Operations Update: Making Moguls & Watching The Weather

It was another beautiful week here at Blue! While we are ramping down some snowmaking efforts with a steady base of over 1 metre, we’re still strategically making snow by focusing only on areas that truly need it based on our snow depth heat map. While snowmaking efforts continue in key locations, our primary focus has shifted to fine-tuning the resort. This includes straightening snow guns, adjusting ribbon boxes and tower pads, and performing general maintenance—tasks that often get set aside during intense snow production periods. Grooming efforts are now concentrated on extending and flattening snow piles to create a more uniform surface with added depth, again using our heat map to determine the most critical spots. At the same time, our team is in talks about how much additional snow we might need to produce leading up to Family Day weekend, one of our busiest times on resort. We’re looking even further ahead to March Break and Easter too, assessing whether the cold temperatures will persist long enough to maintain ideal conditions. Fortunately, the 14-day forecast suggests no significant drop in temperatures which means conditions shouldn’t see any deterioration, putting us in a great position as we move along with the winter season. Another key target for the team this week was the development of moguls. Creating machine-made moguls is a challenge, particularly in Ontario’s cold winter conditions, where skier traffic alone isn’t always enough to form them. The process involves carefully blading the snow with a snow cat, carving out a section of the trail to shape the moguls, and then methodically torquing them over with the groomer. This step is delicate, as running over moguls with the machine can cause frame damage, so we must be strategic about when and where we build them. The ideal conditions for mogul formation are on milder days when the snow is slightly softer. We placed them on Avalanche in the North overnight Thursday, built in part to support instructor training courses. Beyond mogul planning, we’re dedicating significant grooming resources to support the Jozo Weider and TSC Racing programs. Our grooming team is involved in constructing start ramps, coordinating with race teams on B-Net placement and removal, and prioritizing grooming efforts on race hills. Additionally, we are supporting various events and fulfilling special grooming requests. Running event operations requires constant communication and coordination between multiple teams to ensure everything comes together seamlessly. In the terrain park, Badlands is officially open from top to bottom! As mentioned in last week’s Operations Blog, we took advantage of an optimal snowmaking window—featuring favourable winds from the south and frigid temperatures—to rebuild the park over the course of a week. The result? Badlands now boasts 56 features and 9 jumps, securing its place as Ontario’s longest terrain park. As we move further into the season, our focus remains on maintaining top-notch conditions across the resort, keeping an eye on long-term weather trends, and delivering the best possible experience for all of our skiers and riders. Whether it’s race prep, mogul development, or terrain park improvements, the teams at Blue Mountain are still hard at work.