MOUNT CAIN—Members of the Mount Cain Alpine Society had hoped last week’s big snowfall would allow the opening of the popular Mount Cain Ski Area this weekend.
But a limited snow base — especially on the lower slopes — and warming temperatures will continue to keep the hill closed for the foreseeable future.
“(With) the huge spike in temperatures that are forecasted and a complete dearth of any more snow falling, we are still on an indefinite standby,” Neil Borecky wrote on the Mount Cain website and Facebook page Wednesday afternoon. “Although we have coverage on the upper half of the mountain, it was raining this morning and will continue to warm up as we close in on the weekend. Next week has nothing in the forecast either, so we run the highly probable risk of opening, and then having to shut down again.”
The ski hill has not been open at all this season, and the closure has impacted its popular Christmas-New Year break schedule and forced the cancellation of the Cain Cup races.
Borecky noted Mount Washington, near Courtenay, is now open for North Islanders needing a skiing or snowboarding fix and able to travel the extra distance.
For the latest information on conditions and potential opening at Mount Cain, call the snow hotline at 250-949-SNOW or visit www.mountcain.com.
