Power outages and a water line snafu hit the resort, but the runs started early and the slopes will be open on weekends into late April
By Tony Boom for the Rogue Valley Times
A Mt. Ashland Ski Area season that started early and has seen above average snowfall has brought strong attendance, but the nonprofit resort also had its challenging moments. Abundant snowfall will allow the area to extend the season with two additional weekends to include April 19-20 and April 26-27.
The last day had been scheduled for April 13. The area has received 300 inches of snow so far for the season as of Friday, compared to an average of 223 inches.
Mt. Ashland is trending toward its second highest attendance in history, General Manager Andrew Gast said, despite setbacks that included loss of power preventing operations for four days, a water line break that shut down the slopes in early February, and 29 straight days without snow in January.
The resort set a record with 128,626 skiers and riders in 2023-24. The next closest year was 2020-21 with 106,003 visitors. On Friday, 4 inches of new snow drew enthusiasts to the mountain, although they faced snow flurries early and fog later in the day.
A group of 60 Scotts Valley fourth grade through middle school students were on the mountain for the third Friday in a row. Their excursions are part of physical education instruction, fifth grade teacher Lindsay Smith said.
“They love it. All of them are signed up for lessons,” she said. “They just love going out and playing in the snow and skiing.”
Students have been coming to the mountain in groups all 10 years she has been a teacher, Smith said. Parents transport the kids in their own vehicles.
“You get to bond with your friends,” said Avery McNames, a student in Smith’s class who skis.
“You get to ride with one another,” said Evren Mendenhall, a snowboarder also in Smith’s class.
The two girls were planning to try each other’s rides so that Mendenhall could learn about skiing and McNames could try snowboarding.
As of Friday, the area has been open a total of 73 days. The additional weekends would bring a total of 91 days if there are no cancellations.
It would be the second longest season in terms of operating days since the area switched to a five-day-per-week schedule. The April 27 close would be the latest in 30 years.
Besides a strong turnout by snow sports lovers, it has been a good year for revenue so far, said Gabby Connor, ski area marketing and communication director. After an absence, shuttle service returned to the mountain.
The shuttle operates every day the area opens and makes three stops in Ashland. There is a $15 charge.
“It’s a really good option for our guests,” Connor said. Some may use it on days when driving the access road might be challenging, she said.
A new feature was the Lithia Chair, installed over the summer, the first new lift on the mountain in 35 years. It opened Dec. 14.
“We have heard some very good comments. It’s access to more terrain,” Connor said. The chair serves an area suited for skiers and boarders moving beyond the beginner slopes. New lights made things better for twilight skiing, Connor said. Held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, the offering drew good crowds.
Rail jams, slope style competitions and bands also helped bring people to the area. A review of text message alerts sent by the area showed that the parking lot was full on eight days. Those included three days in December, one in January and four in February. The area has also sent out six powder alert messages so far, advising skiers of heavy snowfalls.
The early February atmospheric river storm event that struck Southern Oregon left the area without power on Feb. 6-8. Loss of power also prevented operations on March 17. On Feb. 21, the area lost power in the late afternoon, curtailing night skiing.
“The power is always a challenge,” Connor said. Trees that fell on power lines were the main cause of power disruptions.
A broken water main forced the ski area to shut down on Feb. 3 for several days. On March 16, the area opened late due to weather conditions, then closed at 1 p.m. when the Oregon Department of Transportation was unable to keep the access road clear during a storm due to a broken-down snowplow.
Opening day was Dec. 6, a week ahead of schedule. Good snowfall in December helped carry the area though the dry January period. Cold temperatures preserved the snowpack, which was groomed frequently.
The area’s mountain report usually lists about 20 runs that have been groomed overnight to provide a smooth mountain surface. A tower on the Ariel lift chair line was struck by a tree on Nov. 27 before the resort was opened. It was back in operation on Dec. 27 after mountain crews fabricated parts to replace ones that had been damaged.
The lift serves the upper mountain runs. During both added weekends, the mountain will operate at a limited capacity, with the Comer, Windsor, and Ariel chairlifts running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at a discounted rate. The Sonnet and Lithia chairlifts, along with the First Act Learning Carpet, will have their final rides of the season on April 13.
Ski and Ride School will conclude its group lesson offerings on April 13. However, guests can still book private lessons online in advance for both additional weekends.
Reach Ashland freelance writer Tony Boom at tboomwriter@gmail.com. This story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.
