Staff working to get North Bay ski hill ready

Snowmaking continues at Laurentian Ski Hill in North Bay to get the slopes ready for the year.

And with a winter storm coming, the people running the facility are encouraged about the new season.

"With the snowmaking equipment we do have, we have to be making snow under -5 temperatures for a continuous amount of time,” said Madi Jamieson of the Laurentian Ski Hill.

“It's happening 24/7. We have a day shift, a night shift and an evening shift and it only shuts down if the weather gets above (a certain) temperature."

Staff at the hill are hoping temperatures stay in the minuses, so they can continue to make snow -- and they're hoping Mother Nature will help out a bit.

"We hope that Mother Nature is in our favour, we need them to keep making snow,” said Emma Jones, an employee at the hill.

“(When) we get those cold temperatures, snowmaking will happen around the clock. One challenge we face is the sun glaring down on us, we are a south-facing hill so that's another obstacle we try and overcome."

"With the snowmaking stuff that we have here, you have to have a certain centimetres base to be able to open,” Jamieson said.

“So hopefully in the next couple weeks we will have that."

Once opened, Laurentian Ski Hill staff said there are lots of changes that have happened and new things for skiers to enjoy.

But Jones said a COVID-19 and restriction-free season is what they're hoping for.

"Hope all goes well this season,” Jones said.

“It's so great to see families, friends, different events. It's so nice to just see life on the hill."

Jones said as of right now, the hill will open Dec. 27.