POCONO MOUNTAINS TEEMING WITH NEW ADDITIONS FOR 2009-10 WINTER SEASON

10/01/2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release/October 1, 2009
Alicia M. Quinn / Gillian Moore
Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau
alicia@poconos.org / prdept@poconos.org
800poconos.com / twitter.com/PoconoTourism
570.421.5791

POCONO MOUNTAINS TEEMING WITH NEW ADDITIONS FOR
2009-10 WINTER SEASON
Ski Areas Announce Winter Upgrades and Renovations

POCONO MOUNTAINS, Pa.,

October 1, 2009 - The Pocono Mountains region is ready to welcome another successful ski season (poconoski.com) with the announcement of new improvements and upgrades at several of their top ski resorts for the 2009-10 ski season. This year's upgrades focus on improving the visitor experience and a continuing Green effort.

Shawnee Mountain (shawneemt.com)

The rental shop has been designated a Premier Flow Go Riding Center with the purchase of 1,000 new pair of Flow Snowboard Boot and Binding system units. The new Flow system offers the latest technology and is designed to help beginners learn to snowboard.
Additional rental purchases include over 300 pair of new Elan skis with Salomon Bindings and 170 new Carrera and Burton Rental Helments.
The Hope Ski Lodge has been outfitted with new electronic lockers. The revolutionary Go Pod Locker System allows guests unlimited, all day access with a pin number, in addition to being able to rent via cash, debit or credit card.
The Pocono Plunge Snow Tubing Park has added a new 450-foot SunKid Carpet Conveyor Lift. The lift will allow for up to two additional tubing chutes, bringing the total chutes to seven at full capacity.
Shawnee Mountain is adding another new Piston Bully Snow Cat, complete with a flex tiller groomer, to its existing grooming fleet.

Ski Big Bear at Masthope Mountain (ski-bigbear.com)

Ski Big Bear has replaced their original Thundercloud lift with a double-double chairlift in order to double capacity during peak hours. They also have the option to conserve by running only one of the doubles during non-peak hours.
Their rental shop has been expanded in order to increase efficiency when servicing customers.

Camelback Mountain Resort (skicamelback.com)

With a complete re-design of their Freestyle Progression Park, Camelback is the first complete Burton Learn to Ride Center in Pennsylvania.
The snow tubing park has been expanded to include additional chutes.

With over 165 trails, the Pocono Mountains offers skiers of all levels a winter haven. To plan your next winter getaway and for additional snowsports information, visit poconoski.com.

About the Pocono Mountains

With 2,400 square miles encompassing Pennsylvania's Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Wayne counties, the Pocono Mountains region is home to rolling mountain terrain, breathtakingly beautiful waterfalls, thriving woodlands and 170 miles of winding rivers. Winters offer guests the opportunity to ski, snowboard, snow tube and even snowshoe their way through snowy wonderlands encompassing over 163 ski trails, while summers also cater to the active traveler allowing exploration of 261miles of hiking and biking trails, over 35 golf courses, whitewater rafting, boating, fishing and open access to nine state and two national parks.

Any time of year is a good time to visit the Pocono Mountains, located within driving distance of most major East Coast cities. This region teeming with history offers year-round cultural tours and art exhibitions, abundant antiquing and brand-name shopping and a full calendar of festivals showcasing the heritage, music and food of the Pocono Mountains.

Even the most discerning traveler will find comfortable accommodations in the Pocono Mountains, which offers an eclectic mix of resorts, distinctive properties and quaint, country inns and bed and breakfasts.

Pocono Mountains visitor information is available online at www.800poconos.com or by phone at 800-POCONOS (800-762-6667). Follow @PoconoTourism on Twitter to stay current with up-to-date information. Established in 1934, the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau is a private, non-profit, membership organization. The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization for the four counties of Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Wayne in northeastern Pennsylvania.

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