聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The warm weather and melting snow experienced last week has resulted in a reversal of fortune for the area鈥檚 two major winter outdoor activities, the Duck Mountain Loppet and the Duck Mountain ski hill.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Loppet, which was to have been held February 25, has been postponed.
This year marks only the third time in 38 years that the Loppet would not held on its intended date, according to Bruno Lemire, the main organizer of the annual event held by the Kamsack Ski Club. 鈥淲e鈥檙e experiencing big teardrops and we鈥檙e getting phone calls from disappointed people.鈥�
In 1980, when there was water in the ditches, the Loppet had to be cancelled, and in 2000, warm weather forced the postponement of the Loppet from March to December 30 even though the 2001 Loppet was to be held about 10 weeks later, Lemire said.
There鈥檚 been almost no skiing in the province this winter, he said.
鈥淲e had 55 people pre-register for this year鈥檚 Loppet,鈥� said Kev Sumner, Kamsack鈥檚 recreation director. 鈥淢ost of the skiers usually register the last week prior to the event.鈥�
Can the Loppet still be held this year?
If there was a big dump of snow and cold weather, organizers would need time to advertise the event, but many of the people who would attend are from Regina and Saskatoon and they often book buses in the fall to bring them to Duck Mountain for the Loppet.
They would need time to adjust their schedules, Sumner explained.
More likely, if there is an early winter, the 2017 Loppet could be held in late December as it was in 2000.
Meanwhile, the Duck Mountain ski hill closed operations last week.
鈥淭wo weekends ago, the conditions at the ski hill were fantastic,鈥� said Craig Brock, the manager. 鈥淚t was A-one. We were open with all 21 runs.
鈥淏ut then after five days of plus temperatures, we watched the snow disappear,鈥� he said, explaining that initially he had moved snow onto the more-useable runs, but then decided that it just was not worth it.
鈥淚t was too far gone,鈥� Brock said, adding that he could see 鈥済rass and ground showing鈥� on the slopes.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have much snow to begin with,鈥� he said. There鈥檚 only about 10 inches of snow in the bush, and when packed on the hill, it measured to only about four inches.
鈥淎lthough we started late, it was turning out to be a good season,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e had lots of compliments regarding the staff and service so people did not mind the not-perfect conditions. They were just happy to be able to ski.鈥�
The Duck Mountain downhill skiing season usually lasts to only mid-March, but Brock said that if there was a very good snowfall, he could have the slopes groomed on part of the hill in about three or four hours.
