WESTON, Mo. — Staff at Snow Creek in Weston, Missouri, say creating a winter wonderland in the Midwest takes grit.
With the fluctuating temperatures, it can be an uphill battle for snow-making conditions.
"We can’t fight Mother Nature," said Brandon James, manager of skier services at Snow Creek.
These temps are like skiing — downhill, and James said staff just has to go with it.
"We will have these really, really cold temps for a short period of time, and all of a sudden it can switch to a warm day, so we have to be strategic in how we push out the snow," he said.
James and his crew were able to open up the ski hill three weeks earlier than last ski season, and it's cause for celebration.
"It's just fun after you wait a whole year to finally be able to ski again. Even if it's a little park, it's good," Luke Sonatra said. "It looks like they are making the most of it with this not-so-great weather."
Nell French is still learning the ropes but was excited to be at Snow Creek on Tuesday.
"I'm a beginner; to me, it's exciting," she said. "Every turn is exciting — I like being unplugged."
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With the reality of warmer temps, taking advantage now is key.
"We may have to pause operations shortly after opening, but as those temps drop in January and February, we will make every opportunity to cover the terrain," James said.
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For riders like Kathryne and Elizabeth, it's about getting those turns in.
"It's a tiny bit like skateboarding except you're on a mountain," Kathryne said. "Also, it's cold at first. I feel confident mostly. It's like freedom."
Snow Creek believes there will be more of that this winter as they open up the bowl, more lifts and tubing.
"If everything aligns, we can cover the full terrain In as little as 72 hours," James said. "Anytime it's below 27 degrees, we will make as much snow as possible, but we know warm weather is coming up we will store that snow in big piles."
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