Slopes can’t fight Mother Nature

The recent warmer weather forced local ski hills to close down its slopes earlier than normal.

Loch Lomond Ski Area and Mt. Baldy Ski Area closed around the beginning of March, traditionally ending closer to April. The warmer winter weather also caused both hills to start late for the season.

Craig Spiess, owner and operator for Baldy, said despite what people might think the warmer weather helped to get people onto the slopes.

"It was a warm winter," Spiess said. "People were out here all the time. Although there was a lack of (real) snow, we still made a lot of (our own) snow. Once you go into December, it was pretty good skiing out here."

My. Baldy closed on March 8, which Spiess said, is early. Back in December, Spiess said they were making snow like crazy trying to get the bottom part of some hills ready for customers. At the time, Spiess said he didn’t consider it a late season unless there was no snow for the holidays.
"I don’t really consider this a late star," he said." If we didn’t have snow around the Christmas holidays, for the kids, then I would consider that would be more or less a late start. Right now it is now that bad."

The mountain received a snowfall of heavy, sticky snow that stayed for the most of the season. However, Mt. Baldy faces towards the sun and melts quickly. Spiess said people weren’t upset that he had to close early.

"If you buy a seasons pass and start right away in December by the time you get to March you’re pretty much baked, anyway," he said.

On the other side of the city, Loch Lomond announced its closure for the season on Friday. Ward Bond, owner of Loch Lomond Ski Area, said the hills were open for 106 days during the winter season but not all the slopes were available.

"Some of the skiers loved (the warmer weather) but we did lose some of the runs," Bond said. "We lost four runs."

Bond said the colder weather in December helped in making more snow. He said it was one of the better years because it was warm and had a good base of snow to keep some of the runs open.