Ohio weather giving ski resorts the cold shoulder. Just 2 of 5 are open

Craig Webb, Akron Beacon Journal
·2 min read
Snowmakers run Tuesday afternoon at Snow Trails. The snow guns pump more than 4,000 gallons of water a minute from the ski resort's holding pond to get the slopes ready for the season.
Snowmakers run Tuesday afternoon at Snow Trails. The snow guns pump more than 4,000 gallons of water a minute from the ski resort's holding pond to get the slopes ready for the season.

It's been a rocky start to Ohio's snow ski season.

Many of the state's ski resorts have yet to open for the season.

And those that have opened have had fits making enough man-made snow to keep a limited number of slopes open.

Mother Nature has not cooperated with warm temperatures and not much snow.

Even the large storm predicted to dump snow on the East Coast over the weekend is expected to have little, if any, snowy impact on Ohio.

Another storm brewing for next week is expected to heavy rain and high winds rather than snow.

But there is a slight glimmer of hope as cooler overnight temperatures are expected after the storm system passes.

What Ohio ski resorts are open?

Snow Trails in Mansfield did open for the season but suspended operations right after Christmas.

The resort reopened Friday and plans to resume normal hours next week.

"Our snowmakers and snow groomers have been taking advantage of every opportunity to blanket the resort in the best possible snow conditions, despite limited windows of snowmaking hours," the resort said.

Visitors are advised to bring along goggles and face coverings as they may have to resort to making snow during operating hours.

Boston Mills in Peninsula − celebrating 60 years − opened just before Christmas and has been able to keep a couple runs open.

The Vail Resort's sister resort Brandywine just down the road has yet to open for the season.

Vail spokesperson Pamela Hoye said the company's other Northeast Ohio resort Alpine Valley in Munson Township has not yet opened for the season.

And Vail's Mad River Mountain in Zanesfield plans to welcome skiers for the first time this season on Saturday.

"We have an amazing team in place at all of our resorts, and are enthusiastically waiting to for the moments that Mother Nature tags in," Hoye said. "If the snowmaking conditions continue skiing in is in the very near future."

Ohio ski resorts by the numbers

Alpine Valley

  • Vertical drop: 252 feet.

  • Elevation: 1,500 feet.

  • Lifts: Three.

  • Trails: Nine.

Boston Mills

  • Vertical drop: 264 feet.

  • Elevation: 871 feet.

  • Lifts: Seven.

  • Trails: Seven.

Brandywine

  • Vertical drop: 240 feet.

  • Elevation: 871 feet.

  • Lifts: Eight.

  • Trails: 11.

Mad River Mountain

  • Vertical drop: 300 feet.

  • Elevation: 1,460 feet.

  • Lifts: Eight.

  • Trails: 17.

Snow Trails

  • Vertical drop: 301 feet.

  • Elevation: 1,475 feet.

  • Lifts: Nine.

  • Trails: 21.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Warm Ohio weather creates problems for ski resorts