Snow machines are on at Wapiti Valley Ski Area. (Wapiti Valley Ski and Board Resort/Facebook)

By Alison Sandstrom

Winter sports

Local ski hills prep for season with help from snowstorm

Nov 19, 2020 | 1:02 PM

The recent snow dump is being welcomed by local ski hills, but officials at two of the region’s largest say it won’t be enough to open early.

“You know we had a foot of snow, by the time you pack that down you’ve got two or three inches on the ground,” Table Mountain General Manager Lawrence Blouin told paNOW. “Which is not nearly enough to be able to ski or snowboard on.”

Blouin said the ski hill, which is located just outside North Battleford, had initially hoped to open Dec. 5, but mild temperatures have inhibited snowmaking and the target date has been pushed back to Dec. 12.

One to two feet of packed snow are needed before the hill can open, Blouin said.

Meanwhile Wapiti Valley Ski Area north of Melfort is still shooting for their usual target opening date during the first weekend in December, with snow machines churning out the white stuff.

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“The snow that’s [fallen] is great, but we still need to make a lot of snow for us to open,” Lisa Olsen, Wapiti Valley snow school director said.

The Kinsmen Ski and Snowboard Centre at Little Red River Park in Prince Albert did not immediately respond to request for comment on Thursday, but is aiming to open Dec. 1 according to their Facebook page.

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom