‘We’re grooming’: Table Mountain prepares to open in time for holiday skiing

The Saskatchewan slopes at Table Mountain Regional Park are scheduled to open in time for snowboarding and skiing around the holidays.

General manager Lawrence Blouin said they’re looking forward to seeing customers starting on Thursday.

“Last year, we didn’t get open until January with COVID restrictions … We weren’t sure if we’re going to be able to open last year,” Blouin said.

“Typically, we try open for the fourth of December, the first weekend in December. That didn’t happen this year because of mild temperatures but finally got all our snow made.

“We are really to go tomorrow. … We’re grooming.”

In regard to COVID-19 protocols at the hill, Blouin said operations will look similar to last season.

“Outside operation is basically the same as last year. Anybody can come out whether you’re vaccinated or not,” Blouin said.

“We do ask that you wear a mask when you’re in the lineups … at the chairlifts and when you’re loading so yourself and our operators protected from COVID.

“The chalet is vaccinated only into the chalet so if you’re coming, if you want to access the chalet and the lounge, you will have to be vaccinated, fully vaccinated.”

While temperatures had been adequate recently, Blouin said not all of Table Mountain’s features will be open at first.

“We won’t have time to get all the lanes and stuff cut for the tubing park … Unfortunately, we won’t have time to get it groomed until after Christmas,” he said.

“In the terrain park, we are leaving the piles of snow the way we make them … so the kids will have lots of little hills and what not to play on in the terrain park.

“We won’t have any boxes or rails or anything up until after Christmas, unfortunately, but the rest of the hill will be open with excellent conditions.”

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3:28 Winter activities in and around Saskatoon