MANSFIELD — The temperature topped out at 11 degrees before plunging into single digits, blowing snow limited visibility and wind chill values were well below zero.
Nate Wolleson couldn’t have asked for a better start to the weekend.
The marketing manager at Snow Trails, Wolleson had a hard time masking his enthusiasm on a frosty Friday morning. Four inches of fresh powder fell overnight and more was on the way.
“The snow is incredible,” Wolleson said. “We have some exciting events planned and this will only add to it.”
Friday is the first of three Late Night events at Ohio’s first ski resort. Slopes are open until 2 a.m. There also was a Nighttime Rail Jam on Friday.
“It’s like a skate park where skiers and snowboarders have rails to slide across and down,” Wolleson said. “There is a $10 entry fee and riders will be judged in two categories, 15 and younger and 16 and older.”
Friday is already one of the resort’s biggest nights as more than 750 school-aged skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes with their schools’ ski clubs.
“We have 50 total schools and about 2,600 students throughout the week,” ski lift supervisor Bret Swisher said. “A lot of the schools are from the Columbus area.”
This week’s arctic blast — Friday’s high temperature in Mansfield was more than 20 degrees colder than highs reported across Alaska — had Snow Trails patrons and employees bundling up more than usual.
“It’s not too cold as long as you have the right apparel,” Wolleson said. “We encourage everyone to keep skin from being exposed.”
There are other precautions in place for staff. Additional lift operators are called in to shorten intervals spent in the elements.
“There are more frequent rotations and the operators get regular breaks,” Wolleson said. “We get them inside huts so they can warm up.
“We want everyone to have fun, but we also want to make sure everyone stays safe.”
