After what was a slow start in November, attendance has been picking up at Table Mountain Regional Park outside the Battlefords.
The Christmas-to-New Year’s holiday period was an active one. Table Mountain outside operations manager Dave Cashmore confirms that period was busy in terms of attendance.
While no historic attendance records were set, he said, it was the busiest it had been so far this season.
“Boxing Day was very busy for us,” said Cashmore, and he said the slopes were again teeming the following day as skiers, snowboarders and others took advantage of balmy temperatures and no wind.
He said the last week of Christmas break, in general, was “really good for us. Lots of people started to come out, because we’re all done our snowmaking now, so everything’s open.”
The pickup in attendance is most welcome after what was a very late start to the ski season.
November had been dry throughout the Northwest, with either no snow or very little of it for most of the month. But that was not the only problem, Cashmore explains.
“We didn’t have the temperatures we usually get to make snow,” Cashmore said.
Table Mountain uses about 40 snow guns — basically sprayer nozzles that produce enough snow to cover the slopes. But temperatures need to be cold enough for that equipment to actually produce the snow.
Usually, Cashmore noted, there is a stretch around Remembrance Day when they can make snow. But conditions this past fall were simply too mild.
“It was a nice long fall to be working outside, but not for making snow.”
There were a couple of nights in November when they were finally able to make snow, he said, but they really were not able to make snow again on a consistent basis until Dec. 13 or 14.
From that point on, they were able to go straight through until Christmas Eve, when they shut down for Christmas. They started up again Dec. 27 to touch up the runs, and finished up on Dec. 29.
“All our snow is made for the year,” said Cashmore.
Now that snow is on the ground, the hope is that the continued mild winter temperatures will hold up and produce enthusiastic attendance at Table Mountain.
A cold snap was expected this weekend and Cashmore expected that would hurt attendance somewhat, but temperatures and attendance is expected to pick up again after that.
“Historically, the last number of years, actually our Januarys have been fairly warm,” said Cashmore.
“So hopefully, yeah, it’s going to start bringing people out and get them out skiing again and enjoying the weather and enjoying what we’ve got out here.”
