Bear Creek Ski and Recreation Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bear Creek Mountain Resort |
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| Location | Longswamp Township, Berks County, near Macungie, Pennsylvania |
| Nearest city | Allentown, PA |
| Coordinates | 40°28′34″N 75°37′33″W / 40.47611°N 75.62583°W |
| Top elevation | 1,100 feet (340 m) |
| Base elevation | 590 feet (180 m) |
| Skiable area | 86 acres (350,000 m2) |
| Runs | 21 |
| Longest run | 0.9 miles (1.4 km) |
| Lift system | 7 |
| Terrain parks | 3 |
| Snowfall | 30 in/year |
| Website | http://www.bcmr.com/ |
Bear Creek is a ski resort near Macungie, in the Berks County region of Pennsylvania, in the United States. The resort opened in 1967. It was known as the Doe Mountain until 1999.
The official name of the property is Bear Creek Mountain Resort & Conference Center. It is a year-round resort on more than 330 acres (1.3 km2) that features a variety of activities and amenities. In addition to skiing, guests can enjoy hiking, mountain biking, fishing and boating in the summer months. The resort also offers a 116-room hotel, a full-service salon and spa, three dining facilities and over 26,000 square feet (2,400 m2) of banquet and meeting space.
Bear Creek is the only ski resort located in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas, though many ski resorts are located 30 miles (48 km) north of the Lehigh Valley, in The Poconos.
Bear Creek Mountain has a summit elevation of 1,100 feet (340 m) and vertical elevation change of 510 ft (160 m). There are 86 acres (350,000 m2) of skiing terrain. The longest run is .9 miles in length. The mountain has a total of 21 slopes and 7 lifts.
It also features night skiing and snowtubing. The mountain summit receives an average of 30 inches (76 cm) of snowfall each winter.
Climate
According to the Trewartha climate classification system, Bear Creek Ski and Recreation Area has a Temperate Continental (Dc) Climate with warm summers (b) at the summit (hot summers (a) at the base), cold winters (o) and year-around precipitation. Dcbo climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0 °F (0 °C), four to seven months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (10 °C), all months with an average mean temperature < 72.0 °F (22 °C) (Dcba at the base ≥ 72.0 °F (22 °C)) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months at Bear Creek Ski and Recreation Area, episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values ≥ 100 °F (38 °C). The annual peak in thunderstorm activity is July. During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < −15 °F (−26 °C). The plant hardiness zone is 6b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −4.8 °F (−20 °C) at the summit and −4.6 °F (−20 °C) at the base. The average seasonal (Nov-Apr) snowfall total is between 30 and 36 inches (76 and 91 cm). Ice storms and large snowstorms depositing ≥ 12 inches (30 cm) of snow can occur, particularly during nor’easters from December through February.
| Climate data for Bear Creek Summit (Elevation: 1135 ft (346 m)) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 38.2 (3.4) |
40.8 (4.9) |
51.5 (10.8) |
61.0 (16.1) |
71.1 (21.7) |
79.3 (26.3) |
82.4 (28.0) |
81.6 (27.6) |
75.2 (24.0) |
63.8 (17.7) |
53.5 (11.9) |
41.2 (5.1) |
61.7 (16.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 28.7 (−1.8) |
30.8 (−0.7) |
39.7 (4.3) |
49.4 (9.7) |
59.1 (15.1) |
68.0 (20.0) |
71.8 (22.1) |
70.7 (21.5) |
63.6 (17.6) |
52.3 (11.3) |
42.9 (6.1) |
32.5 (0.3) |
50.9 (10.5) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 19.2 (−7.1) |
20.8 (−6.2) |
27.8 (−2.3) |
37.8 (3.2) |
47.1 (8.4) |
56.6 (13.7) |
61.2 (16.2) |
59.8 (15.4) |
52.0 (11.1) |
40.8 (4.9) |
32.4 (0.2) |
23.7 (−4.6) |
40.0 (4.4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.42 (87) |
2.78 (71) |
3.69 (94) |
4.00 (102) |
4.48 (114) |
4.61 (117) |
5.06 (129) |
4.00 (102) |
4.80 (122) |
4.33 (110) |
3.92 (100) |
3.88 (99) |
48.97 (1,244) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 66.9 | 64.1 | 57.0 | 58.4 | 62.5 | 69.4 | 70.8 | 72.2 | 72.0 | 70.2 | 67.6 | 70.0 | 66.8 |
| Average dew point °F (°C) | 19.1 (−7.2) |
20.1 (−6.6) |
25.7 (−3.5) |
35.4 (1.9) |
46.3 (7.9) |
57.6 (14.2) |
61.8 (16.6) |
61.3 (16.3) |
54.4 (12.4) |
42.9 (6.1) |
32.9 (0.5) |
23.8 (−4.6) |
37.6 (3.1) |
| Source: PRISM | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Bear Creek Base (Elevation: 676 ft (206 m)) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 37.6 (3.1) |
40.7 (4.8) |
50.6 (10.3) |
61.5 (16.4) |
71.7 (22.1) |
79.9 (26.6) |
82.9 (28.3) |
82.2 (27.9) |
75.7 (24.3) |
64.3 (17.9) |
53.0 (11.7) |
41.0 (5.0) |
61.9 (16.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 28.6 (−1.9) |
31.0 (−0.6) |
39.4 (4.1) |
49.8 (9.9) |
59.6 (15.3) |
68.5 (20.3) |
72.3 (22.4) |
71.2 (21.8) |
64.0 (17.8) |
52.6 (11.4) |
42.8 (6.0) |
32.5 (0.3) |
51.1 (10.6) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 19.5 (−6.9) |
21.3 (−5.9) |
28.2 (−2.1) |
38.1 (3.4) |
47.5 (8.6) |
57.1 (13.9) |
61.6 (16.4) |
60.2 (15.7) |
52.2 (11.2) |
41.0 (5.0) |
32.6 (0.3) |
24.0 (−4.4) |
40.4 (4.7) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.39 (86) |
2.76 (70) |
3.65 (93) |
3.96 (101) |
4.42 (112) |
4.55 (116) |
5.00 (127) |
3.97 (101) |
4.77 (121) |
4.28 (109) |
3.87 (98) |
3.85 (98) |
48.47 (1,231) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 68.4 | 65.0 | 58.6 | 58.4 | 62.3 | 69.4 | 70.8 | 72.2 | 72.0 | 70.3 | 68.9 | 70.9 | 67.3 |
| Average dew point °F (°C) | 19.5 (−6.9) |
20.6 (−6.3) |
26.1 (−3.3) |
35.8 (2.1) |
46.7 (8.2) |
58.1 (14.5) |
62.3 (16.8) |
61.8 (16.6) |
54.8 (12.7) |
43.2 (6.2) |
33.3 (0.7) |
24.1 (−4.4) |
37.6 (3.1) |
| Source: PRISM | |||||||||||||
Images for kids
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Bear Creek Ski Lodge, January 2012
