Ski slopes this winter had some of their best snow in years, but record cold temperatures kept many skiers sheltered indoors. Now a cold March is allowing ski resorts to get a late-season boost to business.
This will be the last weekend of operation for Labrador Mountain, located south of Syracuse. Peter Harris, who owns Labrador and Song Mountains, says there will be a few more weekends to ski and ride at Song, which has a slightly deeper snowpack.
He says business all year has been about average, balancing the great snow with cold temps.
"So you take one with the other, but business has picked up in March," he said. "The skiing conditions have remained superb."
Toggenburg Mountain, south of Syracuse, is still open through the weekend. And Greek Peak, one of the area’s biggest resorts, is claiming good conditions in its daily snow reports.
"Nice skiing and riding. Wet this morning, snow flurries this afternoon. Colder for the weekend with snow flurries Saturday and sunshine on Sunday," the recording said Thursday morning.
The ski business is chronically a rollercoaster. "So depending on if the weather on the weekends is what makes or breaks the year," Harris said.
And winters are becoming more unpredictable, especially for lower elevation mountains like those in central New York. But Harris is an eternal optimist, saying he looks forward to great spring skiing conditions in April.