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Frisco, Like Much Of Colorado, Waiting For A Good Dumping Of Snow

FRISCO, Colo. (CBS4) - It was quiet at the Frisco Lodge in downtown Frisco Monday night. Christmas decorations were up, but there were only a few visitors. A dusting of snow outside, but a thin frosting on downtown.

"I am honest with people," said owner Susan Wentworth.

Her family has owned the lodge since 1961 when it stood nearly alone, apart from other buildings around. There was snow around Labor Day that year. Not this year. Not by a longshot.

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"If the snow conditions aren't good, I don't tell people, 'oh gosh, come to Colorado because it's wonderful' because it isn't," she said.

The dining room was quiet. A retired couple from Denver found it likable. They had a vehicle they bought last year during the pandemic, but it has yet to be driven in snow because at first they didn't go out, and now there's no snow to navigate.

A dusting fell this night though. At the Frisco Nordic Center 6-12 year olds were out trying Nordic skiing. All of it was on what looked like a raised road bed of man-made snow.

"It would have been our hope. We've been doing our snow dances, but so far, it's not working too well," said instructor Malin Bengtssom.

"We had just enough cold weather that we were able to make snow," said Nordic Center director Pete Swenson.

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Next to it was visible grass.

"Five hundred meters counting out and back. Yeah we're happy that we've got skiing and the kids are loving it."

The kids still were racing back and forth after dark. Normally, there is a lot more.

"Nearly 30 kilometers if we were fully open. At Thanksgiving time, if I have 10k I'm happy," said Swenson. Right now, a half a kilometer of snow will have to do.

The town hopes to also open its tubing hill next week. A couple of cold nights should help snow making.

"Even at 9,000 feet here we're only able to make snow for two to four hours a night. Once we get a full night of cold, then I can really start to make snow," said Swenson.

Skiing fans cannot be deterred whether young or old.

"The fact that we've got 30 kids out here practicing is good," he said. "The hardcores come out and go back and forth for hours… If you want to Nordic ski, you're out here."

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