Which ski area is better, Blue Mountain PA or Mountain Creek NJ?
Depends on what you like. Mountain Creek is bigger but it's REALLY crowded on weekends and reminds of a shopping mall. Lots of rude suburban middle and high school kids being dropped off by their moms. You can't really blame the locals. It just suffers from proximity to New York City and the North Jersey suburbs. Blue feels like it's about a third the size of Mountain Creek (maybe smaller) but it has a nicely groomed terrain park with a lot of really big hits for a mountain of its size and although it can get a bit crowded on weekends, is generally home to a more mellow and friendly crowd. Snow is a bit better at Blue since it's farther west, although both are 100% dependent on snowmaking. I give the edge to Blue, it's my "home" mountain, but if I imagine that Mt. Creek would probably be pretty awesome mid-week without the crowds.
Which mountain is better for skiing, Jack Frost/Big Boulder or Camelback?
JF/BB are two seperate resorts owned and operated by the same company. They are about 15 minutes apart. JF does not have night skiing, so Full-Day tix bought at JF are good at BB. If you like freestyle skiing then I suggest going to Big Boulder. It has lots of terrain parks and jumps. Jack Frost and Big Boulder tend to have very good quality snow, however BB can get a bit icy at nights. Normally both are pretty good. Both have a shorter vertical drop than Camelback. JF does not have the terrain park features that BB has. However, JF does typically have an intermediate and an expert mogul trail, so it's easy to learn bumps at JF. Both have excellent ski schools. All three tend to get crowded on weekends. JF/BB tends to attract a more suburban Philly crowd and Camelback gets more people from North NJ and NYC. Camelback has very nice terrain and a good variety of runs, but it gets icy due to it's exposure. Even during the day it can get really icy. This also has a lot to do with the fact that it gets a lot of noob snowboarders who sideslip down the steep terrain as well...but even before snowboards were as popular as they are no, Camelback used to get icy.
What's it like to travel the length of the Appalachian Trail?
It was longer than it appears on the map and for the most part a bit of drudgery involved. You have to keep walking no mater the weather so that you can make the next town or wide spot in the road to get food — and to stay on schedule. There is always THE SCHEDULE. I finally ditched it and enjoyed the stroll a bit more. The most important thing that was always in the back of my mind is how far is the next resupply point — and I’m hungry.Met a lot of people on the way and, for the day hikers, had to convince them that as much as I liked chatting, I had to get on down the trail. I was ‘getting paid’ by the mile. Of interest is that every long haul hiker has their own hiking speed and it is no where like yours. But still you pass/meet each other along the way for awhile…then they sometimes disappear. Having company and relaxing with other people is a joy.I’m glad I didn’t have a hiking partner. This was a right of passage of sorts. I’m not sure we would get on well.I was surprised how different the view is on the big mountains in the west and this unending ‘green tunnel’. You lived for a break in the foliage so you can see what the rest of the world looks like, instead of an infinite trail winding its way into the future. It was the most beautiful thing in the world for a few months.So many wonderful ‘trail angels’ who routinely go out of their way to help you if you need assistance, or just a place to crash for a few hours.It is a surprise - when it happens - just how many calories you need AND how many you can consume in one sitting. I had to buy trousers/shorts that were considerably smaller than the one I was in.Most of the covered sleeping platforms are lousy with critters. I slept in the ‘weeds’ for the most part. A small packed stove soon becomes an important thing and a fire enjoyable at times - but not to cook over.The trail can be miserable, sometimes, in a down pour and I couldn’t go as fast as I thought I should be. Roots seem to living things that reach out to grab your feet or try to trip you. Rocks and mud do not mix well to be trod upon. One learns.You will find out if you can be fully and entirely committed to finish something big. There are some lonely times with a monkey on your back whispering that it is ok to leave the trail - you can do it again another time.I was overjoyed at the end and I cried in sorrow that it was over.
Which is the best time to visit Poconos,PA?
Unless you're a racing fan, the 2 best times are... 1. 2nd and 3rd Weekends in October. That is the height of the "Fall Foliage". Jim Thorpe has many hiking & biking trails, and a very scenic train ride. http://www.jimthorpe.org/ 2. End of January through February. That's when skiing is at it's best. Slopes include: Camelback, Blue Mountain, Shawnee, Montage and Big Boulder. Over the last 10 years, the area has done a lot to build up it's summer activities, but after labor day pretty much all of it shuts down. Might still be able to do paintball on the weekends in the Fall, thought. Again, refer to the Jim Thorpe website for ideas.
How long does mail take to be sent from Texas to Pennsylvania?
Ive seen you ask this question for many locations. If you are building an app and need the data, there is a formula to figure this. Mail before 3pm leaves that same day. Now take mileage from city to city and divide by 62, this is the average mph for all route trucks with stops that are logged. Now if this arrives after 3am in any days after add another day.
Should I choose Claremont Mckenna, UPENN (likely) or Notre Dame University?
I cannot comment on UPenn, but I went to CMC and was accepted to Notre Dame.Notre Dame was my first choice, but I could not afford the tuition even with the Financial Aid package. I still had to take out student loans, but CMC offered me a much better package.In the end, I am so glad I ended up at CMC. I thought I wanted to be a Finance person, but ended up deciding I wanted to use my Econ degree to solve development issues domestically and abroad.The top 5 things I loved about CMC:Personalize attention: I never had a class with more than 20 students in it. Perhaps this is not a big draw for you, because it was not for me. However, I would not be where I am today if my Economic Statistics professor had not seen potential in me and taken me under his wing. He hired me as a research institute, which leads to reason #2.Research Institutes: I worked for the Lowe Institute of Political Economics, which prepared me for my first job at the Urban Institute. It is rare that undergraduates are given opportunities to conduct actual economic analysis that directly translates into the real world, and on top of that it paid.Study Abroad: I do not know if Kristen Mallory, Director of Off-Campus Studies, is still at CMC, but I can honestly say she changed my life. After my semester abroad, I became much more interested in international economics. I committed myself to learning French, and ended up working for the UN in Senegal for two years.Campus culture: Ask any CMCer, quality of life is unbelievable. As if being in Southern California weren’t enough, the parties are fun and school-sponsored (to discourage students from drinking and driving off-campus). Everyone wants to be on campus, which makes CMC pretty unique.The quality of students: Again I never went to the other two schools, but I am always impressed by how driven CMCers are. In general, they work hard but know how to have fun. In less than 5 years since my graduation, I have worked for two of the top think tanks in the U.S. and for the U.N., and I do not think I am particularly exceptional in my class. The drive and intelligence of my classmates really forced me to push myself to keep up with the pack, and I think I owe much of my success to that. As a side note, I have many classmates that are also HBS alumni or currently enrolled.Ultimately, the choice is yours, and I am sure you will love your experience, but I have a hard time imagining a better experience for myself than with CMC.Hope this helps!
Why are the Poconos suddenly coming back?
Where had they gone to?But seriously, I don't think we've ever really gone out of fashion. It does require a certain kind of visitor. Obviously if you're looking for high culture or high cuisine, this isn't the place for you. But if you're looking for:The outdoorsWater parksHuntingFishingSkiingCampingFestivals of the blue collar persuasionConcertsNASCAR!!!!A relaxing getawayA romantic getawayAnd still be close to civilizationAnd low budgetAnd many more….Then we're your preferred destination. Mention this post when you contact me, and I'll even get you a deal on a short term rental!
Where are the Poconos?
Covers a 2,400-square-mile overlooking the Delaware River and Delaware Water Gap to the east, the mountains are bordered on the north by Lake Wallenpaupack, on the west by the Wyoming Valley and the Coal Region, and to the south by the Lehigh Valley. The name comes from the Munsee word Pokawachne, which means "Creek Between Two Hills." Much of the Poconos region lies within the Greater New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area. The wooded hills and valleys have long been a popular recreation area, accessible within a two-hour drive to millions of metropolitan area residents, with many communities having resort hotels with fishing, hunting, skiing, and other sports facilities. (From a website)I have been to the Poconos two times. It is a lonnng drive for me from Northwest Pennsylvania. It is hilly and mountainous. Some areas are very pretty from what I saw.