BATH COUNTY, Va. – Santa’s workshop isn’t the only place racing against the clock to make winter magic happen.
The Omni Homestead Resort is preparing to open for the snow sports season Saturday, Dec. 26.
The resort’s ice rinks are open, but to zoom down the slopes with skis or a snowboard, you need a lot of that white fluffy stuff, even if it doesn’t fall from the sky.
“Our goal when we’re making snow is to put a million gallons of water through the guns each shift and it varies depending on the humidity and obviously temperatures but when humidity is low and even when the temperatures are at 32 degrees we can still put snow on the mountain,” said James DeBoe, director of recreation at The Omni Homestead Resort.
The Bath County resort has 26 snow guns, six of them are mobile, but it takes more than just fancy equipment to create its winter wonderland. So far, the recent colder weather has worked in the resort’s favor.
“We are a little bit ahead of last year as for good snow-making weather goes and the progress we’ve made,” said DeBoe. “As a snowmaker, you should never be happy with the progress, we always want more snow.”
Like a child ready to open gifts on Christmas Day, the forecast has snowmakers eager for the season to start.
“We are definitely grateful to have weather to get snow on the mountain for our guests and it does kind of seem like a Christmas present since we’re going to turn the guns on first thing Christmas morning,” DeBoe said.
All so you, your family and friends can coast into the new year.
“Well what better way to close out 2020 than to come to the Homestead, spend some time on our ski slopes, spend time with your family, just enjoy the outdoors and be able to social distance in a wonderful area,” said DeBoe.
This season will be different than in previous years. The resort has added new procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
New safety procedures include, lift line barriers, designated entrances and exits, single direction traffic flow, and thorough sanitizing of rental equipment between uses. Tubing and ice skating are limited to 25 people per session.
For additional safety measures and to purchase lift tickets ahead of time, click here or call 540-839-3860.