We’re excited that we will officially open for the winter season this Saturday, December 7— five days ahead of schedule! This early start is thanks to a combination of our new high-temperature snow guns and the 50 cm of natural snowfall gifted to us by Mother Nature. While natural snow gives us a great head start, it’s not sustainable for opening the slopes on its own. Some of it may melt, but our machine-made snow is denser and melts more slowly, providing a much sturdier base for the season.
Opening Day Decisions
As we prepare for Saturday’s opening, we are prioritizing trails like Smart Alec, Tranquility, and Yahoo, all of which are equipped with high-temperature snow guns, as well as the Village Learning Centre. These areas have allowed us to maximize snowmaking during optimal windows. While we would have loved to open on Friday, there’s still essential work to finish before skiers can hit the slopes. Mainly, the mini putt area at the bottom of Smart Alec requires significant manual labour from the snowmakers to move sled guns into position, as that area is both wide and deep. Shifting winds every 48 hours have added to the challenge, requiring our team to constantly reposition sled guns. Mini putt snow coverage was simply not possible to complete until Saturday.
Wind plays a key role in our snowmaking process. Roughly 60% of our tower snow guns are optimized for winds out of the north and 40% for winds out of the south, but when the wind shifts, our sled guns require manual adjustments. The wind also affects the quality of snow by carrying water particles further into the air, giving them more time to freeze and spread across the trails.
While snowmaking is crucial, grooming is equally important. Our groomers are working across the mountain to pack down fresh snow, firm up the ground by driving frost into it, and spreading snow evenly across the trails. Grooming compresses the snow, which slows melting and creates the smooth, high-quality terrain we want to offer for opening day.
What To Expect Next
Looking beyond Saturday, we expect the terrain available at opening to remain consistent through the week. Temperatures are favourable for snowmaking through Saturday night, but a warm spell from Sunday to Tuesday will pause snowmaking. During that time, we’ll focus on maintenance, grooming, and preparing for colder temperatures to return on Wednesday just in time for night skiing operations to begin on Thursday. As conditions improve, our next priorities include opening the Valley and South areas, as well as the South Learning Centre.
Meanwhile, the Yahoo Terrain Park is coming together beautifully, with features for all skill levels, including a down-flat-down tube and beginner and intermediate boxes. Our team will be working all throughout Friday to ensure the park is ready for opening day. Elsewhere on the mountain, we’ve started snowmaking in the tubing area, and as temperatures allow, we’ll begin flooding the Woodview Skating Trail tonight.
The team has been walking the slopes to assess snow depth and terrain readiness, and we’re thrilled with the progress so far. Thanks to their sleepless nights, hard work and dedication, we’re ready to kick off the ski season this Saturday. We can’t wait to see you on the slopes!
