Warm winters don't stop the skiing, or the fun

When there’s no snow on the ground or in the forecast, that doesn’t mean there isn’t snow at your local ski resort.

A study by a climate change researcher at the University of Manitoba found that by 2039, there may be no ski resorts left in Massachusetts or Connecticut due to warm temperatures and scarce snow. But that dire prediction doesn’t make sense to local winter resort managers. In fact, most resorts in the Northeast, like Tuxedo Ridge at Sterling Forest in New York, depend more on snow-making machines than nature to cover their mountains. Actual snowfall may be good from a marketing point of view, since it makes people think about skiing, but snow machines do the bulk of the work. Real snow may extend the season a week or two.

“In 2010-2011 we got lots of snow, and right through the season,” said Stephanie Cole, operations manager at Tuxedo Ridge. “Last year there was not enough cold to make snow. Mother Nature was apparently a little annoyed with us.”

This year Tuxedo Ridge has been making snow around the clock — until this last warm wave hit. And last weekend's forecast had temperatures in the high 50s.

Snow-making is usually done at night, and during the day if conditions are favorable.

“Good snow cover is a lot of science and a little bit of art,” said Shannon Heidebrecht of Hidden Valley Club resort in Vernon. “You want snow-making to be as efficient as possible.”

She said efficiency depends on how a resort handles its water.

“You need the right balance between water flow and capacity of the pumps,” she said.

Other ways to have fun
Some resorts are hedging their bets and adding all-season activities that don't depend on snow. While diversification is not in Hidden Valley's immediate future, it's definitely in their long-term plans, Heidebrecht said.

Cole said Tuxedo Ridge has already added all-season events to its traditional winter menu of skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing. These additions include concerts, obstacle courses, Spartan races and extreme obstacle races, and a motorcycle “hare scramble” with different heats for different ages. Tuxedo Ridge also hosts “Rock the Mountain,” an annual music festival put on by singer-songwriter Rob Cannillo of Chester.

Ryan Smith, mountain services supervisor at Mount Peter in Warwick, said natural snowfall allows the resort to stay open a couple of weeks longer in the season.

“The season is based on weather,” Smith said. “You take the opportunities you have overnight to make as much snow as possible. But the ski season is about the same, good or bad weather. If the overnight temps to make snow are good, with a good base you can last through the warmer weather. The base stays frozen. Three to four feet is a good average amount to have.”

Mount Peter has also expanded its activities to attract business. It hosts a winter carnival and a spring rally, and offers DJ music — all, said Smith, “to get people, even when the weather is less favorable, to have a good time.”

At a barbecue for younger children, parents have fun just watching their kids have fun.

“We just improve and try to surprise people every year with things that are new and are fun for the family,” Smith said.

Snowmaking keeps core business going

Smith said the current season got off to a great start.

“It’s just amazing, the difference from last year — the energy — people are really excited,” he said. “It’s a 180-degree difference from last year.”

But at Ski Big Bear over in Lackawaxen, Pa., Ron Schmalzle, owner and general manager, said, “This season it was more difficult to get open than last season. Real snow is good for marketing, but the ability to make snow is what really counts.”

Low temperatures and low humidity are important, he said. A temperature of 26 to 27 degrees with low humidity is needed to make good snow.

Ski Big Bear is a traditional ski center that concentrates on its core business: skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing. They have not felt the need to diversify. Like most resorts, they are generally open from mid-December to mid-March.

“The technology of snow making has kept up with any warming trends that we’ve experienced,” Schmalzle said.

Shannon Heidebrecht, of Hidden Valley, said last year’s unseasonably warm weather hampered snow making at Hidden Valley.

“Last year was the only one that we would consider a bad year," she said. “Temps were so warm, we did not get the numbers we want.”

She said the resort relies on snow-making.

“We can’t depend on Mother Nature,” she said. “The amount of snow we can make increases when the temps are colder and humidity lower.”

Machines can make snow at higher temperatures, she said, but it’s not the same quality.

Last year Hidden Valley opened just after the holidays and closed in early March. But Heidebrecht said they’d like the season to extend from the second week in December to the second week in March.

Hidden Valley continues its “focus on our core business, skiing and snowboarding, and introducing people to the sport who have never spent time on snow before,” she said.

So far the resort has had success and “really good feedback on the quality of the snow,” she said. And every year, she said, the resort improves its equipment.

Over at Mountain Creek in Vernon, the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons were good for snow, according to director of marketing Hugh Reynolds.

“The challenge we faced last year was not in operating, but demand in the market,” he said. “When people don’t see snow in their backyard, they’re not thinking that it’s a great time for skiing and snowboarding.”

Last year, 95 percent of Mountain Creek's trails were open, despite the warm weather. Yet, the combination of warm temperatures and snow on the ground made the experience enjoyable for many people.

Mountain Creek, like other resorts, doesn’t rely on natural snow. It has 1,200 snow-making machines that leave nothing to chance.

“We like to say we could fill Met Life Stadium with snow in the right conditions," Reynolds said.

In addition to skiing and snowboarding, Mountain Creek has one of the largest snow tubing parks in the country. They also offer dry tubing, on synthetic plastic material.

The resort is in the middle of a five-year redevelopment and has added activities for both on and off the snow, including a year-round mountaintop zipline and an alpine slide.

Reynolds said Crystal Springs Resort, the new owner, is committed to making Mountain Creek a full-season resort. It already hosts competitions, races, the New Jersey Special Olympics, summer concerts, festivals, and mud events, as well as the popular Spartan and adventure races and military-style obstacle courses geared to the weekend warrior who wants to test his skills.

“We try to be as diversified as possible and give our guests as many reasons as possible to come and enjoy the resort," he said. "Even if you don’t ski or snowboard, there’s plenty of things for guests to do both winter and summer.”