| October 21, 2008 Winter can't come soon enough for skiers in Vermont
|
(Anya Huneke, NECN: West Dover, VT) - All you need is a little patch of snow- and they will come. At least that's the story at one ski resort in Vermont that has already started making snow. And while it's not much it's enough to generate a crowd, which makes for a good start to what ski areas hope won't be a bad season, thanks to the economy.
In West Dover, Vermont Monday, it was a warm, sunny, fall day... Perfect weather for a t-shirt...
It's still about a month until the state's skiing and riding season gets underway... But this die-hard crowd is on its own schedule.
Barb Marshall\Pittsfield VT "We're not skiers if we don't come do it.”
Willing to travel hundreds of miles... for a few hundred feet of snow.
Merrick Williams\Pawtucket, RI "It takes me 3 hours drive up."
Alecia Baldino "We were like- we're definitely going.""We were so pumped to come up here.""We were so excited- like it's October and there's already snow.""We're not used to that at all- it's totally new."
It's also new for Mount Snow... Which invested in new-technology fan guns this year- giving it the most in North America.
So when nighttime temperatures began dipping below freezing this past weekend... The resort seized the opportunity.
Luke Stafford\Communications Mgr, Mt Snow "If we can blow it in October, why not?"
While nighttime temperatures right now are perfect for snow-making .. daytime temperatures are not so great
for maintaining the snow... not that anyone around here is really complaining about the conditions.
Bob Legere\Templeton, MA "It's absolutely fabulous- it's a beautiful day, a little snow..."
Although this terrain park is open free of charge for now, Mt. Snow - and the rest of the ski industry - head into the new season with the sluggish economy on their minds.
Luke "It's definitely a concern. We do what we can here to save money."
One of the ways, communications manager Luke Stafford says, is through energy efficiency-- the new fan guns run on electricity instead of diesel fuel.
Luke "So we're eliminating about 200,000 gallons of fuel- so we're saving a lot of money there."
While ski areas are trying to save money, though .. So are skiers...
...Which could mean skier visits will drop.
but Jen Butson of the Vermont ski areas association doesn't expect that to happen- at least not in this area, since the state's resorts rely heavily on the drive market.
Jen Butson\Ski Vermont "There's a 350 mile bubble- that's one tank of gas. That means 80 million people - who I call our dear neighbors - can get here on one tank of gas."
So far Mount Snow's season pass sales are up over last year... Which suggests more people are planning ahead-- looking to lock in a deal... And stay close to home for the winter...
And for some, winter can't come soon enough.
Play video
