Two of five ski hills in B.C.’s Southern Interior are closed on Saturday because of cold weather.
In the South Okanagan, Apex Mountain Resort was closed Saturday due to windchill temperatures greater than -30, though it noted operations should resume Sunday. Apex was also closed on Friday.
“It’s just too cool for us to operate safely with our staff and with our guests,” said resort general manager James Shalman. “Nobody wants to go out in those kinds of conditions, and this is not safe to operate. So, it’s a very easy decision.”
Near Oliver, Baldy Mountain Resort was closed for a second day in a row due to frigid temperatures.
However, on its Facebook page, the resort said that Sunday “looks more manageable. Keep an eye on our socials for updates.”
In the Central Okanagan, Big White Ski Resort was still operating, with seven of 16 lifts running, though night skiing and tubing were cancelled for Saturday.
The resort’s weekly fireworks show was also cancelled.
On its website, the resort asked skiers and snowboarders to “please stay safe and cover all exposed skin. Consider warmers for your boots and gloves and take regular indoor breaks.”
In the North Okanagan, SilverStar Mountain Resort is open, but only two of its 10 lifts are operating, as is the tube town carpet lift.
The resort, which is projecting a high of -25 C on Saturday, anticipated that most lifts would also be closed on Sunday and Monday.
Night skiing and all-terrain parks were closed for the weekend.
And, lastly, in the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, Revelstoke Mountain Resort issued a cold-weather alert but is open for business.
The resort is reporting a temperature of -24 C at its summit (2,225 metres) and -22 C at its base (510 metres), and asked its users to “please dress accordingly.”