Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
SNOW PILES up on evergreen trees along County C, off the Gile Flowage, near Hurley.
By RALPH ANSAMI
Ironwood - The 4.5-inch snowfall that fell for the 24-hour period to 7 a.m. Tuesday in Ironwood has been typical for the month.
With more than a week left in November, Ironwood has received 31 inches of snow this month and there was 14 inches on the ground Tuesday at the National Weather Service station site at the Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Treatment Plant on the Montreal River.
Typical monthly snowfall through Nov. 20 is 13.3 inches.
Snow continued to pile up on Tuesday, when side roads were slippery.
It has also been a colder than average month in a colder than average year, but area recreation providers are facing a possible warm-up beginning on Thanksgiving day or Friday.
The average monthly temperature of 25.3 degrees is well below the 117-year average of 32.4 degrees for this time in November.
For the year, the average reading is 51.7 degrees, compared to the long-term average of 52.8 degrees.
The snow, including the big blast on Nov. 16-17, is producing a good base for the cross country ski trails and downhill runs, but there has been some melting.
Groomers have been setting cross country tracks at ABR trails, in the Norrie Park area. ABR is open daily, including holidays.
Blackjack Mountain, near Bessemer, plans to open its downhill skiing slopes on Friday and be joined on Dec. 14 by Indianhead Mountain, near Wakefield.
It's planned both Blackjack and Indianhead will be open daily from Dec. 14-Jan. 6, after which Blackjack will return to a Thursday through Sunday schedule and Indianhead will be full-time.
Whitecap Mountains, near Upson, is tentatively planning its downhill opener for Dec. 1, according to its website.
Bruce Noren, of Big Powderhorn Mountain, near Bessemer, said a tentative opener of Dec. 15 for downhill skiing is planned there and snowmaking will begin soon. He said the warmer weather forecast for this week could factor in the plans, however.
Noren said Powderhorn wants to provide a solid skiing experience for opening day, as customers "expect better conditions" for openers now than in years past.
