Skier alert: 'Sacrifice to the Snow Gods' set for Friday

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Skis will be tossed into a bonfire Friday at a Pennsylvania ski resort in an attempt to appease the weather gods.

The “Sacrifice to the Snow Gods” party at Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie indicates the frustration ski resorts feel about the unusually warm weather that's forcing many to scale back operations or postpone opening for the season.

Bear Creek, about 45 miles north of Philadelphia, opened three of its 22 trails Dec. 14, but closed four days later because the cold weather didn’t stick around and it was too warm to make snow.

The story is the same throughout the state. Little or no snowfall, coupled with surprisingly warm temperatures, has hampered resorts’ efforts to get slopes and trails ready for visitors this week — usually one of their busiest.

“For us not to be open right now, we’re certainly feeling it,” said Bear Creek spokeswoman Mary Bortz.

At Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion, about 50 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, only nine of 32 trails are open.

“It’s very frustrating because everyone is making the best effort to do the best they can, but you still have to rely on the weather,” said Dick Barron, director of ski operations.

Last December, 60 to 70 inches of natural snow covered the trails at Seven Springs. This year, they’ve had about 10 inches.

“We’ve had bad seasons in the past, but this is probably going to be the worst that I have seen, seasonwise, as far as the weather is concerned,” said Barron, who has worked at Seven Springs for 38 years.

Tim Lyons, marketing director at Blue Knob Ski Resort in Blair County, can empathize.

Twelve months ago, the resort had about 50 to 60 inches of snow. This month’s tally is about 7 inches, spoiling Blue Knob’s plan to open for the season today.

Now, Lyons hopes below-freezing nighttime temperatures tonight and Wednesday will allow for snowmaking so at least some of the slopes and trails can open Thursday.

“To lose part of Christmas week, it is tough on the resort,” he said.

Other mountains are open, but functioning far below capacity.

Only three of the 28 slopes and trails at Hidden Valley Four Seasons Resort in southwestern Pennsylvania are open — and that’s because they were able to make snow during a recent cold spell, spokesman Keith James said. The resort’s popular cross-country skiing trails remain closed.

Across the state in the Poconos, five of 23 slopes and trails are open at Shawnee Mountain Ski Area, which relies heavily on manufactured snow.

“There’s still hope to have a good season,” spokesman Jim Tust said. “We hope to gain momentum in January.”

A lack of ski enthusiasts not only affects resorts’ coffers, but also their employees.

At season’s peak, Seven Springs employs about 1,400 full- and part-time workers, Barron said. None has been laid off, but workers’ hours have been reduced.

Shawnee Mountain postponed the starting date for many of its 300 or so workers, Tust said.