Ski Resorts Set To Weather Holidays Snow-Making Machines Helping Make White Christmas For Slopes

The word from Inland Northwest ski resorts: Hey, it could be worse up here.

Despite the most miserable early season snow conditions since 1989, ski areas are reporting reasonable snowpacks for the all-important holiday weekend.

Next week represents the ski industry’s biggest money-making time of year. Mother Nature hasn’t helped regional resorts, and the forecast doesn’t call for much help in the way of new snow.

The biggest victim of the snow drought has been Mt. Spokane Ski Area. Staffers there say the hill needs about seven more inches at the base of the mountain to make a go of it. It will remain closed until further notice.

In North Idaho, Silver Mountain Ski & Summer Resort will open about 40 percent of its terrain for holiday skiers. The resort has pumped 4.6 million gallons of water through its snow-making equipment, more than in the past four years combined, said David Kilmer, spokesman for the resort.

There’s about 28 inches of snow at mid-mountain, Kilmer said. That compares to 64 inches at the same time last year. “But we’re skiing on it. You just have to be careful where you go on the runs.”

Silver will run its Chair 5 today, which will open some more beginner and intermediate terrain for skiers who don’t want to try the steep stuff.

Lookout Pass near Mullan is open, but with less-than-ideal snow conditions. Lookout has 25 inches at the top and 15 inches at its base. Last year, the ski hill had more than 50 inches at the top.

Across the state line near Chewelah, 49 Degrees North has nicely groomed conditions, according to staff there. It’ll be open this weekend as well.

Schweitzer Mountain Resort looks a lot better than some people might think, said Bill Mullane, spokesman for the Sandpoint resort.

With 21 inches at mid-mountain and 44 at the top, the place is very skiable, Mullane said. The Green Gables Lodge is booked for the weekend.

Snow-making equipment has helped the ski area keep the ground around its ski lifts covered.

“The man-made stuff has a little denser feel to it compared to the real stuff,” Mullane said. “But casual skiers really can’t tell much of a difference.”

The heavy reliance on man-made powder this year makes North Idaho look more like the Northeast, where snow-making is an art form on the lower-altitude ski hills.

, DataTimes