With night temperatures forecast to be in 20s this week, it’s the ideal weather for ski areas to begin their snowmaking operations.

Foremost of the most popular ones are Camelback in the Poconos, who are planning on opening Friday, December 13. And for the upcoming season, Camelback Resort is in partnership with local Blue Mount Resort in Palmerton in offering unlimited skiing and lift access at both resorts through their value-packed Peak-to-Peak Poconos Pass. With this, passholders will get exclusive perks and discounts at both destinations with no blackout dates or restrictions.

New for Camelbacks 2024-25 season are new adult, senior and youth classes for teaching ski lessons to all age groups by introducing new adult, senior and youth classes at its Ski & Ride Academy. For adults 18 and over with a skill level of advanced beginner and up, two-hour group lessons are available which will allow participants to build or refine skills in a group with similar abilities. These customized classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. during January and February 2025.

Special two-hour Senior Clinics are offered on Wednesdays in January and February. For younger skiers, an After-School Program for ages 9 to 18 provide one-hour lessons over three consecutive weeks. The Ski & Ride Academy also offers extended private lessons, including options for children, family and friends, as well as a mid-week, half day program.

For those who prefer snow tubing, Camelback features one of the largest snow tubing parks in the country, according to Marguarite Clark, Camelback Public Relations Manager. The resort offers over 40 snow tubing lanes for daytime and nighttime tubing. The lighted lanes are serviced by two magic carpet lifts.

Camelback offers 14 lifts serving 19 trails for skiers and boarders and new this season is the Black Bear 6. Introduced in 2022 as a high-speed, six-person enclosed lift, it replaced the smaller Sullivan Express and Sunflower Express lifts built in 2022.

Also new on Black Bear 6 is a digital screen that displays a trail map, lift updates and other updated ski information.

Snow lovers are offered Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology that allows guests an easy shopping opportunity at the resort’s Big Pocono On The Go spot, that provides a collection of grab-and-go purchase possibilities. Camelback is the first ski resort in the country to offer Just Walk Out technology by utilizing only a credit card, the Amazon app or Camelback app at the entry gate.

At Blue Mountain Resort, they plan to open for skiing and snowboarding Friday, Dec. 6 and for tubing, Saturday Dec. 7.

New at the Blue for this season is enhanced snowmaking technology and a new snow groomer.

For the opener, visitors will be treated to early and quick snowmaking thanks to 132 new type stick snow guns and six fan guns across the entire mountain. This gives the Blue a 17.5 percent increase in snowmaking for opening day, as compared to last year. This investment included updated automated software to make snowmaking more efficient and better timing control.

Expanded trails for this season include Come Around, Lower Lazy, Falls and Lower Sidewinder. Additionally, a new 2024 Prinoth Bison X Cat snow groomer will be operational.

As of press time, Bear Creek Resort in Macungie did not respond to several inquiries regarding their 2024-25 season.