WARRINGTON TWP., Pa. - After winter weather Friday, winter sports lovers are gearing up for what's expected to be the big round of snow next week. It comes just in time for some local resorts as winter draws to a close.
Skiers and snowboarders at Roundtop Mountain Resort in York County enjoyed their time with an added bonus from Friday's winter storm: an extra five inches of snow on the ground.
“It's fun because I get to go down hills and be with daddy,” Summer, who was skiing with her father Brian Antkowiak on the slopes, said.
“I didn't expect to be riding at home in March, so I mean the fact that I can ride at home this time of the year alone, that's just good enough for me,” Ridge Heiges, a snowboarder, said. “So it's definitely a good feeling, I'd like to drag it out as long as I can for sure.”
The snow makers are coming on this weekend at Roundtop later in the season than they ever have in the hopes of keeping the season going.
Roundtop says it costs between $800 and $900 an hour to make snow.
It’s pricey, but necessary, especially with the up-and-down winter we've had.
“It's been very inconsistent,” Chris Dudding, marketing director for Roundtop Mountain Resort, said. “We started pretty much an average time middle of December, we had some really great periods where we can make a ton of snow, and then as everybody knows we had these periods where it was 70 degrees in between, so it's been make snow lose it, make snow lose it.”
Roundtop says attendance has not suffered because of the warmer winter, with many still hitting the slopes.
"We know we're going to go at least through next week, and then we'll wait and see what happens," Dudding said. "It all depends on the weather and if the storm comes through next week and gives us a foot of snow, that would be a great shot in the arm."
That storm, predicted to bring the biggest snowfall of the season to the area, may be these winter sports enthusiasts' last shot at glory.
“Hey I'm hoping that we can get up at least one more time,” Cody Homovich, a snowboarder, said. “I know I'm off work next week, like Wednesday, so hopefully come up Tuesday night and Wednesday then throughout the day.”
“I definitely want to ride like some fresh snow again before the end of the year,” Heiges added. “That's just like a gift.”