Skiing weather has been like a “roller-coaster” this season, says Sugarloaf Provincial Park manager Greg Dion.
Weather conditions in the Campbellton region, close to where the park is located, have been “up and down,” Dion said.
“But fortunately, through all that, we were able to find some time where it was sub-zero temperatures to make some snow, to make enough snow that we were able to open for skiing.
Sugarloaf and New Brunswick’s other ski areas are preparing for the all-important holiday season, and as always, have their eyes on the weather.
Sugarloaf opened on Saturday with three trails to start. The turnout wasn’t great, Dion said, but the conditions were “actually pretty good,” considering recent warm temperatures and rain.
The ski area was able to open earlier last year — and with more natural snow and open trails, he said.
“We need quite a bit of snow for the rest of the mountain, where we can’t make man-made snow, to be able to open more trails,” said Dion. “So Mother Nature here, she’s going to start to hopefully give us a nice Christmas present with a couple feet of snow soon.”
This may be in doubt now. A storm is expected to hit the Maritimes beginning late Friday, bringing heavy rain and warmer temperatures, according to CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon.
Jordan Cheney, the general manager of Crabbe Mountain in Central Hainesville near Fredericton, said they are still on track to open the hill on Friday.
He said it isn’t odd to have a green Christmas, but with the snow from the past weekend, Cheney said, Crabbe has about a foot of snow on the ground, along with “decent snowmaking weather.”
“Our best marketing is snow in peoples’ backyards,” Cheney said. “Until you see that white stuff on the ground, it’s hard to make people aware of what we are able to do in cold temperatures.”
He said their timing for opening this year is “pretty standard.” Sometimes it’s earlier, but Cheney said anywhere between the first and third week of December is normal.
Important time of year
With opening day on track, Cheney is pleased, since he said the business the hill gets from the holiday season is huge.
Between the two weeks of no school for kids and time off taken by families, he said, not being able to open at this time of year could have a “significant impact” on Crabbe Mountain.
“Fifteen to 20 per cent of our season is wrapped up in Christmas break.”
Dion said the holiday break is the “busiest two weeks in the entire season.” He said it represents almost a third of their total skier visits for the season.
He said it’s crucial to be open and operational for the holidays.
“Not only that, when people ski at Christmas, they’re in the mood, they’re into skiing, they’re coming outside and enjoying winter and then that continues throughout the rest of the season,” said Dion.
“So it sets the tone for the season really.”
Poley Mountain in the Sussex area plans to open on Thursday, according to its website, but the operators did not answer phone calls Tuesday
Centre plein air Mont Farlagne near Edmundston has been open since Dec. 9, according to its website.
With files from Lars Schwarz
This story was originally published in CBC News on Dec. 20, 2022.
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