White Hills enjoys successful season
Clarenville ski hill opened Feb. 10 and is scheduled to close April 7
Matt Garvin considers himself lucky that the ups and downs he experienced at White Hills Ski Resort this winter were on the lifts and slopes and not at the whims of the weather.
The ski season is coming to a close, and it was a volatile one weather-wise at the Clarenville ski hill.
The slopes didn't open until Feb. 10 as the resort waited for enough natural snow and the right temperatures and winds to make artificial snow to create skiable conditions.
Once skiing began, there were many days when snowstorms, high winds or rain kept the resort from opening.
On some days, even with the hill open, the weather may have proved a deterrent for anyone who had to travel any great distance to get to Clarenville.
'GREAT DAYS'
Garvin, who is an assistant Canadian Ski Patrol leader at White Hills, has made the trip from his home in Pouch Cove to be on the slopes just about every weekend.
His schedule worked out so that he managed to avoid most of the closures when he did have the time to go skiing.
“We started later than we wanted and it’s been a short season, but the conditions have been great the days we’ve been able to open,” Garvin said.
“There has been lots of terrain opened and pretty good snowpack. It’s holding up pretty well as we go towards the end of the season.”
Conditions were “phenomenal” during the St. Patrick’s Day weekend, he added.
VARIABLE WEATHER WAS EXPECTED
Marke Dickson, general manager of White Hills, has been in the skiing industry for 31 years and knows all about how unpredictable the conditions can be from season to season and from day to day.
He wasn't surprised with this season’s variability, given that it’s an El Niño year and such a climate pattern tends to produce milder-than-average weather.
“It sort of wobbles the jet stream and causes the storm track to change,” explained Dickson.
“I think it has done everything we expected it to do.
“We knew we were going to have a more volatile weather season than normal and it’s proven to be that way, but we have been quite pleased with how well the season has tracked.”
IT ALL WORKED OUT
The number of days White Hills has been able to operate so far is down by around 30 per cent from last winter, but Dickson said the volume of skiers has been considerably higher.
“Looking at around midmarch, we were exactly where we were last year, which was a good season for White Hills Resort,” he noted.
“The prospects for the rest of the month are looking strong, considering the weather might be settling down a little bit.”
Dickson would not provide more precise numbers but said there have been days this past winter when White Hills saw daily visitor bumps of as much as 20 to 25 per cent on comparable days to last season.
“For us, that’s an excellent result and I think when you look at revenues, in particular, it will be a good, successful season, which will put us in a good position as we work through the summer and prepare for the next one.”
‘BACK ON THE MAP’
The increased numbers could be due to a number of factors, including more people getting into skiing or the regulars making sure they get out on the days they can during the short season.
Last year, White Hills was the winner of the Mackenzie Top Peak contest, an online competition that earned the resort $100,000 in prize money to help enhance the guest experience and attract more visitors.
“I think the promotion and excitement of that put White Hills back on the map,” said Dickson.
“There was a lot of community enthusiasm around Clarenville and in St. John’s for that competition. People worked hard, joined together and drove it online to win that money.
“It will be interesting to see the developments that will result from that seed fund of $100,000.”
OTHER HELP
While White Hills uses the revenue it generates to cover its operations, it does get financial help in excess of $1 million from both the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the provincial government to be put toward enhancements for the future of the facility.
That, said Dickson, involves off-season work on the hill’s terrain to make it hold and keep more natural snow, so less artificial snow is required.
The work on the runs also involves brush-cutting, smoothing out holes and removing large boulders to make the slopes more userfriendly and able to open with less snow needed to cover such obstacles.
“How do we work with what Mother Nature provides and, if it’s going to be a lean snow year, how do we maximize the terrain available is the focus,” said Dickson.
“We are also looking at how we can increase the efficiency of our snowmaking and use less energy by making less and running our system less.”
'MORE BEGINNERFRIENDLY'
The government funding has also helped enhance the offerings available at the rental shop and do marketing, including online shopping, to lure more visitors.
Garvin said the terrain work done so far has helped skiers of all skill levels and he hopes that continues.
“The changes made some of the beginner terrain more accessible and the brushcutting meant we have more time on the advanced terrain than in previous years because it didn’t take as much snow to fill it in,” he explained.
“So, White Hills is now more beginner-friendly and more fun for advanced skiers.”
“I’d love to see them now invest more in snowmaking to try and get the season started a little bit earlier.”
CLOSING SOON
White Hills is set to remain open until its scheduled closing date of April 7.
The hill will remain open all week long until Sunday, March 24, after which it will only operate from Wednesday to Sunday.
Like at any ski hill in Canada, Dickson said, most people start to turn their minds to other things after the Easter holiday and ski visits drop off too dramatically to make it feasible to stay open longer, no matter how great conditions might be.
Garvin, who also volunteers with the ski patrol whenever he visits Marble Mountain in western Newfoundland, hopes to get there every day he can and encourages others to do the same.
“Our ski season is getting shorter and shorter every year,” said Garvin. “So, when the hill is open, get after it because if you wait until later, the end of the season comes up quickly. … I think more people should realize what a gem we have in White Hills.”