When Bing Crosby waxed nostalgic in 1954 for a “White Christmas,” he probably never predicted that 60 years later some communities would be praying for one, but that’s exactly what’s happening in Packwood.
“The mantra here is pray for snow,” said Mark Hoffmann, the owner of White Pass Sports Hut, the local ski shop in Packwood.
Hoffmann, like many other businesses in the community, relies on seasonal tourism for the bulk of his revenue. The week from Christmas to New Year’s Day is normally one of the busiest times of the season, thanks to ski enthusiasts eager to spend the holidays at the White Pass Ski Area.
But a warm, wet start to winter has kept snow levels on the slopes to a minimum and recreationalists out of town.
“Snow equals money around here,” Hoffmann said. “It’s devastating a lot of people that depend on it, and that’s trickling down onto the local economy.”
Hoffmann said during the busiest parts of the winter he hires as many as nine seasonal employees, but he’s had to keep his staff to just three until things pick up.
“I usually hire teens from local high school … but I just can’t hire them this year,” he said. “People are just spooked about how bad the snow is. It’s expensive to go skiing and they’re going to hold back to wait till the conditions are good.”
Hoffmann is not alone.
“Thankfully we have great locals that come out and support us,” said Blue Spruce Saloon owner Kelly Morris. “Christmas and New Year’s it’s standing-room only usually, but we’ll see what it is this year.”
Hotels in Packwood are in similar situations. With school being out and many people taking vacations around the holidays, visitors often book rooms months in advance.
But room reservations are few and far between, and many of those who did book aren’t coming.
“Boy, I don’t have anything on my books,” said Hotel Packwood owner Marilyn Linder. “I’ve had so many cancellations because waiting for the snow to come. I decorate everything up for Christmas, but this year it looks like just me and my husband and kids.”
Hoteliers and bar and restaurant owners around town are all feeling the squeeze, but possibly none more than White Pass Ski Area itself.
“We’re not often in this position,” said general manager Kevin McCarthy.
Like most ski areas in the west, White Pass tries to be open between late November and early December. But, despite using millions of gallons of water to produce man-made snow, the warm rainy weather has foiled much of the crew’s efforts and allowed only a fraction of the mountain’s available runs to be skiable.
As a result, White Pass just opened for daily skiing this weekend and, so far, has seen a much lower than average customer turnout for this time of year.
The ski area employs about 150 people at full staff, but it’s currently at about a quarter of that level, said McCarthy. That can make the circumstances even more complicated because the mountain could have a staffing problem once the snow does come it.
“When you start late you run the risk of losing some seasonal employees who go find other jobs,” he said.
White Pass is hardly alone in its struggles. It’s one of only a few ski areas in the state capable of making snow; those that aren’t have been closed entirely.
Alpental and The Summit at Snoqualmie aren’t open at all; Crystal Mountain and Stevens Pass have just recently opened.
At White Pass, things are finally starting to look up, though. Despite the slow start to the season, McCarthy is optimistic. As of last weekend, White Pass opened daily (it was weekends only before then) and the forecast is showing good conditions for snow in the coming week. Regardless, the weather will get colder and the inches will start piling up.
“We’ve seen this before,” he said. “It does eventually get snowing and we’ll get the depth we’re accustomed to.”
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