Mild Weather Delays Some Winter Fun at Elm Creek Park Reserve

Unusually warm December temperatures are holding back some of the fun at Elm Creek’s Winter Recreation Area. 

This Saturday, Elm Creek will open its bunny hill and part of the terrain park. The rest of the downhill ski spaces remain closed.

Elm Creek Facility Supervisor Julie Matzek says it is too warm for the facility to make snow. Temperatures need to fall to 28 degrees or lower for snow-making machines to work.

 Snow-making started in November. Right now, enough snow is made to maintain the bunny hill, terrain park and already-open 2 km of cross country ski trails. 

Matzek said interest is still there, but might be lower because warm temperatures might not have people thinking about winter sports. Still, she said the chalet’s fielded plenty of questions about when its opening up.

“There maybe is a little bit less numbers coming out, less people thinking about being here,” Matzek said. “There are a lot of people who are super anxious to come out and use our terrain park and use our bunny hill this weekend. (They) have been calling on a regular basis and checking in.”

Matzek said her team is watching the weather and will produce more snow as soon as the weather allows it.

Also See: Warm Weather Delays Construction of Maple Grove Ice Castles

Maple Grove