One last winter splash
WARWICK — It's been a milder than usual winter with not much snow.
But with its snow-making capability, Warwick's Mt. Peter Ski Area easily managed to offer skiing and snowboarding on all trails and, new for this year, a tubing park throughout most of the season.
Since it was a little on the warm side for this time of year, visitors were able to comfortably relax outdoors and enjoy music, food, games and entertainment featuring Max, the Magician, and music by the band, "Spitball Parade," along with DJ Jay Bird.
And with snow still left on the slopes, it was also a late season opportunity to enjoy winter sports.
In the early afternoon snow boarders and skiers demonstrated their skills at leaping and twisting after flying high in a big air contest.
During the day the DJ Jay Bird kept everyone, especially the children, dancing and there were prizes, giveaways, food and refreshments.
Then came the highlight of the day, the "Wacky Water Ski Contest," where skiers and snow boarders transition from snow to water.
The 110-foot trough, a bit shorter than last year, had been filled to the brim with icy water from an adjacent pond fed by mountain streams.
While crowds of onlookers kept a safe distance to the side of the trough, the contestants smoothly transitioned from snow to water attempting to make it all the way across the full length of the trough, recovering back on snow.
Many of the skiers and snow boarders made it but some were not so lucky and ended up taking a cool dip and wading to shore.
And to everyone's amusement, a few spectacular splashdowns showered some onlookers slow to retreat. They had been warned.
The Spring Rally ended with the "Cardboard Race," where contestants create sculptures like Batman, space ships, race cars, and other themes and swoosh down the mountain carrying participants and their team members.
- Roger Gavan