Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- The mild winter hasn’t been nice for everyone. Business at area ski resorts like Greek Peak, Toggenberg and Song Mountain is down at least 35 percent from last year.
Greek Peak’s Vice President of Sales Kevin Morrin told NewsChannel 9, “We were able to get most of our terrain open, but rely on Mother Nature to provide the rest and obviously she didn’t really come through for us this year.”
It’s been a short ski season filled with empty chair lifts and patches of grass. Half the amount of skiers showed up to the mountain compared to last year, though you can still find a few die-hard season ticket holders scraping down the slopes.
“It’s pretty rough, but you know, it’s the last day of the season. They close Saturday, so might as well make the most of it,” snowboarder Andrew Driscoll said.
Weslee Eckler, another snowboarder we caught up with, said, “I’m on spring break right now from school, so I figured, it’s a nice day, might as well get some skiing in.”
Song Mountain owner Peter Harris has been surveying the area on his snowmobile. He says the top of the mountain looks very different from the bottom, where there’s only mud.
“You’ve got to be able to get to the chair lift...you’ve got to be able to unload. So the tops and the bottoms are critical areas,” Harris said. “The man-made snow is holding out nicely. I’m going to make a final call for the weekend tomorrow afternoon."
With nice weather, Harris projects a small, but rowdy crowd of up to 300 people for St. Patrick’s Day – if they’re still open.
Many mountains in the area are offering season tickets for next year at discounted prices.
