Cannonsburg Ski Area is prepped and ready to go for this winter season. However, mother nature hasn`t exactly been cooperative for the first weekend in December.
“This is one of our cart guns. These are the portable units that we have. We also have fixed units across the hill,” says Marc Moline, Cannonsburg’s Marketing Manager. He’s counting on the advanced snow making system they invested in about two years ago to get their season off the ground. “We have 100 plus feet of hose we can run to give us even coverage across the slopes,” says Marc.
The sticking point to firing up the guns now is the weekend’s warm temperatures. For the guns to be effective, the mercury needs to drop to the sweet spot on the thermometer. “Give us 28 degrees, and uh, a decent looking long-term forecast and we`ll be sure to make it happen for everyone,” says Marc.
The current forecast brings back memories of 2011’s mild winter.
“Last year we had kind of a crazy season because we were open on and off,” says Ondrea Postma, The Shop at Cannonsburg`s Soft Goods Manager. “We definitely had some issues as far as getting stuff out and not 50% off the whole time, so , it was kind of tricky for sure.”
Although the temps are delaying the slopes from opening on the traditional first weekend of December, the shop is offering deals.
“We actually have a countdown to Christmas deal which is Saturday our kickoff, and that`s going to be a new deal every day, 20% off or more,” says Ondrea.
For those of you who are dying to grab your board or your skis, you might have to be patient, but not for much longer, about 2 more weeks.” Currently we`re shooting for the 15th”, says Marc.
Marc says the weekend’s warm temps could just be a blip on the radar for their season, but their machines are ready if it’s not.
“As soon as we get past this warming trend we`re having over the weekend and get rid of those 50 plus degree highs and get back down into some normal winter-like conditions, every opportunity we get we`ll be firing them up,” says Marc.
Again, Cannonsburg Ski Area hopes to open on the 15th, but if they hit that 28 degree temperature mark earlier, they will open sooner than that.
