Cold weather stopping skiers, snowboarders

PRINCE ALBERT - PRINCE ALBERT - The Little Red River ski and snowboard hills are looking a little bare these days.

With a late start to the season due to a burst pipe, warmer weather at the start of the season and a cold snap that last for nearly two weeks, the hill has seen only seven days of operation since it opened on Dec. 15.

According to ski and snowboard hill manager Brian Gaetz, the hill has to shut down operations if the temperature falls below -25C or -35C with wind chill.

"It's been quiet," he said. "In the 19 years we've been open, this is the latest we've opened."

Gaetz said the hill is freshly groomed each day in case the weather holds up and the patrons show, but the lack of people at the hill is already taking a toll on the hill's profits.

"This is definitely the worst so far," he said. "Usually I do 150 season passes, but this year I'm hoping to do 50."

Deborah McKay, manager of the Cosmo Lodge at Little Red, said they are doing better on the sledding hill, but admits the cold weather is taking a toll on them too.

"It's OK," she said. "It usually depends on the snowboarding hills to be open, and when it's so cold he doesn't open, so lots of the kids aren't out here."

Because the tobogganing area is not monitored the same way as the ski and snowboard hills, they have remained open in the face of the extreme cold, despite the closure of the ski and snowboarding hills.

McKay holds out hope that the school break in February, as well as the remaining winter weekends, will make up for the slow start they faced this month.

"Everything just depends on the weather," she said. "As long as the weather's good, it'll be busy."