Lack of snow in B.C.'s Interior forces outdoor industries to pivot

This winter's lack of snow and mild conditions have impacted the economics of the skiing and biking industry in B.C.'s Interior.

Ski and bike shops have brought out spring inventory weeks ahead of schedule, cross-country ski networks have closed, and coaching services have pivoted to dirt rather than snow.

"With less snow, people are a little less interested in getting new ski gear," said Jim Maybee, the manager of Skookum in Salmon Arm, while on a mountain bike ride with a CBC reporter on Feb. 11.

"We're seeing more bike action and less ski action."

He said in his 28 years living in the region, he cannot remember a time when riding was possible, let alone ideal in January or February.

This year, to meet Skookum's customer's needs, Maybee swapped out ski inventory for bikes much earlier than usual.

"What we've tried to do is pivot a bit and kind of refocus on the upcoming bike season. Or in this case, the current bike season," said Maybee.

While some mountaintops in the area — like Revelstoke — have received more precipitation than average, the valley bottoms have been unseasonably dry and mild.

Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said over the last 90 days, Salmon Arm hit daily highs of, on average, three degrees warmer than the seasonal normal.

"It has been above average temperature wise, below average precipitation. Warmer and drier," said Lang.

Typically, the region receives more than 200 millimetres of precipitation over the winter months. So far this winter, less than 150 mm of precipitation has fallen on Salmon Arm, said Lang.

Some cross-country ski networks in the Interior, including Telemark Nordic near West Kelowna, and Overlander Ski Club near Kamloops, have been forced to close due to a lack of snow.

Emanuela Bandol, the founder of Okanagan Bike and Ski usually fills her winters in West Kelowna with ski lessons, snowy adventures and many hours on the indoor bike trainer. She is a coach, teaches ski and bike lessons to all ages and ability levels and takes people on guided tours by bike or ski.

This winter, however, Bandol has taught only a handful of ski lessons — despite having sold many gift certificates