Laurel Mountain Ski

What Laurel Mountain Ski does

Laurel Mountain is a 70-acre ski resort located in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania (347 Summit Ski Road, Boswell, PA), operated as part of the Vail Resorts (NYSE: MTN) portfolio of 37+ North American ski destinations. The resort offers 19 trails served by a single quad chairlift across a 761-foot vertical drop (base elevation 2,005 ft; summit 2,766 ft), with a terrain mix of 52% beginner, 36% intermediate, and 16% advanced. Its signature asset is Lower Wildcat, a double-black-diamond slope averaging near 60% grade — the steepest in Pennsylvania. Lift access is sold exclusively through the Vail Resorts Epic Pass family (Epic Pass, Epic Local, Epic Day Pass, Northeast Value Pass, Northeast Midweek Pass), and guests are authenticated via RFID cards or the Bluetooth-enabled My Epic mobile app. The resort was originally designed by European skiing legend Johann "Hannes" Schneider and opened January 11, 1941; after closing in 1989 and sitting idle for 27 years, it was acquired by Seven Springs out of receivership and reopened December 21, 2016 with support from a 2010 $6.5 million Pennsylvania revitalization grant.

The resort operates seasonally (December through March) and monetizes a layered product portfolio: lift access (season passes and day/night tickets), ski school (private lessons, adult and child group lessons, and the Slope Days after-school program), equipment rentals (skis, snowboards, helmets, demos), on-mountain dining (Laurel House Café and Wildcat Lounge), and night skiing under the DEW After Dark programming. Pass holders receive automated loyalty benefits via Epic Mountain Rewards (20% off food, lodging, group lessons, and rentals up to $150/day) and can distribute Epic Friend Tickets (up to 10 per pass at 50%/25% discounts) to convert friends into day customers. Overnight lodging for Laurel Mountain guests is fulfilled through sister property Seven Springs, located 30 minutes away, which offers guest rooms, chalets, and slopeside townhomes and condos.

Laurel Mountain generates revenue through a hybrid model: recurring annual subscriptions via the Epic Pass ecosystem, transactional lift ticket sales (day and night), and ancillary transaction fees from lessons, rentals, dining, and retail. All on-property transactions are cashless. The resort primarily serves drive-to skiers from the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly within an hour of Pittsburgh, and benefits operationally and commercially from the technology (My Epic App, Mobile Pass), distribution (Epic Pass network), and corporate marketing scale of its parent Vail Resorts.

Name

Laurel Mountain Ski

Legal name

Vail Resorts Management Company

Website

https://laurelmountainski.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Laurel Mountain is a 70-acre ski resort in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands owned by Vail Resorts. It serves Mid-Atlantic drive-to skiers across 19 trails, selling access via Epic Pass and ancillary ski school, rentals, dining, and night skiing products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ski Resort Services

NAICS

Skiing Facilities (71392)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Ski Areas & Lift Operations (Independent Mountains) (THAAAJAB)

Keywords

• Ski resort operations
• Lift-access passes
• Ski and snowboard instruction
• Equipment rentals
• Night skiing

Headquarters

HQ city

Boswell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Season Pass Sales: Resort generates revenue through sale of various Epic Pass products including Epic Pass (unlimited access to 40+ resorts), Epic Local Pass (multi-resort access with peak restrictions), Epic Day Pass (1-7 day access), Northeast Value Pass (21 Northeast resorts), and Northeast Midweek Pass. Pass holders also contribute ancillary revenue through on-mountain spending.
2. Daily Lift Tickets: Single and multi-day lift tickets sold for daily access, including night skiing tickets for after-hours slope access. Best rates available through advance online purchase.
3. Epic Mountain Rewards: Pass holders receive 20% discounts on food, lodging, group lessons, and equipment rentals, driving on-mountain ancillary spending.
4. Guest Services & Retail: Gift cards (usable at Laurel Mountain, Seven Springs, and Hidden Valley), retail merchandise, and guest services including lift tickets, lessons, and rentals.
5. Ski & Snowboard Lessons: Private lessons, adult group lessons, child group lessons, and signature programs like Slope Days after-school ski school.
6. Equipment Rentals: Ski and snowboard rental equipment including demos, performance, sport, and junior categories; helmets and boots available.
7. Food & Beverage: On-mountain dining at Laurel House Café and Wildcat Lounge serving grab-and-go items and sit-down table service. All transactions cashless.
8. Epic Friend Tickets: Eligible pass holders receive up to 10 Epic Friend Tickets offering 50% off lift tickets for friends age 13+ and 25% off child lift tickets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Laurel Mountain is a Mid-Atlantic ski resort that sells lift-access (daily tickets and season passes within the Vail Resorts Epic Pass ecosystem) across 70 acres of skiable terrain with 19 trails, anchored by Pennsylvania's steepest slope (Lower Wildcat). The resort additionally sells ski and snowboard instruction (private, adult group, child group, and after-school programs), equipment rentals (skis, snowboards, helmets, boots), night skiing, and on-mountain dining.

Product overview

Laurel Mountain Ski is a ski resort in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania operated by Vail Resorts. The resort offers skiing and snowboarding across 70 acres of skiable terrain with 19 trails and 1 lift, anchored by the iconic double-diamond Lower Wildcat slope. The resort's product portfolio is built around its core lift-access and slope experience, supported by ancillary services including ski and snowboard equipment rentals, professional ski and ride school lessons (private, adult, and child group lessons), night skiing and riding (Dew After Dark), and on-mountain dining at two venues (Wildcat Lounge and Laurel House Café). Access to the mountain is sold through multiple Vail Resorts pass products — the Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass, Epic Day Pass, Northeast Value Pass, and Northeast Midweek Pass — all of which are tied to the broader Vail Resorts network of ~40 North American resorts. Pass holders access the mountain via RFID-enabled physical cards or the My Epic mobile app (with Bluetooth hands-free scanning), and receive additional savings through the Epic Mountain Rewards loyalty program (20% off dining, lessons, and rentals) and Epic Friend Tickets. Lodging for Laurel Mountain guests is handled at the sister resort Seven Springs, approximately 30 minutes away, which offers a range of rooms, chalets, and slopeside condos.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Winter Lift Tickets Single and multi-day lift tickets for daily slope access at Laurel Mountain, sold through the resort website and guest services windows. All transactions are cashless.
• Epic Pass A premium unrestricted annual season pass granting unlimited access to all 40 Vail Resorts destinations in North America and Australia, including Laurel Mountain, Vail, Park City, and Breckenridge. Includes Epic Mountain Rewards benefits.
• Epic Local Pass An annual season pass offering unlimited access to multiple Vail Resorts destinations across North America with some peak-restricted dates, available in Child, Teen, Adult, and College variants.
• Epic Day Pass A pre-purchased day-pass product allowing skiers to ski or ride 1-7 days at Laurel Mountain and other Vail Resorts destinations, with three tiered resort access levels (all 40+ resorts, 32 resorts, or 22 resorts) and peak-restricted or unrestricted date options.
• Northeast Value Pass A regional season pass providing unlimited access to Laurel Mountain and 20 other Northeast resorts including Whitetail, Roundtop, and Seven Springs, with Adult, Teen, Senior, and College pricing options.
• Northeast Midweek Pass A weekday-focused regional pass providing access to 21 Northeast resorts including Laurel Mountain with peak-restricted dates excluded, available in Adult and Senior options.
• Ski and Ride School Lessons Professional ski and snowboard instruction at Laurel Mountain, offered as private lessons, adult group lessons, child group lessons, and the Slope Days after-school ski school program. Instructors are trained in PSIA-AASI methods; helmets are required for children in ski school.
• Ski and Snowboard Equipment Rentals Slopeside ski and snowboard rental equipment including demos of the latest models, boots, helmets, and a ski valet service at the Laurel Mountain Rental Center. Complete packages including skis/snowboard, boots, and helmet; demo and performance skis available; 20% off for Epic Pass holders.
• Night Skiing and Riding (Dew After Dark) Night skiing and riding under lights at Laurel Mountain, running Tuesday through Sunday during the season beginning at 3:00 p.m. Requires dedicated night lift tickets picked up at guest services; select slopes are illuminated for evening use.
• Wildcat Lounge A sit-around-the-fire dining venue on the lower level of the Laurel Mountain ski lodge, offering Wildcat Stew, chili, hand-crafted sandwiches, and beverages. Cashless transactions; 20% Epic Pass holder discount applicable.
• Laurel House Café A grab-and-go and sit-down café on the upper level of the Laurel Mountain ski lodge, named after the original 1947 ski lodge. Serves chili, burgers, pizza, and hot meals with scenic long-range views; cashless; 20% Epic Pass holder discount applicable.
• My Epic App A mobile application (iOS and Android) offering Mobile Pass and Lift Tickets via Bluetooth hands-free scanning, GPS-enabled interactive trail maps with real-time lift line wait times, personalized stats tracking, ski patrol assistance, Epic Mountain Rewards access, resort charge, and Find My Friends location sharing across Vail Resorts' 37 North American destinations.
• Epic Mountain Rewards A loyalty benefits program for Epic Pass holders offering 20% off food, lodging, group ski and ride school lessons, and equipment rentals at Vail Resorts destinations across North America. Automatic enrollment upon pass purchase; no separate sign-up or points tracking required.
• Gift Cards Resort gift cards redeemable at Laurel Mountain and sister resorts Seven Springs and Hidden Valley (PA) for dining, retail merchandise, and in-person lift ticket purchases.
• Epic Friend Tickets Discounted lift tickets that eligible Epic Pass holders can share with friends and family, offering up to 50% off window prices for adult tickets and 25% off child lift tickets. Available in quantities of up to 10 per pass for the 2026/27 season.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Commonwealth of PennsylvaniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1963Richard King Mellon and sister Sarah Scaife gifted the ski area to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1963, creating Laurel Mountain State Park. The state has maintained the park designation while leasing operations to private operators. In 2010, the State approved a $6.5 million grant to support revitalization of the resort.
• Seven Springs Mountain ResortcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSeven Springs is Laurel Mountain's sister resort, located approximately 30 minutes away in the Laurel Highlands. Offers overnight lodging accommodations (guest rooms, chalets, slopeside townhomes and condos). Seven Springs originally ran Laurel Mountain as 'The Springs at Laurel Mountain' before purchasing assets out of receivership. The two resorts plus Hidden Valley form a trio of ski destinations in the region.
• Hidden Valley Resort (PA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHidden Valley Resort is another sister resort in the Laurel Highlands, part of the Vail Resorts Mid-Atlantic portfolio along with Laurel Mountain and Seven Springs. Offers family-friendly terrain and facilities for visitors to the region.
• Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPA DCNR supported the December 2016 reopening of Laurel Mountain with assistance from sister resorts. The state continues to oversee the state park property while Vail Resorts operates the ski facility.
• Vail ResortscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVail Resorts acquired Laurel Mountain and operates it as part of its portfolio of 37+ owned and operated North American resorts. The resort benefits from Vail Resorts' technology (My Epic App, Mobile Pass), distribution (Epic Pass network), and operational support. Part of the Mid-Atlantic region alongside Liberty, Roundtop, Whitetail, Jack Frost Big Boulder, Seven Springs, and Hidden Valley.
• PepsiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPepsi is a strategic partner providing DEW After Dark programming at Laurel Mountain. The partnership enables promotional events during select nights in January and February featuring MTN DEW samples and exclusive swag.
• Rolling Rock ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe exclusive Ligonier country club for Pittsburgh's elite families (Mellon, Scaife, Heinz, Oliver, O'Neill, Laughlin) was the original impetus for building Laurel Mountain in 1939-40.
• SE GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSE Group, led by Chris Cushing, was hired by Seven Springs to review and develop a master plan to revitalize Laurel Mountain after acquisition. SE Group is the premiere consulting agency in the ski industry specializing in mountain and resort planning, design, and development.
• PSIA-AASIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional Ski Instructors of America - American Association of Snowboard Instructors. The organization provides instructor certification programs. Laurel Mountain instructors benefit from PSIA-AASI certification reimbursement as part of employee benefits.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LaurelMTSki
• Facebookfacebook.com/LaurelMountainSki/?fref=ts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vail-resorts
• Instagraminstagram.com/laurelmtski

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Laurel Mountain Ski