The science of snowmaking has come a long way, but one thing has not changed — the need for sub-freezing temperatures.

Lacking that, ski mountains throughout the southeast have yet to open this year, causing a ripple effect of economic uncertainty in towns that depend on ski areas for winter tourism business.

“Like Tony (Waddell), we’re praying for cold weather,” said Linda Nash, executive director of the Maggie Valley Chamber of Commerce.

That may come later this week, with some weather experts predicting temperatures in the low to mid-20s Wednesday (Dec. 19) and Thursday night.

If it happens this week or next, Waddell will be ready. He is the manager of Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley, the region’s largest ski mountain. Cataloochee has been on a three-year improvement plan, adding a quad lift and triple chair lift, upgrading snowmaking capability, and improving its lodge. Waddell has also opened, in conjunction with Cataloochee, Tony’s Tube World, a tubing park at the base of the mountain.

Now, with ski guns placed strategically along its slopes, Waddell is waiting for cold weather.

“As soon as we can get some sustained 26 to 30 degree temperatures, we’re are ready to go,” he said last week.

For Waddell and the other larger ski mountains, natural snow is nice but not necessary. It is cold temperatures, at least in the high 20s, that are critical.

“If I can get one night of 26-degree temperatures, I can get two lifts open,” said Waddell.

Cataloochee would have liked to open the week of Dec. 10, said Waddell. But like other Southeastern mountains, the temperatures just have not cooperated. According to the Mountain Research Station in Waynesville, which keeps records for the National Weather Service, the average low temperature in November was 47 degrees, the average high 73. According to the weather.com website, the historical average low for November is 33 degrees and the historical average high is 58.

Research Station records showed that November had unusually large temperature variations during many days. On Nov. 22, for example, the high was 59 and the low 17 (the coldest recorded temperature of the month. Other ranges included one day when it was 19 for a low and 68 for high.

The recorded low so far for December is 25 degrees. The high is 72 degrees. The average high for December is 50 degrees and the average low is 26 degrees.

Jeff Smith, who owns the Jonathan Creek Inn, said last week was the slowest in the six years he has owned the business.

“It is always slow this time of the year, but this has been the worst,” said Smith.

But Smith attributed that to more than just the lack of snow. He said Maggie Valley hotels have likely been affected by the closure of U.S. 441 through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is being repaired. (The road will open from Dec. 22-Jan. 2 for the holidays, park officials have said.)

“Lots of people come over from Tennessee, so that’s part of it,” said Smith.

While early December is slow, Smith said business usually picks up around the holidays as skiers flock to Maggie Valley.

“Christmas is usually the busy part of the winter season,” he said.

Nash said many people have been calling the Maggie Valley Chamber office, asking about ski conditions.

“We are definitely getting a lot of calls, so it shows people are planning to come,” said Nash.

Meanwhile, Waddell has his guns pointed toward a green slope, ready to cover it in snow. Once he can get an initial four inches on the slope, then the snow guns can blow when temperatures are as warm as 30 degrees.

“We’ll just be ready and take it whenever it comes,” said Waddell.

 

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The Smoky Mountain News