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Whitetail Resort
Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
(Click here for the official web site for Whitetail, or scroll below to read DCSki's complete profile...)
[Resort Overview] [Summer Activities] [Statistics]
[Trail Map] [Current Conditions] [Webcams]
[Related News] [Upcoming Events] [Reader Comments]
[Recent Tweets] [Nearby Lodging]
| Resort Overview - reported by M. Scott Smith, DCSki Editor |
Located in south-central Pennsylvania, Whitetail is a comfortable 90-minute jog down I-70 from D.C. and Baltimore. Skiers and boarders will find 19 trails, a 935-foot vertical, and a high-speed quad. Whitetail is one of the youngest ski resorts in America.
During the fall of 1999, Whitetail was purchased by Snow Time, Inc., which also owns nearby Ski Roundtop and Ski Liberty. Since then, Whitetail has invested heavily in improvements to an already great resort. Over the summer of 2002, Whitetail expanded its base lodge, added a snow tubing park, and added lighting to several expert slopes, responding directly to visitors’ wish lists. The rental building saw a significant expansion in 2005, smoothing the flow of visitors as they rent skis and snowboards. For the 2006-2007 season, Whitetail finished lighting 100% of its expert terrain; now only one intermediate trail does not have lighting. Whitetail has enhanced snowmaking through the continual addition of tower-mounted fan guns in recent years. Added to slopes such as Limelight and Exhibition, the fan guns allow slopes to open sooner than in years past.
Big changes came to Whitetail during the summer of 2008. Whitetail cut a brand new trail (its longest yet), and installed a new double chairlift specifically to service the terrain park. The new lift helped decrease crowding on Upper Angel Drop. During the summer of 2009, Whitetail added a brand new halfpipe, a new terrain park, and a new beginner adult carpet lift.
Skiers at Whitetail are pampered by a modern base lodge and amenities such as free ski check. Food is reasonable, with cafeteria-style food available in the Market Place. A more upscale Windows Restaurant only operates on weekends and holidays. Whitetail continues to develop a residential village that lines the Northern Lights beginner ski slope. Townhomes have already been completed, and a championship golf course was also recently added.
| Summer Activities |
During the summer, Whitetail operates a fly fishing school, run by professional fly fishing instructor and guide Dusty Wissmath. The Whitetail Fly Fishing School offers one- and two-day clinics, which include meals and use of a flyrod. Other programs are frequently offered, such as Women’s Fly Fishing Clinics. Golf is also available. Previously, Whitetail offered mountain biking during the summer, but cancelled the program several years ago.
| Statistics |
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Resort Name:
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Whitetail Resort | |
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Vertical Drop:
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935 feet | |
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Base Elevation:
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865 feet | |
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Peak Elevation:
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1,800 feet | |
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Trails:
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21 (6 beginner, 9 intermediate, 6 advanced) | |
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Skiable Acres:
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117 | |
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Longest Run:
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1 mile | |
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Lift Capacity:
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15,000 per hour | |
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Chairlifts:
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9 (1 high-speed quad, 3 quads, 2 doubles, 3 magic carpets) | |
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Night Skiing:
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Night skiing on all but 1 trail | |
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Terrain Park:
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Two terrain parks. | |
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Halfpipe:
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Moved to the Jib Junction Terrain Park for the 2009-2010 winter season. | |
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Tubing Park:
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Serviced by an enclosed magic carpet and its own lodge. | |
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Address:
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13805 Blairs Valley Road Mercersburg, PA 17236 |
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Phone Number:
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(717) 328-9400 | |
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Twitter:
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http://twitter.com/whitetailresort | |
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Facebook:
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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mercersburg-PA/Whitetail-Resort/38120545070 | |
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Web Site:
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http://www.skiwhitetail.com/ |
Estimated Distances from Major Cities
| Baltimore, MD | 1 hour, 45 minutes | 92 miles |
| Washington, DC | 1 hour, 45 minutes | 89 miles |
| Arlington, VA | 1 hour, 45 minutes | 88 miles |
| Richmond, VA | 3 hours, 20 minutes | 187 miles |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 2 hours, 50 minutes | 161 miles |
| Harrisburg, PA | 1 hour, 35 minutes | 81 miles |
| Philadelphia, PA | 3 hours, 20 minutes | 185 miles |
| Charleston, WV | 4 hours, 30 minutes | 287 miles |
| Raleigh, NC | 6 hours | 363 miles |
| Charlotte, NC | 6 hours, 45 minutes | 416 miles |
| Trail Map |
To view a full-size trail map for Whitetail, click on the following thumbnail image. The trail map will open in a new window. Please note that DCSki's trail maps can be out of date; always pick up a copy of the latest trail map at each resort.
| Current Conditions |
A snow condition report for Whitetail is shown below. Because condition reports may not be updated regularly, be sure to check the date and timestamp on the report. Before making a trip, we recommend contacting resorts directly for the latest conditions.
| Whitetail, PA |
As of 09:51:00 on 2010-03-15
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| Report data is over 2 days old -- please check back later. | |
To view additional ski condition reports for areas throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and across the world, visit the DCSki Conditions page.
| Webcams |
Whitetail has an official webcam page here.
Two shots from Whitetail's webcams are shown below. Note that these images are displayed directly from Whitetail's web site. They may not appear properly if the webcam is down. These pictures may also not be up to date.
| Related News |
The past five articles related to Whitetail are shown below.
What’s New for 2010: Whitetail Resort (June 27)
After a banner 2009-2010 winter season, Whitetail is plowing profits back into the resort with $4 million in capital improvements. The Pennsylvania resort is cutting an additional beginner trail and making improvements to its Marketplace dining area.
Firsthand Report: Whitetail (March 7)
Connie Lawn provides this quick Firsthand Report from Pennsylvania’s Whitetail Resort, where she skied on Saturday, March 6, 2010.
Whitetail After Dark: A Pictorial (January 21)
DCSki’s Editor spent the afternoon and evening at Whitetail Resort on January 21, 2010. This pictorial provides a number of after-dark scenes from Whitetail’s slopes.
(7 reader comments)
Mother Nature Delivers Early Holiday Gift to Mid-Atlantic Skiers: Some of the Best Pre-January Conditions on Record (December 24, 2009)
Mother Nature delivered an early holiday gift to mid-Atlantic ski areas, dumping up to three feet of fresh snow the weekend before Christmas and keeping temperatures low enough to fire snowguns around the clock. As a result, many ski areas should have close to 100% of their terrain open in the coming days.
Mid-Atlantic Ski Season Kicks Off, with Help from Mother Nature (December 6, 2009)
The return of colder temperatures has allowed mid-Atlantic ski areas to fire up the guns, and Mother Nature helped kick off the festivities with some natural snow. Several resorts in the mid-Atlantic are now open for skiing and boarding, with more expected to come on-line soon.
(1 reader comment)
To view more articles related to Whitetail, click here.
| Upcoming Events |
The DCSki Event Schedule currently doesn't have any events listed for Whitetail. To view events at other resorts, please visit the DCSki Event Schedule.
| Related Bargains |
The following bargains are related to Whitetail.
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To view more bargains, click here. Remember, bargains may include exclusions or expirations not noted here. Contact the company offering the bargain to verify details.
| Recent Tweets |
Recent Tweets from Whitetail Resort
| Nearby Lodging |
The following properties located near Whitetail are listed in the DCSki Lodging Finder. Property owners pay DCSki a small listing fee for this service. Inclusion in the Lodging Finder does not represent an endorsement by DCSki.
| Blue Ridge Summit Victorian House: Enjoy the luxury and serene Blue Ridge Summit mountain area in our all-season vacation rental house close to the Ski Liberty Mountain Resort and Camp David and 20 minutes from Whitetail mountain, a turn of the century Maryland Victorian house in Cascade, Maryland, on Rowland Hill. |   |
| Buck Valley Ranch: Located in the Appalachian Mountains of south central PA near Whitetail Resort, Buck Valley Ranch LLC is a year round resort offering trail riding and other outdoor activities in a secluded setting. Whitetail Ski Resort is a short drive from the ranch, and Wisp, Seven Springs, and Blue Knob are about one hour away. Five golf courses are also within about 30 minutes of the ranch. We are surrounded by 2,000 acres of State Game land. We also provide a free shuttle to the C&O Canal/Rails to Trails. |  |
| Slopeside Town Home at Whitetail Resort: Ski-in, ski-out of this beautiful town home at the Whitetail Mountain Resort Trailside Village. This home is nestled at the foot of Whitetail’s Northern Lights Trail with the lift visible above the village. Single night stays available. |  |
| Reader Comments |
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The views and opinions expressed in DCSki Article Comments are strictly those of the comment authors and have not been reviewed or approved by DCSki. If you believe a comment is inaccurate or inappropriate, please contact DCSki's Editor. Comments on Whitetail - posted by Kirby Stiening
August 14, 2004 at 8:56 pm Whitetail - our favorite, even though it was a place we hadn't planned to stop. Balance good for a beginner. Extremely friendly staff, including ski instructors. Mercersburg Inn is a marvelous Bed and Breakfast that offered a lift ticket discount.
Comments on Whitetail - posted by Brandon C.
August 14, 2004 at 8:56 pm Whitetail has nice modern facilities, including a high-speed detachable quad. They have a trail called "Snowpark." It is long and perfect for those who ski green circles but aren't quite ready for blue squares. This trail also offers good views of the valley below.
Comments on Whitetail - posted by Gary Vink
January 24, 2007 at 10:59 pm My family and I really enjoy skiing, snowboarding and sometimes tubing at Whitetail. The warm winter weather gave my sons and I an opportunity to play Whitetail's 5 star golf course in early January this year! Now that the cold weather is back we will be enjoying the slopes again. If you have not tried Whitetail skiing or the beautiful golf course, you are missing the best kept secret on the East Coast!
Comments on Whitetail - posted by Richard Hays
December 19, 2007 at 2:15 pm Whitetail is really nice but I wish they'd figure out a way to incorporate some narrow trails into the mix of slopes they already have. Like...maybe an easy cruising trail connecting the the Intermediate mountain to the novice mountain slopes? It looks like an access road already exists there. Put some snow on it!! LOL.
Comments on Whitetail - posted by Carnela Martinez
December 28, 2008 at 12:34 pm I really love going to Whitetail with my family. Their host department there is especially wonderful. They couldn't be any more helpful...In fact, there is a a man there named Buddy and he bent over backwards to help me and my family find what we needed to enjoy a fabulous time on the mountains.
If you go there, ask for Buddy, he is fantastic. Comments on Whitetail - posted by TRJ
January 12, 2009 at 1:36 am Skied Whitetail for the first time on January 4th. I was staying with a friend in Southern Maryland who lives only 2.5 hrs away. It was an easy 2.5 hrs. You are off the interstate for about 15 minutes. If you live this close, and can bare the 57.00 lift ticket, it is worth going.
I was pleasantly surprised by the facilities. The lodge is well kept, and was overstaffed with hospitable friendly people in khakis and tucked in polos. The common area, which boasts picnic tables and the cafeteria is equipped with cubbies for you to stash your belongings while you ski. I immediately noticed that many people had brought their lunches. This may be a wise move if you have the whole family. The prices in the cafeteria are exorbitant to the point that it is humorous. The food is not terrible however, and there are a lot of choices. I will also add that the resort is dry, so don't count on grabbing a beer with lunch. It would probably be ten dollars anyway. Outside the lodge are ski racks, as well as a free ski check. All of the kids working the ski check were extremely polite, and not grunged out and apathetic. One of the people we were skiing with said that he had a pair of skis stolen from the rack a few years back, and I have read the same. There is a security guard that patrols the area around the racks, but I am not sure how he is supposed to keep track of 100 skis and faces. Not much of a deterrent. From what I have read and heard I expected the mountain to be a madhouse considering it was a Sunday. I guess since families were coming off Christmas break this was not the case. Although it was more crowded than I would have liked there were no lift lines throughout the course of the day. A ski patrol had told us that the day before was extremely crowded, and this was clearly evident on the slopes. I have to blame the resort for the poor conditions. It was clear after the first couple of runs that none of the more difficult trails had been groomed. Pretty much every trail we skied was a field of leftover mini mogul crud. You were able to find some soft man made from the night before, but it confined you strictly to the very edge of each trail. I am a strong to advanced intermediate and found no challenges. The double black is comfortably skied by someone on my level. There is a great area for beginners off the Easy Rider with one nice long green, and a beginner blue. I think boarders would be happy with the terrain park, which had a lot more features than I had imagined. Numerous jumps, rails, as well as a large quarter pipe. Considering their vertical the trails are long and continuous. It's enough to keep you occupied for a day. If you are a penny pincher you may feel cheated by the 57.00 lift ticket. I have come to terms with the fact that we live in the MidAtlantic and don't have a lot of options. Living in such a limited area (Hampton Roads), any day skiing is a good one. I will admit however that I felt cheated by the lack of grooming, and the condition they left the mountain in from the day before. I will go back to Whitetail when I am close by, and would recommend it for day trips. Whitetail a good place - posted by Joesph
February 26, 2009 at 7:23 pm I decided to take snow day during the week and was figuring on going to either Wisp or Whitetail. After seeing all the negative comments on the Wisp page, I ended up at Whitetail.
I have to say it was a pleasant experience all around. The staff was friendly and knowledgable. The slopes were freshly groomed and the conditions held up throughout the day. Hats off to the groomers, they are pros. I also loved the flex ticket. I bought a 4 hour ticket, they add an extra 30 minutes a very nice touch, and skied just about every minute of it. I would highly recommend the area. Comments on Whitetail - posted by Mike Johnson
March 3, 2009 at 12:39 pm The tickets are just too expensive. If they lowered the tickets e.g. on weekdays more people would be tempted to take snowdays off. I just looked at the webcams, and the slopes seem deserted despite great weather. Make it more affordable - it is crisis time !!!
Comments on Whitetail - posted by dan
January 5 at 11:55 am ur doing fine keep up the good work
Good place to go once in awhile - posted by James B
January 15 at 4:58 pm I went on 1/10/10 and the conditions were really good and good crowds at all lifts, though black diamond area was really no wait most of the day. I don't know why people are complaining about the prices, $49 weekday and $59 weekend is the going rate at most east coast ski resorts. The reason to go weekday's isn't just to save a couple bucks but to get more time in, esspecially if you are a beginner and always stuck in those lines!! Anyway, we had fun and I could go back again this year, though I'll probably hit Roundtop and Liberty 1st. I found the double black areas to be plenty challenging and fun.
Snowboarding at Whitetail - posted by Catherine Bauer
January 31 at 10:29 am Yesterday was my first time snowboarding and I went with two friends, one snowboarder with me and one skiied and we all had an awesome time! Everyone that worked there was friendly and happy, Russ was an incredible instructor and I highly reccomend him to any beginning snowboarders young or old... He genuinely cares about each person and makes sure nobody gets left behind ( I didn't pick things up very quickly lol) Very patient and encourages you the entire time...I will def be going back. Thanks!
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Enjoy nearly 1,000 feet of vertical and the Region's only High Speed Quad Chairlift. Spend less time on the road and more time carving down some expert terrain like Bold Decision or intermediate favorites Limelight and Snow Dancer! Don't worry, there is plenty of fun to be had for all ability levels, and for freestylers be sure to check out Jib Junction Terrain Park (not for the faint of heart)! We even have Park Place 101 for the beginner freestyler! Don't forget about Whitetail Adventure Tubing, fun for all ages! Wintergreen Resort: Wintergreen Resort is an 11,000-acre, four-season resort located in the Blue Ridge Mountains three hours from Washington, D.C. With 300 tastefully furnished studios, mountain villas and condominiums, your winter escape has all the comforts of home. 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