Saskatchewan ski hills on schedule to welcome people to the slopes

The rumble of snow machines is music to the ears of Saskatchewan’s ski hill managers.

Many ski hills across the province are expected to open soon, with snow making well underway and the winter storm that hit the province over the weekend providing an extra boost.

Lawrence Blouin, general manager of Table Mountain Regional Park, said crews need about 12 days of snow making, working 24 hours a day, to get the slopes ready for the season.

“We’ll be open here in December for sure,” Blouin said. “It’s looking a lot better than it was last year.”

Blouin said an opening day hasn’t yet been decided on for the hill about 30 kilometres west of North Battleford.

Maxine Tebbe, the general manager of Optimist Hill in Saskatoon, said her crews began making snow just over a week ago.

“With these cold temperatures, it is making piles and piles and piles of snow,” she said.

“What Mother Nature gave us on the weekend definitely helped out a lot with where our snow guns don’t reach.”

Optimist Hill is welcoming skiers to the slope this Saturday.

Anders Svenson, the business manager of Mission Ridge Winter Park, said the latest snowfall brought an awesome base of natural snow to work with.

Svenson said the long term forecast looks great to stay on track to hopefully opening in early December. (Saint Mike/ Mission Ridge Winter Park Facebook)