The first snow has fallen across the region and ski areas are ramping up to open their slopes within a few weeks.
Many smaller ski areas across New York and Vermont will open in mid-December, but the larger resorts plan to open during the Thanksgiving weekend.
Even though it wasn’t a deep accumulation, the natural snowfall overnight Wednesday is boosting skier enthusiasm. Ski Areas of New York President Scott Brandi says it’s a great way to kick off the winter season.
“It really gets our skiers and riders pumped up. You know seeing it in your backyard is ‘seeing is believing’ you know and touching it and going for a walk in it. It’s like, ah, winter is here! And it inspires people. Those that have been putting off getting their skis and boards tuned or folks that have put off maybe getting a new helmet, all of a sudden people are inspired. It gets people geared up. The websites start to get a lot of hits. So we’re seeing a lot of activity in the last 48 hours with the cold weather.”
The National Weather Service map shows accumulations between 1 and 4 inches throughout most of northern New York and Vermont.
Brandi says ski areas rely on snowmaking and the natural snow helps kick off the season.
“Really what we need is simply cold weather to make snow. New York state has some of the most powerful and advanced snowmaking systems in the country and all we need is a few days of temperatures like we’ve had in the evening, you know down in the high teens and the low 20’s with low humidity and we can pump out our own snowstorm. And of course we groom it up and get it ready and it’s great skiing. But having natural snow and snow in the backyard, nothing like it.”
Ski Vermont spokesperson Bryan Rivard says snowmaking has moved into high gear as resorts prepare to open.
“We got a little bit of a slower start this season than we had hoped. But that turn in the weather came just in time and I think we’re looking really good for Thanksgiving and the ski areas are definitely ready to go. You know once those flakes really start flying that’s when everybody really starts to take notice ski season is here or right around the corner." Rivard adds, "I think we are seeing kind of at-average booking or above. A lot of those pre-sales are I would say filling up or getting really close to those first couple of days that an area would be open. With the Canadian border open and everything else kind of being back to normal we’re definitely still seeing that pent up demand and I think that’s definitely translating through to the resorts. Everyone’s not quite sold out or anything like that. But there’s a strong continuation of folks coming up to visit Vermont ski areas.”
Many medium and small ski areas in New York will not open until mid-December. Larger resorts target a late November opening, often near Thanksgiving. In Vermont Killington plans to open Thanksgiving weekend to host the Audi FIS Ski World Cup women’s competition. Other large Vermont resorts including Okemo, Stowe, Stratton, Sugarbush, Bolton Valley, Bromley, Jay Peak and Smugglers’ Notch plan to open before December.
