Laurel Mountain Ski Resort ready for season opening

Laurel Mountain Ski Resort is set to open for the season Friday.

The skiing venue atop Laurel Ridge then will be open every day through New Year’s Day, except for Dec. 23, according to Vail Resorts, which operates the site. According to the site’s Facebook page, regular operating hours will begin Jan. 2.

“Thanks to prolific snow-making, Lower Wildcat Slope, the steepest ski slope in the state, will be open for the first weekend of the season,” the resort said.

According to the Laurel Mountain website, Lower Wildcat averages a near 60% slope.

Opening day festivities will include music by a disc jockey and a scavenger hunt. Guests who find one of the “LM” symbols that will be placed around the mountain and ski lodge can turn it in for a gift code for Helly Hansen, a company that specializes in ski outerwear.

A s’mores cart, cookies and hot chocolate will be available.

This season, Laurel Mountain is introducing an Adult Ski Steeps Prep program, meant to help skiers hone advanced skills. The group lessons are offered to those 18 or older who are comfortable on advanced terrain.

Between Ligonier and Jennerstown, the Laurel Mountain skiing area opened in January 1941, originally planned by Pittsburgh financier Richard King Mellon for members of the nearby Rolling Rock Club.

In December 2021, Vail Resorts announced its $118 million purchase of Laurel Mountain and two other Somerset County ski sites: Seven Springs Mountain Resort and Hidden Valley Resort.

Updating a previous schedule, Vail announced daily operations at Seven Springs are continuing from Friday, Dec. 13, through the season — a week earlier than originally expected.

Hidden Valley had its opening day Saturday.

Visit 7springs.com, hiddenvalleyresort.com and laurelmountainski.com for details.