Weather Makes Eastern Areas Get Creative

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22 December 2015

Push to The Latest: No

SAM Magazine—Dover, Vt., Dec. 22, 2015—With the reality of this mild start to the winter in much of the eastern half of the continent sinking in, a handful of resorts are embracing it.

Operating summer attractions during Christmas week may not be something any resort had in the plan, but Blue Mountain, Ontario, reopened a host of “green season” activities to keep guests active and entertained through the holiday. The ropes course, mini putt course, Wind Rider triple zip lines, and a climbing wall have all reopened. The resort also has one chairlift open to the summit—only the passengers are wearing shoes rather than skis and boards. For the kids, Blue Mountain is bringing its Burton Riglet Park indoors “so that little riders can still get ready for when the snow does arrive.”

Other options include free family activities such as guided hikes, movie nights, family yoga, and scavenger hunts. Blue is offering its season passholders 50 percent off all green season attractions.

In New Hampshire, a number of resorts are bringing back a little bit of summer, too.

Cranmore plans to reopen a variety of warm-weather activities including its bungee trampoline, climbing wall, aerial ropes course, and kid's ropes course Dec. 26–Jan. 3. Mount Sunapee is also reopening its aerial challenge course along with its canopy tour zip line, big air gravity jump, and mini golf course. It sounds like a carnival at Loon, thanks to the reopening of its bungee trampoline, zip lines, and bounce house along with face painting and balloon animals for kids.

“Life's a Beach” at Ragged Mountain, N.H. The resort is offering $19 lift tickets and free learn to ski or snowboard lessons through Jan. 1, both in limited quantities each day to “keep lift lines and trails flowing smoothly.” As incentive for skiers and riders to dress for the weather—and the season— anyone wearing a Hawaiian shirt or a Santa suit will get a bounceback coupon for a half price lift ticket later in the year.

Spokesperson Tyler DeVaux said, “There's no such thing as bad skiing or riding—some is just better than others—so we are making the best of the less than ideal snow conditions with a bit of fun and some unbelievably great deals.” He added, “The trail count might be limited right now, but the fun doesn't have to be.”

Mount Snow, Vt., will debut one of its new summer activities a little earlier than expected. It's offering rounds of Frisbee golf during the holiday week. And guests can get a head start on their New Years resolutions on Dec. 29 by running in the free “Jingle All the Way 5k.”

Meanwhile, in the Southeast, cold temps returned over the weekend, and 10 resorts from West Virginia to North Carolina were able to open—or reopen—for skiing and riding after none in the region were open a week ago.

More resorts in the East are getting resourceful in response to this winter weather slump. That's a good thing for vacationers who will still be traveling, but might not be spending much time on snow. It's a safe bet that fond memories will still be made, thanks some creative thinking by resort operators.