The trees are losing their green, mittens are getting knitted, and the mountains are turning white. Winter must be around the corner.
The Smokey Mountain Ski Club is preparing its season tickets and readying the lift equipment.
Club president Toby Leon hopes to have the hill ready by Christmas season, with a Dec. 22 opening planned.
Mr. Leon doesn’t know what programs will be offered aside from the usual ski lessons. “We’re a non-profit hill, so it’s hard to plan for any programs without knowing who’s going to run them.” The hill’s future is not completely certain either, as the IOC could potentially move the ski club to a different mountain. But Mr. Leon said nothing has been decided yet. “If they mine the hill it will move, but it’s not the last year of the club,” he said. “Smokey Mountain Ski club isn't in control of that, but there will be continuous skiing in Lab. West, whether it's on this hill or a new hill.” Mr. Leon said Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners has been contracted to perform work in the area, and although the club committee would rather not move, he is unsure what the contract entails.
“It would be our desire to remain at this hill,” he said. “But it’s really not a question that can be answered right now. By March or April there will be committee consultations on it, so by then people should know what's going on.”
Mr. Leon said IOC’s position is that there will be skiing in Labrador West and if they move it they will replace it, he said.
“Everyone who comes — ski hill consultants, course designers, resort consultants — they're all looking at the quality of this hill.”
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