As eastern Canada digs out, Vancouver Island ski hill remains closed – because of a lack of snow

As those east of the Rockies continue to shiver and shovel out of a miserable start to the new year, at least one Vancouver Island ski hill has yet to open — because there hasn't been enough snow.

Mount Washington, about a three-hour drive northwest of Victoria, has been forced to give its season pass-holders free passes to the slopes of Whistler Blackcomb, north of Vancouver, because warm temperatures and a relative absence of precipitation has hobbled the season for skiers and snowboarders on Vancouver Island.

The resort negotiated a deal with Whistler Blackcomb, site of some of the 2010 Winter Olympic alpine events, when it became clear it wouldn't be able to open its runs in January.

[ Related: Much of country facing more bitter cold, wind and snow ]

“We appreciate that Whistler Blackcomb has been receptive to making this type of arrangement; it's not often you see this level of co-operation from two ski resorts,” Don Sharpe, Mount Washington's director of business operations and marketing, told the Campbell River Courier Islander.

“We were determined to find a way to get our passholders on the snow and we hope they can take advantage of this tremendous opportunity we've negotiated on their behalf.”

The deal runs until the end of January or until Mount Washington gets enough snow to open before then.

“Obviously, we're hoping the weather changes quickly and the sooner we can open up the better," said Sharpe. "In the meantime, this opportunity gives our passholders an excellent option for skiing and boarding without having to travel too far.”

Of course, those who take advantage of the deal will have to spring for the cost of a ferry trip to the B.C. mainland.

Mount Washington is suffering the effects of a 50-year low in precipitation, the Courier Islander said.

Sprawling Whistler Blackcomb, by contrast, has a snow base of 115 centimetres despite facing its own shortage of natural snow.

“One of the legacies of the 2010 Olympics is the snow-making infrastructure,” Whistler Blackcomb president Dave Brownlie told the Vancouver Sun recently. “We’ve already pumped 230 million gallons of water into snow-making, and that’s more than we pumped for the entire season in 2010.”

Mount Washington's dilemma is just the most extreme example of the snow shortage in B.C. The Canadian Press noted this time last year it had a mid-mountain snow base of 350 centimetres. This year, it's about 20 cm.

[ Related: Frigid weather puts freeze on N.B. ski hill attendance ]

Other B.C. mountains have had to close runs for lack of snow.

Grouse Mountain, on Vancouver's North Shore, last week had only five of its 26 runs open for skiing and boarding, the Sun reported. Its snowfall from October through December was just over one third of its normal precipitation for the period.

Nearby Cypress Mountain saw only 28 per cent of its usual snowfall and Mount Seymour, also on the North Shore, received only 55 cm., compared with an average of 262 cm.

So, as you dig yet again through the berm of snow blocking your driveway after the city plough went by, spare a thought for those poor B.C. skiers and boarders.