Snowfall reported in Slinger thanks to help from 3 brothers
SLINGER -- Sunny, colder, and a chance of snow?! In Slinger, residents can mark their calender as October 27th, for the first time they've seen snow on the ground. But it wasn't thanks to mother nature. It is from large snow guns at the Little Switzerland ski resort, who tested their new snow making machines for the first time.
With temperatures reaching 30 overnight, new owners Rick, Mike, and Dave Schmitz hit the switch on their newly imported Italian snow guns, blasting white stuff all over the ski hill. It's the first time in years the hill has seen man made snow after being shut down the last 5 seasons.
"To see those yellow guns fire like a jet engine, it absolutely gave me goosebumps," says Mike Schmitz.
"Our snow making system to the lifts have been completely redone. The lodge has been completely renovated," says Rick Schmitz.
The Schmitz brothers, who learned to ski on the hill, recently acquired the resort, and have pumped more than 2 million dollars to renovate the area. Saturday, was the resort's open house. And with the help of some freshly made snow, it also provided for the first snow board run of the year.
"I'm so happy to bring it back and be part of it," says Dave Schmitz.
The brothers say they hope to have the hill open for the season in late November. Discounted season passes are on sale now.