City: Carroll Valley, PA

Category: Accommodations

Telephone: (717) 642-8282

Address: 78 Country Club Trail

Description: Liberty Mountain Resort is nestled at the bottom of the 16 ski slopes of Ski Liberty (see the Recreation chapter). It’s open year-round right beside the Carroll Valley Resort (see the previous listing). The Liberty Mountain Hotel sits on a hill above the ski lodge, which also contains McKee’s Tavern. Wireless Internet is available throughout the hotel and the ski lodge. If you book a mountainside room, you’ll have a balcony to relax on and take in the views. All 41 rooms are individually decorated with a country motif and include cable, voice mail, and computer ports. The luxury suite has a bedroom with a king-size bed and a balcony, a separate living room that also has a balcony, a fully equipped kitchenette, a bathroom with a two-person whirlpool tub and an oversize shower with glass block walls, and a stackable washer/dryer. Ski and Stay packages are available in winter, and in summer guests enjoy the outdoor swimming pool or a round of golf at the Carroll Valley Resort.

City: Carroll Valley, PA

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (717) 642-8282

Address: 78 Country Club Trail

Description: When you’re approaching Gettysburg by heading west on US 30, Ski Liberty is visible in the distance, and swishing down the mountainside can be done after only a short drive from town. You’ll find 16 slopes here, with 35 percent of the slopes geared toward beginner skiers, 40 percent toward intermediate skiers, and 25 percent toward expert skiers. The elevation of the front base is 570 feet, and elevation of the back base is 650 feet; the vertical drop on the front side is 620 feet, and on the back side it’s 550 feet. You reach the mountain summit at 1,190 feet, and the longest run on the mountain is 5,200 feet. During the season, which usually runs from Thanksgiving to March, the mountain is open seven days a week for day and night skiing. Long lines are not usually a problem here—ski lifts can carry 13,400 skiers per hour. Ski Liberty has snowmaking capabilities, and you can rent all the equipment for a day on the slopes at the lodge. The Liberty Mountain Sports Shop is located on the deck level in the main lodge and is open any time the mountain is open. As at most ski slopes, snowboarding and snow tubing have become quite popular, and the ski resort offers a half-pipe and a snow-tubing area that has 15 lanes and a kiddie tubing area. Ten acres are set aside for three terrain parks that are broken into beginner, intermediate, and advanced areas. Skiing and snowboarding lessons are available for all ages, and many programs specifically designed for children are available. Ski Liberty can be experienced as a day at the slopes, or you can stay overnight and make a vacation out of your adventure. The Liberty Mountain Hotel is slopeside, and the hotel at the Carroll Valley Resort is just steps away. (See the Hotels, Motels, and Resorts chapter for details on both resorts.) The ski lodge sits at the base of the mountain, and this is where you’ll find McKee’s Tavern, a great place to relax after skiing and enjoy a meal or snack, drinks, and often live entertainment. The resort also operates a full-service day care for nonskiing children age 6 months to 10 years, where your child can enjoy story time, movie time, games, songs, crafts, walks, free play, and snacks while you enjoy the slopes. Reservations are requested, and the fee is based on an hourly rate.