Lack of snow delays opening for nordic skiing in Vernon | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Vernon News

Lack of snow delays opening for nordic skiing in Vernon

The Silver Star Mountain Resort village is more green than white today, Nov. 10, 2016.
Image Credit: Silver Star Mountain Resort webcam

VERNON - It just wasn’t meant to be.

Silver Star Mountain Resort and Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre planned to open cross country skiing trails today, Nov. 10, but a lack of snow means things will have to wait.

Sovereign Lake is aiming to open a week from now, on Nov. 17, but there are no guarantees, according to Frances Weeks, with the centre. 

“I’m afraid it’s all green right now,” she says of the view from the main lodge.

While there is some snow on the uppermost trails, much of the trail system remains bare.

“We’ll need a couple days of good snow before we can open,” Weeks says. “Please do your best snow dance.”

Last year was considered an unusually late opening, but with the average being mid-to-late November, things are still on track this year.

Silver Star Mountain has also pushed its nordic opening to Nov. 17, weather permitting. Marketing manager Kristy Jahn-Smith says they’ve groomed some higher elevation trails but are still lacking snow lower down.

The hope right now is for some precipitation and cool temperatures.

“A couple degrees can make the difference in snow sticking,” Jahn-Smith says.

That’s important, particularly because the resort doesn’t make any snow.

“We’re really proud of that, actually,” Jahn-Smith says. “We’ve been using the tag line, ‘call us old-fashioned, but our snow still falls from the sky.’”

The resort is targeting a Nov. 24 opening for downhill skiing.

You can check up to date snow conditions for Silver Star here.

To follow the progress at Sovereign Lake, visit them online or call the snow phone at 250-260-5335 for a recording of current conditions.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston or call 250-309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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News from © iNFOnews, 2016
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