ANDALUSIA, Ill. — Sixteen days after opening, Snowstar could be closing again due to warm temperatures. The ski resort plans to stay open throughout the weekend, but with mid-50s expected next week, the runs will likely consist of more mud than snow.
"27 degrees is the magic number where we can actually make good snow," Snowstar Assistant General Manager Rod Leatherman said. "Every day, we have to go out and we have to groom the hills...making sure that we have a pretty even amount of snow on the ground."
Snowstar needs six to 12 inches of real or fake snow to be open. It takes three to four days of temperatures 27 degrees or below to fully cover the resort with fake snow. Operators began using an additive last year to help make the fake snow more durable.
But while Snowstar battles unseasonable warmth, Hidden Hills golf course in Bettendorf is taking advantage of the high temperatures by starting golf season a few months early.
"You don't want to be at your house all day. If it's sunny, if it's 35 to 40 degrees, it's still a nice day," Course Manager Mike Martin said.
Snowstar says if it closes, it plans to re-open if temperatures drop again. The resort has 30 snow guns to cover the hills as fast as possible.