Warmer Weather Causes Winter Season Delays For Spirit Mountain

DULUTH, Minn. — For some the warm weather in Duluth may be great, but for skiing and snowboarding operations such as Spirit Mountain it is delaying the start of their winter season.

Usually, Spirit Mountain would be making snow for about a week at this time with the season starting Black Friday. However, that is looking unlikely this year.

Interim Executive Director Ann Glumac says temps need to be around 20 degrees for at least 3 to 4 days. That will allow them to start laying down enough snow for a good base of around 18 to 36 inches on a run. And snow making is not just turning on a faucet and having snow come out, there is more to it.

“We need to pump the water from the river, all the way up to the top of the hill and then have it come out of these snow guns. And so, we look at the long-range forecast, we look at the temperature at the top of the hill as well as the bottom of the hill cause there can be a big temperature differential. And then we also look at how long is it going to be cold,” said Glumac.

There are about 26 snow guns and a snow making crew ready to go for when the temps drop. The hill will also be open 6 days a week- Tuesday through Sunday this year.

To find out when the winter season will start, keep with Spirit Mountain’s website or social media pages.