The mess that the latest storm wrought on Los Angeles was partially laid in front of me driving from El Segundo to El Sereno on Thursday.
The express lane on the 110 North was flooded, forcing vehicles onto the freeway’s already crowded regular lanes. The 10 East fast lane was also inundated at certain points, forcing my Honda Civic and other similarly low-to-the-ground vehicles to merge into dryer, slow lanes.
While I and other Angelenos may have been inconvenienced and annoyed with this soggy weather, an email I received earlier that day confirmed there were plenty of Southern California communities thrilled with the series of storms that rolled into the region.
About 80 miles east of downtown, the San Bernardino County mountain hamlet of Wrightwood and its largest employer, the Mountain High Resort, are welcoming a snow deluge and hoping this is their busiest weekend of the season.
“Up until now, it’s been a waiting game as to when and if we’d have one last big storm to provide us these perfect conditions,” said John McColly, Mountain High’s Vice President of sales and marketing.
For McColly and Wrightwood’s Chamber of Commerce, an abundance of fresh powder doesn’t just equal more tourists breaking in snowboards and snow shoes. The extra white stuff also translates into more business for local mom-and-pop ventures and more jobs at Mountain High, the area’s largest employer. The same can be said for other area resorts such as Bear Mountain and Snow Valley resorts.
Let’s look at how the increase in snow provides a boon for Mountain High.
The National Weather Service estimates 28 to 38 inches of snow has fallen over the last five days at Mountain High. In comparison, Mountain High accumulated a total of 34 inches of snow for the entire last season, according to snowboarding and skiing outlet On the Snow.
The resort — with 59 trails and 14 lifts — sits between 6,600 feet and 8,200 feet above sea level, while Wrightwood, which is about 5,900 feet up, enjoyed 14 inches of snow.
The new snow pushes the total base snowfall to 49 inches this season.
Employment during the winter season can fluctuate from 200 workers in lean times to 800 workers in robust conditions, McColly said.
Seasonal workers are generally employed full-time from December to March, with some starting and staying a little earlier and longer.
Their tasks include ski and snow board instructors, ski lift operators, food and beverage service workers, membership renewal and gear rental.
The resort maintains a small crew of year-round, full-time employees that include mechanics, marketing and human resources personnel.
“We can’t control the weather and all we can manage is labor and expenses, which means running a tight ship,” McColly said. “It’s not great for the local community when jobs are on the lower end, particularly since we are the area’s largest business operator. We don’t take that responsibility lightly.”
One indicator of a successful season, Kashawna McInerny, office manager at Wrightwood’s Chamber of Commerce, said in an email, is when she sees a jump in what she calls “necessity” purchasing.
“Shops like Mountain Hardware see spikes in high-margin items like tire chains, sleds, and winter appeal,” McInerny said.
For the town, which sits about three miles outside Mountain High, the increased snowfall brings about optimism for economic growth.
“The ‘snowy advantage’ represents a critical shift from baseline operations to a high-growth economic environment,” McInerny said. “When natural snowfall is abundant, it creates a ‘virtuous cycle’ for local businesses by driving massive visitor volume and extending the revenue-generating season.”
High-volume traffic typically spans a 5 1/2-month period (mid-November to mid-April) during snowy winters, providing a stable, long-term customer base rather than sporadic weekend spikes, McInerny said.
That “snow advantage” converts into as much as a 27% increase in attendance at Mountain High versus an average season, McInerny said, which creates a “spillover effect” in the form of skiers and snowboards who shop and each at Wrightwood stores and restaurants.
“Our local business owners are truly grateful for the snow players who fill our streets and shops,” McInerny said. “Whether you are here for a day of shopping, sledding, or a weekend at the resort, your support keeps our village thriving and allows our small businesses to flourish year-round.”
(Alex Brandon / Associated Press)
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