After a brief warm spell, we’re stoked to say that we are making snow again across every ski area including the Orchard, just in time for night skiing to return. Due to the wind coming from the north contrary to earlier forecasts, we are running the snow guns on the northern sides of trails. This unexpected change required us to pivot our plans to capitalize on the snowmaking window effectively through Wednesday night and into Thursday and Friday.
Lift Openings and Terrain Progress
As of Saturday, the lifts scheduled to start spinning include Valley Express, Southern Comfort Express, Weider Express, and the South Learning Centre, along with the Silver Bullet and Village Learning Centre. Our teams have worked tirelessly over the summer installing new R5 snow guns in the South Learning Centre. That, combined with favourable wind conditions in this area during recent snowmaking windows, have enabled us to open this area earlier than anticipated. Additionally, enhancements like the installation of a flood line on Cruiser and new R5 snow guns on upper Dr. Doug have directly supported the early season opening of the South ski area.
Snowmaking Strategy
We’re currently leveraging a 48-72 hour snowmaking window through Saturday, focusing on ensuring lifts have at least one open trail in and out and reacting dynamically to wind changes to optimize snow coverage. We are prioritizing lift load/unload areas and connector trails with our sled gun fleet. In the North, the high-temperature snow guns on Schuss are running. However, our immediate focus remains on covering trails in and out of the North ski area, which requires precise fine-tuning.
In the Valley ski area, Happy Valley trail presents a unique challenge. The wide expanse and swirling winds make snowmaking unpredictable, requiring extra effort to ensure consistent coverage. This is a major factor for deciding when to open this terrain.
We often get asked “What trails will be open tomorrow?” or “what runs will be open this weekend?”. As much as we wish we could have a solid answer to share days in advance, the truth of the matter is that trail openings are often determined the morning of. Both snowmaking and grooming are overnight operations, requiring significant effort from our teams to prepare trails for skiers. While we can commit to lift openings, trail availability is often finalized just hours before the first chair spins.
Going into the weekend, expect variable conditions on runs with active snowmaking as we maximize the available snowmaking opportunities. Temperatures are forecasted to warm up during the days this weekend which will cause us to cease active snowmaking until the optimal conditions return. You can expect the guns to turn back on early next week overnight when conditions allow.
Other Winter Activities
Beyond skiing, our teams are hard at work prepping other winter attractions as well. Snowmaking is underway in the tubing area with hopes to open by December 20, weather and conditions permitting. Ice-making efforts at Woodview Skating are ongoing, with progress dependent on freezing temperatures. Natural snowfall adds an extra layer of complexity, as it must be cleared before flooding.
This week’s 72-hour snowmaking window is a small opportunity in the grand scheme of things, but our teams are dedicated to delivering the best possible experience for our skiers and boarders. The grooming team is working hard, even during the day on closed terrain, to prepare the slopes to open. If you’re coming out this weekend, thank a snowmaker or groomer—their efforts make it all possible!
