Wachusett Praying For A Cold Snap

Wachusett Praying For A Cold Snap Snowmaking guns ready to blast if temperature drops

+ click to enlarge News staff photo by DONEEN DURLING The slopes are being prepared for snow guns as the pond water is fountain-cooled for best results. Doneen Durling News Correspondent PRINCETON Even though there was no snow on Friday, by Sunday, there should be enough snow on the slopes of Wachusett Mountain Ski Area to dress the mountain in its Christmas glory. Carolyn Crowley Stimpson, one of the owners and operators of Wachusett Mountain, said that even though winter has not hit the slopes Santa Claus will be visiting the mountain on Sunday, Dec. 20. Santa is due to be delivered by helicopter at 1 p.m. sharp at the ski lodge. And she’s hoping the weather will cooperate enough so the ski area can do some good snowmaking. “A point of confusion for many of our guests is they don’t know that it has to be freezing to make snow,” she explained. She pointed to a fountain flowing in the center of the pond at the base of the mountain. “Do you know we do that to lower the temperature of the pond so the ambient air will actually decrease the temperature of the water. We are trying to do whatever possible to try and make snow whenever we can.” Because there have been few nights in the past three weeks below freezing, there have only been short windows of time to make snow. “We do have low temps tonight for a bit, and tomorrow night is looking better,” she said. Ms. Stimpson is optimistic about the Christmas break even though the forecast is warm. “We have a Christmas club, and we have plans to make sure their experience is a great one.” She said there will be skiing and hiking. The children will get to use a new “magic carpet” tube lift located just below a trail that will take them to Bullock Lodge, the original rock building. “Kids don’t usually get to see Bullock Lodge because it is on challenging terrain,” she said. “I’ll get Al from Red Apple Farm to come over with his cider doughnuts and hot cider for them, so then they get a little history as well as some treats.” The kids will also get to see something left over from the ice age. “We are going to have them hike over to the Balance Rock, which they never get to see because it is in the woods and you are not allowed to ski there. It is not a big hike at all, but it will be a really cool adventure.” Ms. Stimpson said there will be things for the kids to participate in throughout the week. “There will be scavenger hunts, movies and other games. We are going to do stuff for the parents as well.” Ms. Stimpson said that as soon as the temps go down, the mountain could open one trail per night. “We can just keep chugging along and getting more terrain open.” One snow gun can make a school bus worth of snow in an evening. The snow is usually kept about a foot deep as a base. “In the past couple of weeks we’ve been serving up, I’ve been calling them Trump-like conditions, because we have been doing the comb over. The thing that is amazing is our guests are so happy just to be out that they are completely patient and enthusiastic. ... Sometimes they go over the mud, but they are so thrilled.” Ms. Stimpson said that there are 380 Wachusett Old Time Skiers that come to the mountain for an annual lunch. They still ski down the mountain. She said the oldest member is almost 100. “The oldest member gets a season pass,” she said. “They shuffle their way in, and then they get on the slopes. Gravity is a beautiful thing. You just get out of the way. They are here every day.” Even though last year was “colder than a witch’s heart” and delivered a snow overload, people from Boston were snowed in, and didn’t make it much to the mountain. There is hope that Mother Nature will allow the perfect setting for those that ski and snowboard. Festivities will begin Sunday at 11 a.m. There will be a showing of the movie “Polar Express,” and activities for children and adults throughout the day. For conditions go to www.wachusett.com.