Maple Ski Ridge will open for business on Saturday, Dec. 12 for the winter season after a mix of natural and man-made snow covered the mountain.
Every night that it is cold enough we will be making snow from now until January if not longer, said Marketing Director Kate Michener. `We strive to put down a thick layer of snow to make it through the January thaw.`
Before the region received the first snow fall of the year, the staff of Maple Ski Ridge worked to run their snow machines 10 hours during the night to lay down enough of the white stuff to bring out the skiers in troves for the beginning of the season. Since water from the town of Rotterdam does not connect to the ski area on Mariaville Road, the workers use water gathered from two large ponds on the property.
Depending on the humidity and air temperature, the snow machines at Maple Ski Ridge can put down a foot and a half of snow, according to Michener. The snow machines lay down the powder on the various runs on the mountain while staff on the mountains shape and groom the mountains for use by skiers in the coming weeks. Before the snow storm on Dec. 9, Maple Ski Ridge staff members stated that the mountain would not be open for all runs.
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