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Watertown / Fort Drum

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Updated 12/28/2011 06:30 PM

First major snowfall helps local ski slopes

By: Brian Dwyer

If we told you that Watertown would be one of the last cities in our area to get snowfall, would you believe us? That's actually the case as this is the city's first major snow of the season. Our Brian Dwyer has more on one place that depends on the snowfall.

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WATERTOWN, N.Y. -- Bing Crosby was dreaming of one, but Watertown didn't get one. Christmas was green for a majority of Jefferson County. Great for those who hate shoveling, not so great for those who love to hit the slopes.

"What a difference a day makes. Yesterday 40 degrees and raining and today, 17 degrees and snowing. So yeah, it's really nice to see some natural snow and it's definitely brought people out," said Dry Hill Ski Area owner Tim McAtee.

"I woke up this morning and said, 'I'm going up to the hill.' I've been up here only two times this year and it feels good to get out. It feels good, it really does," Dry Hill Ski Area instructor Taylor Woolf said.

A packed house for the first time all season at Dry Hill. And it couldn't have come at a better time for the area, as kids have the week off from school.

But until now, it's been tough. There's been plenty of skiing with the manmade snow, but McAtee says his business can be based on perception.

“It's something that's frustrating because the snow making we usually can open main trails and have decent conditions and we have for the last week. But people look in their backyard and see green and think there can't be skiing or it can't be any good and both are wrong," McAtee said.

And while the skiers and snowboarders here say the manmade snow does the job, they all admit it's just not the same as the real thing.

"Real snow actually feels a lot better when you're skiing. Manmade snow tends to get icy and it's just nice to see it because it accumulates faster, the real snow," Woolf said.

"Oh, it's nice because it hasn't snowed at all this winter so far. It's nice to finally get out here," snowboarder Austin Lennox said.

And the kids are having a blast.

"Mostly falling on the ice and having a good time with my friend here. I'm hitting the jumps and rails, just messing around," snowboarder Bailey Comins said.

And after you have your fun, it's always nice to get back inside and remember the yesterdays of 40 degrees.

Dry Hill hopes to open its tubing area this weekend as well.