While two of the local ski resorts are throwing in the towel after a washout year, Grouse Mountain is hoping a recent snowfall will stretch out the season a little longer.
On Tuesday morning, Grouse received 14 centimetres of new snow in a 24-hour period and announced plans to keep its beginner area, Paradise Bowl, and adjacent snowboard park operational until further notice.
“We will remain open as long as conditions can be maintained, and do not have an anticipated closing date for our downhill area at this point,” said Grouse Mountain spokeswoman Jacqueline Blackwell.
Relying on its snow guns and trail grooming, Grouse has managed to stay open for 80 days of skiing and snowboarding since the season started on Nov. 15.
Despite the dismal conditions, Blackwell remained optimistic about next year.
“Meteorologists have indicated that the 2014/15 winter season has been an anomaly and we should expect to return to more seasonal winter conditions next season,” she said.
Seymour and Cypress mountains, meanwhile, conceded to Mother Nature on Tuesday.
“It’s been disappointing — for us as a mountain, and for our season passholders,” said Mount Seymour spokesman Simon Whitehead.
Whitehead was not sure if it’s the worst ski season on record, but said it has certainly been the most challenging.
Seymour and Cypress will both be compensating this year’s season passholders by applying credits of between 80 and 88 per cent towards next season’s pass, if bought by early bird deadlines.
Under Seymour’s passholder assurance policy, a one per cent credit is applied for every day under 100 days that both the Mystery Peak Express chair and Magic Carpet lift don’t open. This year, Seymour only met that benchmark 12 times.
“It is the fairest way of recognizing what people have spent on passes this season,” said Whitehead.
Cypress echoed the washout verdict on this year’s ski season. “We’re of course disappointed in the season overall and we recognize that the quality of the snow sports experience on many days was not the norm for Cypress Mountain,” read a statement on the ski resort’s website.
Cypress managed to keep its downhill area open for 84 days this year — most of those with partial hours.
