STEADY BROOK, N.L. — It appears the west coast's downhill ski season is right around the corner at long last.
On Tuesday, the weather was finally just right for Marble Mountain Ski Resort to run its snow guns and start making snow.
Richard Wells, sales and marketing manager for Marble Mountain, told The Western Star he’s hopeful they can keep the guns running all week with an eye towards opening the resort on Friday.
He said it looks like the weather is going to remain good for snow building all week.
He expects it to be the first extended period of snow building all season as temperatures are forecast to remain deep in the minus range until Friday.
“It’s ideal humidity (and) super cold, so all 17 guns are blasting full capacity,” he said. “We definitely needed a little more support from Mother Nature, and it definitely seems like it’s on the way here this week.”
An area of the size of the bunny hill beginnner's slope, he noted, will take about 16 to 20 hours before enough snow is made.
They relocate the guns once or twice to increase the breadth of the snow mounds produced, explained Wells.
Once the beginner runs are covered, they’ll move onto the Marble Chute, Hansen’s Run, Twister and the Knute Chute.
That will connect skiers and snowboarders to the top of the mountain.
Next, Wells said, they’ll make a ramp to get off the chairlift.
All the while, the snow has to pushed with groomers to level it off.
“These guys are going to be working overtime for us to make it happen,” Wells commented.
He felt confident Friday's target could be reached but he said nothing is guaranteed.
Wells said opening a week later than scheduled seems to have become common practice for Marble Mountain in recent years.
He attributes the delays to warmer weather caused by climate change.
