white and green light.

If you have any stories about apple hill, pleas contact me @
Natea@ptd,net

This is the Best Site Ever! How about the Rumbaugh brothers, Bob, Matt, Chris, and Sean. or the Sharbaughs? We ruled Bear Rocks from 1967 to 1982! Remember all of the sandlot football games, baseball games, basketball games? Drinking by the lake? Bingo and Movie night at the lodge? Remember the Westervelts, Emericks, or Pompers? It seemed like the only song on the jukebox in the downstairs of the lodge was "Smoke on the Water"! The 70s were the best! Brings back great memories. Our folks still live on Skytop Road. I plan to visit this site often for updates. Looking forward to hearing from many of you.

I grew up in the Pocono's, fairly close to Mt Airy and have fond memories of watching fire works during the summer and riding snowmobiles in the winter. My friend's father was part owner during the 70s and 80s, so we were able to enjoy some of the fun things even though we weren't guests. I hated seeing how it deteriorated over the years.

Hello everyone. Just want to let everyone know that the community club now has a website up and running. www.bearrocks.org I will be working as I get time on adding more content. If any of you have pictures or information to share please e-mail it to brcc@zoominternet.net Also, if any of you are interested in buying Bear Rocks shirts, hats, etc... contact Barb Mull at 724-542-7269 or e-mail her at jab146@cvzoom.net

Is John P. Hall still alive? What exactly happened to him? I've tried to find information on this guy for years, and have only come up with rumors and a few articles hinting at conspiracy, bankruptcy, etc. Did he end up in jail? What happened to his kids? Etc. Email me -- wilsonc@dickinson.edu if you have any info, I am VERY curious about this!