Frigid holidays were a lump of coal for Yukon's Mount Sima

As winter cold snaps go, Yukon's most recent one was a downerfor Mount Sima.

The community ski hill in Whitehorse lost an estimated$30,000 in revenue over the two-week Christmas break, whentemperatures consistently hovered around30 C.

"It wasn't a stellar Christmas for us," said Janet Hink, general manager of Mount Sima. "It is a significant part of our season."

The hill's quad lift was closed on Dec. 29, and the entire facility was closed Dec. 30 and 31 because of the cold. Most years, those are some of the most lucrative days for the hill.

And even when the hill was open, skiers seemed to beoptingfor warmer holiday activities.

"We would have come every day if we could have if the weather would've been better," said Chantal Briscoe, out on the hill with her sonon Tuesday. It wasthe last day of Christmas break for most students, and the first dayafter the cold spell broke.

"It's nice to be out on the hill now, getting some fresh air."

Janet Hink, general manager of the ski hill, says only one kids' ski camp was cancelled over the break, because of the cold. But she figures a lot of people wronglyassume the hill is closed anytimethe mercury drops that low.

"We are trying to do a better job of getting the word out," she said.

Now the weather has turned, and suddenly temperatures shot from 30 C to near zero in little more than a dayandmost people are back at work and school.

Still, Hinkhopes that people will make up for the skiing they missed, in the coming weeks and months.

"There's always that fine balance between too warm and too cold, but the weather that we're having right now is pretty wonderful," shesaid.