WMBCTV: Massive Winter Storm Brings Fresh Powder and Record Crowds to Local Ski Resorts
- Feb 24
- 2 min read
As winter conditions settle in across North Jersey, ski resorts are seeing a surge in visitors with some reporting their busiest stretch since before the pandemic. Officials say a powerful storm earlier this month played a major role, leaving more than a foot of snow in parts of Sussex County and reinforcing base depths across the region. At Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon, the fresh snow couldn’t have come at a better time, layering on top of a base already built with the help of new technology on the resort.
“We got almost two feet of snow and it has made everyone remember how much fun skiing and snowboarding is when there’s natural snow,” said Jackie Cerra, Marketing Manager, Mountain Creek. “It’s bringing out tons of visitors. We’re seeing increased visitation - the conditions are fantastic. They are the best they’ve been in quite a long time.”
And while natural snow has made a noticeable difference this season, resort officials say technology plays an equally important role when storms aren’t in the forecast. Last season, Mountain Creek invested five million dollars into a fully automated snowmaking system - allowing crews to quickly build and maintain coverage whenever temperatures drop, even without significant snowfall.
“We were able to get more snow made than we’ve ever,” said Jackie Cerra, Marketing Manager, Mountain Creek. “We rapidly expanded our terrain. We had really great momentum and then layer that on top of the natural snow storms we’ve gotten, it’s an even better experience.”
And while officials say weather always plays a role, the combination of natural snow and upgraded infrastructure is helping keep terrain open longer than in recent seasons. As the season continues, Mountain Creek staff say the focus remains on maintaining safe, reliable conditions - using a mix of natural snowfall and snowmaking to adjust as temperatures fluctuate in the weeks ahead.
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