When we tune in to our surroundings, when we slow down our busyness, we start to recognize the fortitude of being more aware. In mountain speak, we observe the natural wonder and wildlife that inhabits the slopes. We find humbleness in summitscapes and rippling hues of blue. We observe the magnitude of Mother Nature, and the incredible fluctuation of temperature and weather and mood that each hour subsides. We gain an appreciation for this partnership, the art of snowmaking, and the energy of we reciprocate.
This past weekend, we shared the energy. Between Saturday and Sunday, we hosted five behind-the-scenes snowmaking tours for a collective hundred (plus) attendees. With every opportunity to educate (read: this blog), we hope to kindle a sense of awareness for mountain love and engagement. Put simply, snowmaking is why we have East Coast ski slopes— but, we can’t do it without the coolness and grace of good ol’ Mama Nature. The wet-bulb temperature (dry temperature + humidity) controls when we can make snow and influences the quality of snow we can make. We take the reigns with adjusting air and water pressure to manipulate quality of snow (wet vs. dry), and trust the groomers’ finesse to push and till piles of snow into rideable terrain.
Yesterday afternoon, the temperature decrease to 30 degrees and 61% humidity set the wet-bulb temp at 25 degrees and a good start to snowmaking. The current extended forecast predicts low temperatures (read: more snowmaking). This week, we’re gearing up to make it snow with anticipation of bigger crowds and event celebrations. This Saturday, we are proud to host Carve 4 Cancer, a winter sports and music festival that raises money to benefit blood cancer research.
What: Pocono Mountain Carve 4 Cancer, Winter Sports & Music Festival
Where: Summit School Hill
When: Saturday, February 3 from 10 am – 9 pm
Cost: FREE, FREE, FREE!
This Saturday, carve for a cause.
On February 3, Blue Mountain Resort will donate 10% of ticket sales (lift, tubing, lesson) up to $25k to Carve 4 Cancer.
In addition, a portion of the proceeds from Uncle Brent’s Brew (Yards Brewing Company) and the ‘Carve Crush’ cocktail (Tito’s Handmade Vodka) will be donated back to the cause.
To prep, Kristin is working extra morning hours (after her nightly grooming shifts) to build the rail jam. C4C’s Rail Jam Style Competition will offer three divisions: Ski, Snowboard, and Grom (youth) and multiple rails and features to showcase all levels of talent. This year, Philadelphia’s Wahoo’s Tacos & More is the competition sponsor. Not only is it FREE TO ENTER, but a cash prize and gear is awarded to winners!
Read below for 3 Reasons to Attend the 5th Annual Pocono Mountain Winter Sports and Music Festival.
Also this Saturday and Sunday, we’re hosting the USASA Mid-Atlantic Skier-Boarder X. Trail closures this week on Nightmare and Dreamweaver allow for more snowmaking and extended time for groomers to build the course. Barring any unforeseen issues, we anticipate sections of the course will remain open to the public after the event this weekend! Fingers X.
A big thank you to all who joined us this past weekend to celebrate our 9th Annual Winter Fest & 40th Anniversary!
Yup, she waited in line with the little kids. Never too old to slide, never too old to ride.
Cheers to forty years and counting!
MISER FILES: Meet the makers of the magic.
Meet, Nick Delich.
Better known as: Seabee
Work: Full-time, Snowtech/ Electrician, Mountain Ops
Play: Ski & Snowboard
Favorite trail: Main Street because “it’s 100% automated with both stick and fan guns.” Paradise because “it’s wide, and I like to carve across the mountain with big turns.”
Seabee’s nickname comes from his seven years of work in the United States Naval Construction Forces. Before his service, he started at Blue as a snowmaker. Working here intermittently for fifteen years, he’s now our full-time snowtech and electrician. Seabee is our main go-to for troubleshooting and repairing gun and hydrant glitches. He appreciates the diversity of tasks assigned and takes pride in knowing that he’s a “leading contributor towards repair and management of the East Coast’s most powerful snowmaking system.”
Seabee’s position plays a little differently than most of the crew. He comes in early to gather feedback from the night crew on what guns need attention. Then, he starts to diagnose and repair. Seabee plays a fine balance between right hand man to the day shift manager and acting manager to the crew on the slopes. It’s a tough middle position, but he likes the diversity of responsibility. He’s also the Mountain Ops representative for the Safety Committee.
When Seabee’s not working, he enjoys spending time with his son. But, he says, with his son now learning how to ski, “even on my off duty, I’m still here.”
Words from Papa Miser: “Nick is a fine young gentleman. He’s a very good old time snowmaker, making snow the old fashioned way. Even better with electronics, all day long he works on electrical repairs. He’s very good with the TA fan guns because they need the most baby sitting,” Bob jokes (side note: Seabee mayyybe a little partial to Techno Alpin). “He’s learning, and learning well, all the electrical aspects of snowmaking. And, on a side note, he’s a really good father to his young boy. Always spends the time he isn’t working with his son.”
Tune in to your surroundings. Ski and snowboard is more than a sport— it’s an opportunity to celebrate the outdoors, to engage and build community, to explore, to live, and to carve for a cause.
See you on the slopes,
the snowmisers
Blue Mountain Resort partners with Carve 4 Cancer Charity
3 Reasons to Attend the 5th Annual Pocono Mountain Winter Sports and Music Festival
Palmerton, Pennsylvania (31 January 2018) Skiers, snowboarders and supporters will gather on Saturday, February 3rd for the
5th annual Carve 4 Cancer Winter Sports and Music Festival. Held at Blue Mountain Resort in Palmerton, Pa., this charity festival raises funds for blood cancer research and financial assistance for local cancer patients. In addition to dollars raised, Carve 4 Cancer also raises awareness and provides a way to give back while having a whole lot of fun.
Brent P. Evans, of Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania, created the Carve 4 Cancer charity in 2012, following his first round of a two-year battle with the stage IV hepatoslpenic t-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The disease came back for a second time in 2016 and the founder passed away due to complications in July 2017. Though this will be the first Carve 4 Cancer event without Evans, his dedicated team of volunteers has been planning and doing everything in their power to make this year’s event more impressive and ambitious than ever.
Over the past 5 years, the event has quickly become a premier winter festival, meshing skiing and snowboarding with the fight against cancer. From an impressive mix of live music to snow sport competitions, there are plenty of reasons to attend this incredible day at Blue Mountain Resort. Here are 3 reasons this year’s event should not be missed.
- It’s FREE – This all day event is 100% free to the public. Attendees have access to the vendor village, Best Trick competition, auction, raffle, live music, art demos and much more! The vendor village will include Milwaukee Tool, Yards Brewing Company, Gilson, SkiBonez, Snowvibes, Luke Shades, Wahoo’s Tacos & More, till i die, Hank’s Sauce, Jerky Jams, and Saint Luke’s Cancer Center. Of course, lift tickets will be on sale if you choose to take to the slopes, and a portion of all ticket sales will be donated to the cause.
- Talent – There is a lot of talent packed into this all-day event, providing entertainment for all ages. The winter festival will be emceed by The Chris Gethard Show’s very own Murf Meyer. While Meyer is inside the lodge keeping the party going, a lot will be happening on the Mountain as well such as graffiti artists on the snow displaying their talent and tribute to the event with a massive art installation. Also on the snow is one of the main events, the Best Trick Competition sponsored by Philadelphia’s Wahoo’s Tacos & More. The snowboarding and ski competition draws talent from across the region in Men’s, Women’s and Grom’s (youth) divisions. In addition to a lot of gear awarded to the lucky winners, there’s $1,000 worth of cash at stake. Lastly, guests will enjoy a very talented music lineup! The 2018 line up will include Fake Flowers Real Dirt, DJ Dre Ovalle, The Still, Small Voice, Stella Ruze, Suze, Jay D Clark, Justin Trawick and the Common Good, Sophistafunk, Mr. Green, Big Mean Sound Machine, and the headliner of the evening: Lawrence, an eight piece band straight out of New York City.
- It’s for a great cause – Carve 4 Cancer was designed to increase awareness of and raise research funds for blood cancers. The Carve 4 Cancer team is made up of unpaid, dedicated volunteers, so every dollar donated will go to furthering the Carve 4 Cancer mission. The organization’s recent partnership with St. Luke’s Cancer Center ensures a portion of the funds raised at the event will benefit those in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding communities.
- Bonus reason! – You don’t have to be a skier or snowboarder to enjoy this event. Yards Brewing Company and Tito’s Handmade Vodka will be at the mountain to help warm you up and keep the party going well into the evening. When Yard’s partnered with the non-profit, the result was Carve 4 Cancer’s very own beer, Uncle Brent’s Brew. A portion of the proceeds from every pint sold of this ale will be donated back to the cause. Additionally, the non-profit’s specialty Tito’s cocktail, the “Carve Crush”, will also have a portion of the proceeds donated back to the cause. In addition to these specialty drinks in the lodge, there will be games, merchandise for sale, and an auction with trips & getaways, ski and snowboard gear, and more!
Stop by Blue Mountain Resort on Saturday, February 3rd, from 10am – 9pm for a day of good fun, good music, and a good cause. More details can be found by visiting the event page online at www.carve4cancer.com/festival. You can also go to skibluemt.com for more details.
Any media interested in covering the event can contact Melissa Yingling, Marketing Specialist, through email at myingling@skibluemt.com or by phone at 484-523-3864.
About Carve 4 Cancer
Carve 4 Cancer (https://www.carve4cancer.com) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to the mission of shredding blood cancers through extreme sports events and fundraising. Carve was founded by east coast shredder and blood cancer warrior, Brent P. Evans. In 2010, Brent was diagnosed with stage IV hepatosplenic t-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma when he envisioned an epic snowboarding event to raise funds to shred cancer while being treated at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He passed away due to complications from the disease in June 2017 after battling the disease for a second time. The team is currently planning the 2018 event while expanding the organization. If you are interested in being a team member, ambassador, sponsor, or donor Carve for Cancer urges you to reach out to them at info@carve4cancer.com
Contact Info:
Name: Josh Frank
Email: Josh@carve4cancer.com
Organization: Carve for Cancer Inc.
Address: 2165 E Letterly Street, Philadelphia PA 19125
For more information, please visit www.carve4cancer.com
bluemountainsnowmakersdotcom 