Unseasonably warm weather persists and it’s causing people to skirt the slopes, rather than ski them.

Winter sports are supposed to be a large attraction in the Central New York area, according to Robert Ross, vice president of SnöCats, Binghamton University’s student-run ski club.

December and January both ranked in Binghamton’s top 10 warmest of the respective months since 1951, according to Michael Evans, science operation officer at the Binghamton weather forecast office, who spoke to Pipe Dream earlier this month.

Evans noted that Binghamton has also experienced less snowfall than usual and is on track to come close to its record for least amount of snow in a season.

The SnöCats canceled their first trip to Okemo Mountain Ski Resort in Vermont, which was scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 19.

“The warm weather is terrible and it means we can’t ski at all,” Ross said. “Most trips are cancelled due to jacked-up prices due to resorts having to make the snow.”

As a result, attendance has suffered, according to Ross.

“We usually have around 30 to 50 members participating in trips, but the list is decreasing to 10 to 15 members,” said Ross, a junior majoring in electrical engineering. “When people don’t see snow, they don’t really want to go.”

The SnöCats plan to reschedule their trip to Okemo Mountain and are hoping to take three more major trips this semester, if their budget can cover the increased cost of the resorts. If the weather improves, resorts will no longer have to rely on expensive, fake snow.

Meanwhile, at local ski resorts like Labrador Mountain, sales are dismal at best.

People lose interest in skiing when the weather is warm, according to Rick Bunnell, the marketing and snow sports director of Labrador Mountain in Truxton, N.Y.

“I’ve been here for 35 years and this is the worst year we’ve had,” Bunnell said. “We have plenty of [fake] snow, but if there’s no snow in people’s backyard, they just won’t come.”

Though sales may be down this year, last year was one of Labrador Mountain’s best, according to Bunnell.

Elk Mountain, located in Union Dale, Penn., is riding out the winter in better shape than Labrador.

“There’s no doubt that the weather has impacted our business, but we’re hanging in there and doing our best to provide good skiing,” said Gregg Confer, the general manager of Elk Mountain. “We have great conditions right now.”

“Our skiing is actually mid-winter conditions right now, and the people who are here are really loving it, so we’re not discouraged and [we’re] hanging in there,” Confer said.

Ski resorts are accustomed to a cyclic stream of incoming profit stream, according to Bunnell.

“That’s the game you play with Mother Nature,” Bunnell said.