Winter is Loading…
Around the region, you’ve probably heard the chatter of snow guns firing at other resorts. And while we’ve been a little quieter here at Buck Hill, it’s not because we’re sitting back. We’ve been waiting—patiently and purposefully—for the right window to open the floodgates and begin our push into winter.
Here’s the truth: Buck Hill operates a little differently than most ski areas. While some resorts have the luxury of pulling water from a private well, reservoir, or lake—sources that are naturally cold and ideal for snowmaking—we pull directly from the Burnsville water tower. Tower water runs warmer than lake or well water, which means we need colder temps to get the water temp down to where it produces the quality snow we’re known for.
That also means every single gallon we use is metered, just like at your house. At full throttle, our snowmaking system moves nearly 5,000 gallons of water per minute, and when you’re using that kind of volume, you have to be smart—both for the environment and for your operating budget.
Two weeks ago, we did have a small window where we could have made snow. But with daytime temps soaring into the 50s and 60s shortly after—and even rain in the forecast—we opted out. Dumping thousands of gallons onto the hill only to watch it melt a few days later doesn’t help us build the kind of base our guests expect, and it certainly doesn’t deliver the long-term quality we’re known for. We’re committed to creating a product that lasts—not just a quick photo op.
Trust me, it breaks my heartbreak when I see comments online asking why we aren’t open yet or why we’re not making snow. No one wants to fire up the guns more than our team. But at Buck Hill, we pride ourselves on building a base with excellence, not just a base that exists.
And when winter hits, we’ll be ready.
The Week Ahead
This week’s forecast is finally giving us something to smile about. Temperatures are trending in the right direction, and our goal is to fire up snowmaking no later than Wednesday night. Once we start, we’re planning to push as long and as hard as the temps allow.
Our hope, is to open the weekend after Thanksgiving with at least some terrain available. The amount of terrain will depend heavily on the day/night temperature spread, but we’re committed to getting as much open as possible, as soon as possible, without sacrificing quality.
The team is locked in. The guns are ready. The hoses are staged. And our snowfarmers are itching to get out there, take up their “paintbrushes,” and turn this hill into the winter canvas we all love.
And if the thought of snowmaking starting up this week isn’t enough to get you stoked… here’s a little cherry on top as we look ahead to the season.
We are incredibly honored to share that the Risvold family has generously donated six brand-new terrain park features, and funded the refurbishment of two existing features in memory of their son, Adam Risvold. Their gift allows us to continue growing and elevating our parks in a meaningful way. These new features are being professionally designed and crafted by Coastal Jibs out of Quebec, Canada, and they’re going to add an incredible new dimension to our park sets. We’ll be unveiling them at a special rail event on Thursday, December 18th. Stay tuned as we will be providing more information in the coming weeks.
Winter is right around the corner.
Stay Rad,
Nate Birr
President | COO