MAHWAH, NJ – We haven’t had much snow so far this winter season, but cold temperatures are helping our area’s ski resorts get back in business.
It may be cold outside, but skiers at New Jersey’s Campgaw Mountain are gliding down the hills with glee. The day after Christmas is opening day for Mahwah Ski Area.
Liam Hurtuk, 8, couldn’t wait to go snowboarding.
“It’s fast, and when you feel like going down, sometimes the snow stops you,” Liam said.
He hit the slopes with his brother and dad.
“We live right around the corner, so it’s really convenient for us. We’re very excited to be here,” his father said.
“It’s really fun going down the hill because I really like to snowboard,” Ryan Hurtuk said.
All the snow at Campgaw is man-made. Sub-freezing temperatures are exactly what they need to make snow. Water is pumped from a nearby pond. It is then fed into more than 30 machines that crystallize the water in the snow.
“This past Friday afternoon, this whole area was practically all green grass. We made this snow over the weekend to get ready to open for today,” said Ron Fuhr of Campgaw.
“The snow is packed in nicely and you can go down without any problems,” said ski instructor Rebecca Maclaren.
Campgaw has some of the best slopes for beginners.
“It’s easy. I don’t feel like I’m going to fall because of how steep it is,” said Bergenfield resident Rhyana Salas.
“It’s very exciting to have the wind in your face, coming down the hill. It’s a lot of fun,” said JD de Guiltos.
Workers are still widening the pipe slopes. They will be open on Saturday morning at 9am Be sure to purchase your tickets online as they sell out very quickly.
On Tuesdays, both adults and children will be able to take skiing lessons, starting in the morning. Tickets for the lessons are also selling fast.
