Keagan Fraser is one of a growing crowd of freestyle skiers who can't wait to see the new and improved Hart Ski Hill all covered in snow.
Whether it's made by natural cloudbursts or by mechanical equipment, Fraser doesn't care how that snow gets there, as long as it's deep.
The 15-year-old mogul specialist lives at the top of the hill in the Hart Highway subdivision within walking distance and that means he won't have far to go to practice riding out the bumps with his clubmates from the Northern B.C. Freestyle Ski Club (NBCFSC).
Best of all, he likely won't have long to wait. Construction is nearing completion of a pumphouse that will soon be hooked to a nozzle that will turn water into snowflakes.
The Hart Highlands Winter Club which operates the ski hill is building snowmaking capability and a new terrain park which promises to keep skiers and snowboarders occupied long into the spring season.
Fraser has been a club member with his family since he was three and likes the fact he's got a ski hill in his own back yard which lets him do his thing whenever he gets some free time.
"It's my homework motivator," said Fraser. "I think that's why so many people enjoy this club because it seems every year the surrounding ski hills are getting more expensive and it really is an affordable option if you want to try out something like skiing.
"I've wanted this (snowmaking) to happen for like five years. I've seen other hills that have snowmaking and I love coming to this place. Last year it was a battle against the weather and this is an awesome idea."
None of the 11 runs at the Hart hill are long, but neither are the lift lines.
The 22-acre resort, which started with one rope tow when it opened in 1968, now has two platter lifts and is about to open a magic carpet (conveyor belt) lift in the Nechako Rotary Club learning centre near the lodge for skiers and snowboarder just starting to learn their craft.
The ski hill, located southwest of the Hart Shopping Centre at 3740 Winslow Dr., will have guaranteed snow and plenty of it to build mogul runs and jumps among the rails and boxes of the newly-equipped Ruckus Terrain Park and that should make it an ideal base for the 44-member freestyle club.
NBCFSC female coach Jess Hudson said the close proximity for most city residents, evening hours of operation and reliable snow conditions will allow the freestylers and their coaches to practice several times per week rather than just one weekends.
It's the only area ski resort which offers a terrain park and it is also unique for its junior ski patrol program for 12-15-year-olds.
The Prince George Alpine Ski Team, Nancy Greene Ski League, Prince George/BC Adaptive Snowsports, Hart Snow School and School District 57 students plan to use the facility. The idea to add snowmaking capabilities was first proposed to the club by Stuart Gairns, a ski parent with the P.G. alpine team.
The Hart club enlisted former MLA Pat Bell to take charge of the fundraising project, which collected $200,000. Backed by a $30,000 grant from Northern Development Initiatives Trust and 30 local businesses and individuals who came up with $1,500 donations.
The Sinclair Group and Winton Global donated the pumphouse building and several local businesses have provided in-kind labour and equipment to complete the construction project to cover Phase 1 of the improvements.
Club treasurer Janet Mobley doesn't need any convincing that climate change is happening. Last year was the third straight winter with below average snowfall. It was cold enough to make snow on many of those days but without that equipment the ski hill was open just 17 days. The year before that it was a 27-day season and in 2014-15 the Hart lifts ran for just 39 days.
"If something doesn't change, we won't have a club," said Mobley.
"Prior to us opening our insurance is anywhere from $15,000 to $25,000, and that's whether we open or not, it has to be paid."
Snowmaking is that game-changer. The Silent Pole Cat snow gun equipment will be capable of making an acre of snow a foot deep in 24 hours. It can be used as long as the temperature is below freezing, but the ideal temperature range to make skiable snow is between minus-10 and minus-15 C.
The goal is have the ski hill open for between 90 and 100 days, said Hart Highlands Winter Club president Bernadette Kipping.
Eventually, she said the club facility could see more year-round use with clubhouse rentals to the public and the installation of a water ramp for freestyle aerials training.
Last year the club sold 80 family club memberships, in addition to season passes, daily lift tickets and the ski and snowboard equipment rentals and that income covered the fixed costs.
In Phase 2 of the expansion, which would cost another $30,000, the club hopes to run a pipeline from the pumphouse to add three more hydrants which would reduce the labour involved in reaching the upper slopes with the snowmaking gun. Until then, volunteer crews will run hoses and cable up the hills to make that happen.
Phase 3 would involve the purchase of two more snow guns and an extension of the pipeline past the platter lift, a project that would cost about $100,000.
The Hart ski hill will be open on weekdays from 6:30-9:30 p.m., weekends from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on stat holidays from noon to 4 p.m. During the Christmas break it will open in two shifts from noon to
4 p.m. and 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
More information is available on the club's new website, www.hartskihill.com.
