P.E.I. ski park opens for the season, with 1 hill in operation

P.E.I.'s Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park at Brookvale opened for the season Friday morning, offering a discounted rate and warning that conditions are not yet suitable for beginners.

Only Front Lawn Hill is open, courtesy of a lot of hard work making snow, said acting park superintendent Erin Curley.

"We certainly have made a lot of snow on the one run," said Curley.

"We do have a great base. It isn't, you know, the coverage width-wise that we would like to normally see, but for a depth it is great … I expect customers will be pleasantly surprised with what they do see."

Because the run that is open is not for beginners, the ski school will not be open this weekend. Nordic trails are open but for fat bikes only, not skiers, snowshoers or tubers.

Typically, Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park aims to be open the first weekend after Christmas. This year, as has been the case with many ski parks across Canada, the weather has not been co-operative.

Park staff began making snow Nov. 24, but their efforts were hampered by a December that was much warmer than normal. At Charlottetown Airport, the average temperature for the month was just above freezing, 0.3 C, and that's 3.6 degrees warmer than average.

It was the fourth warmest December on record in the Charlottetown area.

The ski park is offering an opening weekend special, with 50 per cent off rentals and tickets.

"We ask all customers to remain off closed sections so staff can work safely on getting more areas opened up soon," said a post on the operation's Facebook page.