After things had looked so promising with the slopes 小蓝视频 groomed in November, much earlier than it had been for several years, by December 23 everyone was poised to begin another wonderful season at the Duck Mountain Ski Hill.
But the next day the temperatures plummeted, and the hill was forced to close on December 24 and remain closed to the end of the year, in effect forsaking some of the most lucrative days of the season for skiing, snowboarding and tubing.
鈥淲e were excited, thinking we鈥檇 be able to open early because of the great conditions,鈥� Craig Brock, manager, said last week, explaining that when the hill opened on December 23, it had opened with a base of between four and five inches covered with fresh powder.
While temperatures hovered at minus 30 degrees, the hill stayed closed, but was opened on January 1, 2 and 3, and again on January 6 and 7.
鈥淲e had a really good turnout each day, especially last weekend, Brock said.
The plan is to be open to the public each Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until the end of the season.
Getting ready for the season, staff had replaced the flax straw bales on the upper half of the tube run, which is part of the regular maintenance, allowing staff to bank snow easier and creating a big difference to the run.
鈥淥ur tube run is in prime shape, and generally conditions at the hill are excellent,鈥� he said.
On the weekend it was good to see a number of snowmobilers at the hill, he said. Some of the snowmobilers stop for lunch and a beverage, while others had brought children who went tubing.
The south fireguard trail has been cleared for snowmobile traffic so it鈥檚 easy for them to navigate their way to the hill, he said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still getting compliments on our menu and prices at the day lodge,鈥� he said, adding that having maintained the same staff as in previous seasons has provided continuity at the lodge and in its kitchen.
鈥淲e have nine or 10 people on staff on a busy weekend,鈥� he said.
Asked on January 10 about what effect the rain that fell on January 9 and immediately froze would have on the hill, Brock said he still not been at the hill to see if it had rained there.
鈥淚f there鈥檚 ice, we鈥檒l have to re-groom the slopes,鈥� he said.
Brock said the Little Ducks program, a series of five weeks of instruction as an introduction to skiing for children, will be starting this month. He encourages persons interested to keep an eye on the hill鈥檚 website at skitheduck.com.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been having a great response from schools booking the hill, he said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e also had several groups, birthday parties, tubing parties and family groups making reservations for the hill.
