Operations Update: Managing Weather Patterns

Happy new year, Ops Blog readers! The end of 2025 brought some varying winter weather to the resort. While forecasts didn’t call for freezing rain at our location, conditions changed quickly, and our teams had to respond in real time. When weather turns, our team adapts operations throughout the day. By later afternoon on Sunday, December 28, the decision was made to reduce lift operations to the beginner area in the Village. That’s the reality of operating a ski resort; weather will shift hour by hour, especially within our unique microclimate. Along with the mechanics and logistics of our unique ski operations, unique weather impacts can be as narrow as a 5km radius around Blue. While we always want to stay open as scheduled, safety must come first. Thanks to the hard work and professionalism of our mountain operations, lift, and patrol teams, all guests were safely unloaded and cleared from the slopes. We’re incredibly proud of how our teams handled a tough day. Snowmaking Update The good news is that this week also delivered a welcome stretch of cold temperatures, along with more than 30 cm of natural snowfall! Our snowmaking teams have been taking advantage of these conditions, focusing on building snow where it’s needed most as we work toward a full trail count and as long a ski season as possible. Snowmaking is always a balance between today’s ski quality and planning ahead for later in the season. While natural snow certainly helps, we’re still building toward our target base depth of one metre. That means continuing to make snow whenever temperatures allow, so we can set the mountain up for strong conditions when a thaw or rain event might happen throughout the winter. We understand snowmaking can present certain challenges for skiers or riders on hill which is why you may notice only some snow guns running during the ski day and then ramping them up overnight. Conditions & Grooming If you’ve been on the hill lately, you’ve likely noticed that conditions can change throughout the day and from trail to trail. That’s typical for skiing in Ontario. Fresh snowfall tends to feel softer, while machine-groomed snow will ski a bit firmer and more consistent. Conditions will always be interpreted differently based on skier level or ability, so the best way to check conditions is always to get out there and ski for yourself! That said, grooming is well underway as teams manage increased snow production. Breaking down snowmaking piles (we call them “whales”) and redistributing the snow takes lots of time and careful planning, balancing between grooming a flat trail and knocking down whales. Decisions are made by looking at the needs of the entire resort, not just individual trails, which is why you may see some whales resting throughout the resort. Looking Ahead A couple of updates to look forward to: We’re looking forward to seeing you on the slopes this new year!