Snowtubing goes Galactic

Flashing lights, forming a rainbow colored quilt, blanketed the snow. Dance music pulsated over giant speakers. This wasn’t an outdoor disco – it was the latest in snow sports, called Galactic Snow tubing.

Camelback Mountain Resort undertook a major upgrade of its tubing facilities this year – investing about $1.7 million to build a new snowtubing lodge. It also installed 120 flashing LED led light strips, mounted high atop poles along the route, to entertain snowtubers as they raced down a long, straight trail. It was akin to sledding on steroids.

“When we opened tubing 12 years ago, it just wasn’t up to the standards of the rest of our mountain,” co-owner Art Berry said, referring to the ski resort connected to the facilities. “When I went around the country, I saw the other tubing facilities were run down.”

So Berry and his partner Ken Ellis decided to upgrade the property, with better amenities, an LED light show and stomping music and now, up to 42 lanes.

“Now it’s the coolest thing ever,” Berry said.

The snowtubing park serves as both a outdoor sports destination and amenity to its hotel and indoor waterpark that’s adjacent to the hill. It is the only one of its kind in the country, billed as the largest in the nation, Berry said.

“It’s very unique,” former Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau President and CEO Bob Uguccioni said. “Everything in our business is about doing something new. That’s what this is.”

The investment included automated snowmaking for the tubing hill.

Snowtubing, Ellis said, has a universal lure.

“Ninety percent of us can snowtube. It’s something everyone can do. It complements our hotel clientele. It’s driven by something the family can do together.”

Behind the wizard’s curtain is a simple laptop with special software that controls the light show. It lets the controller chose among preset patterns, including themed one’s like Presidential, Holiday and Rainbow with a simple mouse click.

“Not everybody skis or snowboards, but snowtubing is a fun, outdoor winter activity that everyone can participate in,” said Brian Czarnecki, vice president of sales & marketing. “Camelback Resort is already home to the largest snowtubing park in the country, and the launch of after-dark Galactic Snowtubing completely transforms the experience.”