Ski Big Bear

About

Ski Big Bear at Masthope Mountain is your neighborhood ski area! Ski Big Bear has been serving the families of Northeastern Pennsylvania with skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing for nearly 50 seasons! With 100% snowmaking, our goal is to provide great memories with family and friends even if there isn’t snow in your backyard.

How long has your business been running?

Ski Big Bear at Masthope Mountain opened for the first time for the 1976-1977 ski season, nearly 50 years ago as Masthope Mountain. Recreation Management Corporation, owned by Ron Schmalzle and Randy Schmalzle, has been operating the ski area consistently since the mid-90s. The ski area property is owned by Masthope Mountain Community.

How does your business compare now to when it first began?

Overall, skiing has become easier with updates in equipment technology. At Ski Big Bear, Recreation Management Corporation in cooperation with Masthope Mountain Community has been responsible for the replacement of the original J-Bar surface lift with 2 Magic Carpet lifts. The Thundercloud chairlift has been rebuilt and doubled in capacity. The Little Bear Chairlift, the Grizzly chairlift and the SunKid Carpet have been added. Snowmaking equipment is much more efficient and allows for better snow to be made when Mother Nature isn’t sending it our way.

What event/promotion/news would you like to share?

Ski Big Bear is always making winter white with snow! We believe that our local families should be able to enjoy the sport. So, we have created a couple of programs that allow families to experience skiing and snowboarding at a reduced cost. Our most popular program is Friday Night Family Night where full time families and students in our local school districts can take advantage of discounted lift tickets and rentals from 4pm – 9pm on Friday nights beginning on January 3rd, 2025. Lift tickets are $20 and rental packages are $25. Proof of residency is required. Additional information can be found at: ski-bigbear.com/schools.

What advice would you give someone just starting out?

Learning to ski and starting a business actually have a lot of similarities and we would recommend the following…

1. Surround yourself with people who can teach you. Just as you would get a lesson when learning to ski, make sure you have a mentor that can help you to be successful. Look for people who are different than you who can bring the strengths that you may not have.

2. Being successful will require making some mistakes. Just like you may fall when learning to ski, you have to try different things and quickly recognize what challenges you can overcome and what skills can get better with practice.

3. Last but not least, Have Fun! Whether skiing or starting your own business, look for ways to make it fun. Your customers and employees will notice if you are enjoying what you are doing.

What’s one place you would recommend?

The Summit Restaurant! Whether or not you ski, you can experience the delicious food and drinks at The Summit Restaurant ( no skiing required). The vibe at The Summit is warm, cozy and fun! Enjoy weekly drink and dinner specials as well as live music (most weekends) all winter long! Ski Big Bear does not operate The Summit Restaurant but they definitely are part of making sure our guests have a great food and beverage experience. Comments from guests include on how surprised they are by the quality of food, the friendliness of staff and the great winter view.

Additionally, Ski Big Bear at Masthope Mountain offers gift cards. If interested for the holiday season, please visit us at shop.ski-bigbear.com