Craftsbury, Vermont -- January 6, 2012
From the shores to the slopes, Mother Nature has been trying her best to hit pause on winter recreation in Vermont.
Most parts of the state finally saw some of the white stuff Thursday, but there's still grass on some slopes and water in the bays.
Ace Hardware in Colchester is normally a last stop for fisherman before they head out on the ice.
This year, it has acted more like a holding cell.
"They're really antsy. They're foaming. They can't wait to get out there," says Dale Scichitano.
But that's not the case every year. While most parts of vermont only have a dusting of snow, here in Craftsbury it's already more than 20 feet deep."
But not thanks to Mother Nature.
"All of our skiing is on man made snow right now," says Lucas Schulz with the Craftsbury Nordic Center.
The Craftsbury Nordic Center is taking matters into their own hands, making snow for the first time ever.
"Thirty years ago you never heard of making snow on a downhill area, and now everyone's got it. The same thing is happening now with cross country. It's popping up here and there," Schulz says.
This three-gun snow making system cost more than $300 thousand dollars.
And it takes 170,000 gallons of water to make a one-foot-deep acre of snow.
But these men say it's worth it.
"If we didn't make snow it would be green here now," Schulz says.
Three of the center's 80-plus kilometers of trail are adequately covered with thanks to the man-made snow.
It's not great, but enough to operate. much of it will be stockpiled for big races coming up later this winter.
The snowmobiling industry has been socked by a one-two punch.
First Irene, which washed out culverts and bridges. And then the weather.
"We don't have any trails to report open, but we're going to stay positive because we still have 15 weeks left in the season," says Alexis Nelson with the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers.
They hope that winter weather will soon be here to stay.
