OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — The upcoming snowfall is a big plus for winter sports enthusiasts, as skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers prepare for a longer season.
- Customers and employees at Zeller's Ski and Sports are excited for the extra snow.
- Pete's Garage in Green Bay says this has been the best season ever for cross country skiing.
- Brown County Parks plans to reopen cross country ski trails if conditions allow.
Employees at Zeller’s Ski and Sports in Green Bay are busy waxing and repairing skis and snowboards.
Co-owner David Zeller says they service thousands of skis every year. Though, this past year in particular, has been great for business.
“We got off to a great start in the midwest,” he says. “It was cold, early snow, so definitely got peoples’ juices flowing. Those early season sales were great.”
Zeller says the upcoming winter storm will be the cherry on top.
"One concern would be with the wind, you know, chair holds for the safety of the skiers, but going forward, Monday, Tuesday next week and through the following week will be just incredible conditions,” he says.
Customers at the ski shop have been buzzing about the extra winter push, Zeller says.
“Instead of putting the skis away, maybe hey, get one more tuneup, sneak out a little bit more of the season,” he says. “To be honest with you, the best skiing is February, March.”
A similar buzz is in the air at Pete's Garage, which rents and sells cross country skis and snow bikes.
“We've been selling skis even this past week,” Nick Rozek, manager at Pete’s Garage, says. “People are holding on to as much as the ski tracks as they can.”
Rozek says they’ve also had a great year.
“We've had one of the best seasons ever for cross country skiing in the area,” he says.
Getting ready for all that enthusiasm, Brown County Parks has staff on call for the weekend.
“If we truly are going to get this amount of snow, it looks promising that we could actually get out and groom the ski trails,” Jason Petrella, Brown County Parks program and natural resource manager, says.
Petrellas says the cross country and snowshoeing trails at Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve look the most promising.
“We'll see what we can do, but we’re going to try to do what we can to have at least some of the ski trails open at some of the parks,” he says. “If we can be open for at least a couple of days, why not? We're going to give it a shot.”
You can find updated information on Brown County cross country trails on their Facebook page or by calling the parks office.
