Published on : Saturday, February 8, 2014
Mt. Shasta Ski Park in Northern California saw barren slopes that were browner than white and the lodges remained empty in the peak seasons as there was hardly any snow. With people coming only during Christmas the region remained closed most winter
The operation manager of the zone was disturbed as the mountain was mostly closed due to no visitation as without snow winter sports could not be pursued. There wasn’t even two feet of snow in the region.
It’s been one of the driest years in the West that locals can remember, and two feet of snow isn’t expected to fall anytime soon.
Many small ski resorts in Northern California, Oregon and Idaho that typically open in December are still closed. It’s not only killing business on the slopes but also for the hotels, restaurants and bars that depend on tourists coming to town for winter activities.
The ski park fetched good amount of revenue for the state and the closure of the same is affecting the whole town. 69 fewer rooms were booked this January compared to last year.
Business is so slow and they only made $161 on Super Bowl Sunday. It has never been this dry since 1974.
It’s not just the skiers who suffered but local restaurants also had few turn outs. Dog sled races and tobogganing brought no visitors to the brewery.
Hotels, restaurants had to suffer as there was no snow in the region. Ski resorts are a huge source of jobs in their regions, so when they’re closed, it means even less money goes into the community. There are about 300 Mt. Shasta employees who are essentially laid off until it snows.
The locals hardly spend much to get the business going and estimate sales are down by 30% this season.
Although there are still a couple of months left in the ski season, the National Weather Service predicts the severe regional drought will persist and possibly intensify through at least April. If the dry spell creeps into the summer, that could mean forest fires, keeping campers and hikers away.
Tags: Mt. Shasta Ski Park, Northern California, ski
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