DCSki Lost Ski Areas Archive

Black Moshannon State Park

Philipsburg, Pennsylvania

Historical profile · Updated August 13, 2006 · 8 reader comments

DCSki Editorial Overview

The story in brief

Black Moshannon State Park, about 30 minutes from Penn State near Philipsburg, hosted a small ski area remembered by local families and college students in the 1960s and 1970s. Accounts describe roughly 250 feet of vertical and two surface lifts, variously recalled as rope or poma tows. The lodge stood at the top of the main run, with a second trail winding through the woods. Lift tickets reportedly cost only a few dollars, and the quiet slopes made the area an inviting place to learn, practice laps, or build a jump with a borrowed shovel.

The ski operation appears to have lasted around 15 years, although the exact dates are uncertain. A park naturalist attributed its closure to the lack of snowmaking, despite the cooler conditions of the Allegheny Front. The lifts were removed in 1993, but the old slopes remain visible as mowed trails, including the park’s Ski Slope Trail. The former lodge, marked “1967,” now serves as a rental cabin, while visitors can still look down the main run and follow the old lift lines. Readers also remember sledding and telemarking there after abandonment — and, occasionally, dangerously icy descents.

Generated from DCSki's historical profile and reader-contributed memories.

DCSki Reader Joe Barron recalls these details about a former Pennsylvania ski area:

topographic maps

aerial views

The web site for Black Moshannon State Park includes the following description of a current trail that is near the old ski slope:

Ski Slope Trail

DCSki reader Joshua P. went camping at Black Moshannon State Park in 2004. During that trip, he snapped several photographs. He scanned them in and provides them below:

The old lodge, now used as a rental cabin for the park. Photo provided by Joshua P.

View down the main run from the lodge. Photo provided by Joshua P.

Looking up from the bottom of the main run. Photo provided by Joshua P.

Old lift line for surface lift. Photo provided by Joshua P.

Bottom of second trail; it winds through the woods from the top. Photo provided by Joshua P.

Living history

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Community archive

Reader Comments

Josh Peters

December 23, 2004

I went camping this past summer at Black Moshannon and we hiked up ski slope trail. The two trails there are kept mowed as is the meadow. One trail goes straight down , the other winds through. The lodge is now a rental cabin for the state park and is located at the top of the main run.It had 1967 edged on the side of the building. The one park naturalist I talked to said it was open for around 15 years. While it is on the allegehny front mountain range( which often keeps that area much cooler than nearby state college), the lack of snowmaking forced it to close he said.

mike poulich

November 30, 2006

When I first started hunting back in the 1960's we had a small camp located on Rt.504 just nine miles to black Moshannon. I spent many years as a youngster hunting black moshannon. A few years back we rented the ski lodge, 6 of us, we had a great stay and what a view from the deck. It brought back alot of memories as a youngster and i suggest if anyone wants a great place to stay, a fantastic hunting area that they visit Black Moshannon State Park, they also have rustic camps and modern cabins for rent. The hunting isn't what it used to be but where can you go today and say that it is the same as back when you were a kid?? I love the area and a part of me will always roam the hills of Black Moshannon.

james kelly

January 13, 2008

We used to go here in the winter to sled ride and telemark on the abandoned slopes. The rusted, sea-foam green remants of the lifts were removed summer of 1993.

One year...1994, after 1-2 feet of snow, rain and lots of icing, the slope was probably deadly slick. So of course, we visited. We approached the edge of the slope, tethered together with harnesses and ice axes. Someone slipped, two of us lost our axes in the ensuing chaos and we sped down the slope tied together. We turned into a giant pendulum when the first guy down managed to latch onto the ice with an axe, preventing us from wrapping around an inconvienient tree halfway down.

Other experiences include several successful attemps at breaking 45mph on a plastic sled during similar conditions in 2000.

Mike

December 25, 2010

I learned to ski at this Park. My mom brought us here from Clearfield....lift tix were 2 or 3 dollars...my friends and I raced that trail to the right. Over and over.....great memory

Jim

January 21, 2011

I skied this resort over and over again as a kid. Probably from 1970 to around 1975. Lift tickets were $2. Very fond memories.

jerry

February 10, 2011

I started to ski about 1969 when in college at Penn State. A friend and I went to ski at Black Moshannon one day, it cost only a few dollars mid-week. Since we were the only ones there(!), we would tell the lift operators when we went in the lodge for a break, and they would turn off the lift and take a break as well.

dshearer

December 29, 2013

Member since 12/29/2013 🔗

1 posts

The drive from State College, particularly up Steele Hollow Rd., was sometimes more challenging than the runs. What a great place it was to learn to ski!

GottaSki

March 31, 2018

Member since 03/10/2018 🔗

1 posts

My dad use use to take me skiing here in the late 60s and early 70s. There were 2 pummel lifts. Usually they only used the lift going up the right side of the hill. ( That's looking up from the bottom of the mountain, the lodge was at the top). There was hardly anyone there, ever. My friend Brad would go with me sometimes, we would ask for a shovel to build a ramp so we could jump and they would give us one! Brad took some of the biggest air I have ever seen live, and I have been skiing a long time. Great memories...

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