Mount Washington Alpine Resort says it will reopen today following a two-day closure caused by heavy rain and warm temperatures that turned parts of the mountain from white to brown.
The resort said it’s reopening with “minimal terrain.”
The Whiskey Jack chair and magic carpets are expected to be running and some snowshoeing trails from Raven Lodge will be open, the resort said on its website.
More details about the exact terrain that opens will be provided in the resort’s report this morning, it said.
“It’s been a tough couple of days out here. There’s no doubt about it, but we’re putting Humpty Dumpty back together again,” an employee said in a video posted to its website.
The resort is hoping to reopen the Eagle chair, which services the top of the mountain, a tubing lane and cross-country ski trails on Saturday. Night skiing is expected to resume Saturday evening.
The resort was reporting light snow Thursday afternoon, a temperature of 2 C and a snowbase of 44 centimetres, down from 56 cm on Monday.
The resort’s webcams showed large patches of dirt and mud around the base of the Whiskey Jack chair and higher up the mountain Thursday afternoon. Grooming machines could be seen moving snow around.
Food services, retail and ski schools are set to resume regular operations today.
Vancouver’s North Shore ski resorts also closed Wednesday and remained closed Thursday. Mount Seymour said skiers and snowboarders should check today about a possible reopening, while the other two said they would be closed today.
B.C.’s ski resorts are struggling to continue operations in a season marked by low snowfall, blamed in part on the El Niño weather phenomenon, which brings warmer-than-average temperatures and less precipitation.
Mount Timothy in Lac La Hache in the B.C. Interior made the decision not to open at all this season, citing a lack of snow and a forecast of persistent warmth. The resort announced the decision on Jan. 24, about a month after the typical opening date.
— with a file from The Canadian Press
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