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Wrapping Up the Ski Season

SCRANTON — The warm temperatures and lack of snow has made for a challenging winter at ski resorts. Some resorts have already closed for the season. In a ...
warm ski

SCRANTON -- The warm temperatures and lack of snow has made for a challenging winter at ski resorts. Some resorts have already closed for the season.

In a normal winter, we get a few feet of snow in the WNEP Backyard and also on Montage Mountain. This year, Montage and other resorts have had to make just about all its snow just to have a season. Now the task is to save what they have to keep the season going.

After the warmest winter in over a century, ski resorts in our area are breathing a sigh of relief knowing that they made it through the season.

"What we were given was just an unpredictable weather on shuffle kind of season. It was a challenge to say the least, but we made it through," said Tyler Crawford, Montage Mountain.

Montage Mountain in Scranton opened January 7, four to five weeks later than a normal season. That's all thanks to Mother Nature, and the unseasonably warm temperatures throughout the winter.

"That was the killer in the beginning, but once we opened in January we were about 100 percent open in about three weeks and we were able to get in a pretty good season. Though it was short, it was great."

The resort will have its last day on Saturday, with its annual Mountain Fest. While the slopes won't be 100 percent open, management says the end of the season is right on track.

In an effort to save what's left at ski resorts, places like Jack Frost are closing during the week in hopes that skiers and riders can still make it out over the weekend.

Jack Frost Mountain near White Haven opened for the season about a month later than normal. Employees say despite that they had a great season.

"Once the weather kicked in, it was cold enough. We were able to make snow and we were able to be open for the whole winter which is great, and you know with the rough start, it was kind of hard," said Heather Schiffbauer, Jack Frost/Big Boulder.

Big Boulder in Kidder Township is the only ski resort in our area that will be open during the week. Others plan to open just for the weekend.

Employees say right now they can only hope for a few changes next season.

Montage Mountain and resorts in the Poconos plan to open again over the weekend, of course, that is if the weather this week cooperates.

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