Area ski resorts working night and day to make snow due to warmer temperatures
VERNON, N.J. -- The warmer weather may be nice to step out in, but for ski resorts in our area it means extra work to keep slopes open.
There is an incredible view of the slopes on a downhill run at the Mountain Creek Ski Resort in Vernon. CBS2's cameras showed just how thick the snow is.
Due to the warmer temperatures, the area has had no snow, so it takes a lot of work to keep the mountain packed.
Crews work night and day to pump out snow from machines to make it look like normal.
"We've been making snow the past four nights this week and it's a complicated system and requires highly trained people. We're pumping snow throughout system of pipes, along with air, and that's creating snow on trails," Mountain Creek general manager Evan Kovach said.
The ski resort has about 700 machines. Each takes water from a lake on top of the hill and pumps through a compressor where the snow comes out.
"We had some warm temperatures in the past couple of weeks, but because of what the men and women who work here do on the mountain, they keep things in great shape for guests," Kovach said.
He said machine-made snow is more resilient than natural snow, and that they make it every chance they get.
But to do so costs resorts money. Places like Mountain Creek fare better because slopes sit at a high elevation, so it gets colder there.
"I feel very bad for the people who put hard work to keep this place contrary to whatever the climate gives us," said Veronica Gheti of Fort Lee.
"Any day here is good," another skier said.
On a weekday, when the resort sees smaller crowds, skiers love the warm temperatures. They can wear lighter clothes while they enjoy two peaks and more than 20 trails.
"It's getting pretty smooth out there, but as it warms up it with the fake snow it actually works to our advantage," said Debonaire Rustick of Sayreville.
There are also other things to do at Mountain Creek, including sitting at a fire pit or eating at lodge restaurants.
But one 4-year-old said she would rather be hitting the snow and quickly went showed CBS2 her moves.
The ski resort is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day and it even has twilight skiing.
A Mountain Creek spokesperson said despite the warm temperatures and no snow, revenues are up. The resort will remain open through mid-March.