Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - This past week saw winter firmly grasp the Western New York region with more snow and bitter cold temperatures. For many locally that enjoy winter weather activities, that's music to their ears.
At Holiday Valley ski resort in Ellicottville in Cattaraugus County, this winter season has been pretty good to date.
"We had a little bit of an early January thaw period, which luckily happened after the Christmas break. By and large, we've just been firing on all cylinders here," said Dash Hegeman in an interview with WBEN. "It's been awesome seeing so many skiers and riders getting out and enjoying all this weather that we've been getting. And it looks like we've got a bit of a storm system coming in this weekend, so people are excited about that, and hopefully we see a good amount of snow coming with it."
Hegeman is already noticing a few similarities to last year's ski season at Holiday Valley, which was a very strong one.
"As soon as December hit, it got cold, and our snow making team was able to get out on the slopes and make a lot of snow really quickly, and open up a lot of terrain. That was pretty similar to what we experienced so far this year," Hegeman said. "Last year, we didn't have quite the January thaw that we did this year, but by and large, really kind of similar year-over-year. The two years prior to that we were much more all over the place."
Over the years, Holiday Valley has invested money in snow-making equipment that had made quite the difference in the ability to keep the slopes open longer each season.
"As long as the temperatures get cold at some point, the team's able to get out there, make a lot of snow really efficiently, really quickly, and open up a good amount of terrain," Hegeman noted. "But anytime Mother Nature kicks in and is able to provide us with natural snow, it's just that much better."
With the snow and the colder temperatures that this weekend brought to the region, Hegeman says it allowed the crews in Ellicottville to do a quick refresh and make a lot of snow throughout the resort, especially in some areas that needed it.
"It's going to set us up really nicely for, really, some fantastic skiing and riding," he said.
And with the winter weather allowing for ideal conditions at Holiday Valley, it has also allowed for business in the Village of Ellicottville to boom as well.
"I think people have just been really excited about being able to have some nice powder days here at Holiday Valley. The Village of Ellicottville is firing on all cylinders as well, so people are getting down there and enjoying the dining and the shopping opportunities," Hegeman noted. "They're just having some really nice ski resort trips they're being able to take advantage of with their family and friends."
And for those that may not be skiers or snowboarders, there's more that Holiday Valley has to offer this winter.
"We've got the mountain coaster that's open on the weekends. We've got the Holiday Valley Tubing Company, which this year we just installed a bunch of colored LED lights," Hegeman said. "On Fridays and Saturday nights, they light up the slopes at the tubing park, and it just provides a different kind of look for people who are tubing at night, and it's really fun. It has been a big hit so far this year, so a little something for everyone."
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The cold temperatures and snow also puts a smile on the faces of local snowmobilers across Western New York. Rich McNamara from the Erie County Federation of Snowmobile Clubs says this weather should bring some consistency for riders across the region.
"The trails open up Jan. 2 every year if there's snow. We did not have really good conditions at the beginning, then we got a little bit of snow, then a little warm up, melted a lot of stuff. But now, it looks like it's really coming back," McNamara said with WBEN. "With this past wind that we had, we have many, many downed trees all over the place. Those are being cleaned up and the trails are being opened as the clubs check out the trails, make sure they're safe for everybody in the area."
McNamara believes most trails are open in Western New York, with the exception of a few trails up North by Lake Ontario in Orleans County.
The one element that makes a huge difference for snowmobile trails every winter is the cold temperatures.
"You get the cold, the groomers get out there, pack it down, and the sleds are out there, packing it down. Then were going to have all the snow over the next 72 hours, it should just make the trails incredible," McNamara said.
"Every inch of snow matters, and if it's down in the single digits, like it's going to be over the next day or two, it's the best thing for snowmobile trails. All of us riders, it's what we look for and we wait for it. And they will be out riding this whole weekend. It's going to be incredible."
He adds a positive outlook for the snowmobile season this year is people joining their local clubs and registering their sleds. He says the rate of people registering this year is right around 15% more than last year's amount.
McNamara was pleased with the snow season last year for snowmobiling, and he's hoping this past week's conditions will provide for a bit longer of a snowmobile season across the region.
"Last year, we were good. I bet we had 15-to-20 days. The Southern Tier probably had a little bit more, but the previous couple years were really bad. But it's looking good," McNamara noted. "If it stays cold, it's all we need, and we need a little bit of snow. We don't need a lot, but if it stays cold and the snowpack stays, they will ride every day, every night. They'll be out there."
While there is expected to be a rush of riders on the trails over the next several weeks, McNamara is asking everyone to take extra caution.
"Everybody on a sled: Be careful. We don't need any statistics. Go out there, enjoy yourself out with your family, with your kids. And then people driving cars, where some of the trails cross, be careful," he said. "In Erie County, there's 450 miles of trail. There's 11,000 miles of trail across the state. There's a lot of trails out there that probably most people don't know that's out there."