There's snow on the ground at Poley Mountain in Sussex, N.B., but not enough to get the chair lifts moving.
"We're ready,” said Poley Mountain general manager Bill Anderson. “Lodge is completed … inspections are all done, staff's all hired, we're just waiting for the weather."
The ski hill planned to host their first ski camp of the season this week, but with warm temperatures and little snow, they had to reschedule.
"The camp is always tough - the one before Christmas,” said Anderson. “So our camps are going to run after Christmas in through the new year."
Anderson says no hills in the Maritimes or Ontario are operating because of the lack of snow.
But he says that hasn't stopped people from getting their season passes.
Ski shop owner John McNair says his store has seen a rise in sales despite the warm temperatures.
"People are really excited about the season coming after last winter with lots of snow,” said McNair. “It was late coming similar to last year, so people are pretty confident winter’s on the way."
McNair is still anticipating a long ski season.
"I think we had a green Christmas last year until about Boxing Day or a little bit later, so once it hit, it hit with vengeance,” he said. “We had an awesome winter, so we're looking forward to the same thing this year."
Mounds of snow sit on many of the trails around Poley Mountain. Anderson says they've spent about 85 hours making snow since November, which will be leveled off near the end of the week.
"Humidity is a bigger factor than temperature,” said Anderson. “If it's a nice, clear day and around zero, we can make snow. If it's cloudy, humidity's high, it could be -15 (and) we can't.”
Anderson expects the hill to be open by Boxing Day and hopes it will remain that way until April.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ashely Blackford.
