(ABC 6 News) – While the calendar says we’re well into December, outside it looks like a different story. Despite very little to no snow on the ground, ski and snowboarding resorts are beginning to reopen for business this weekend.

Snowfall has been minimal to kick off this year’s ski and snowboarding season in southern Minnesota but with the help of snow machines, people are still getting out to hit slopes.

As the temperature drops and many Minnesotan’s bundle themselves indoors. Others are getting ready, for a new season of activity. But just because snowboarders and skiers are ready doesn’t mean the snow has followed suit just yet.

“It’s been tough with the weather,” said Cody Rollings, Welch Village Base Operations manager. “The temperatures have been really high, the humidity has been high. We did have a few nights where it was single degree digits. And we just turned on the guns wide open and tried to put down as much snow as possible.”

Rollings and his fellow employees turned the snowmaking machines up to 11 earlier in the week as temps dropped down enough to guarantee some snow would be around come opening day on Saturday.

Not every course has been able to maintain the snow it’s been given, leaving course options limited for those hitting the slopes.

Brothers Joseph and Luke Becker hit the slopes with their parents on Sunday. For Luke, it was his first time ever tackling any of the hills at Welch Village.

“I’m nervous,” Luke Becker said. “I don’t know it’s just that Welch is harder than the other ski places I’m used to going on like Buck [Hill].”

His older brother Joseph, however, knows the ropes of Welch having tried their hills before, offering his brother a guiding hand.

“”I really like that one over there, but it’s closed. I’ve been seeing people ski down that hill so I want to try and find the back trail,” Joseph Becker said.

The opening weekend at Welch Village welcomed many season pass holders back as a thank you for their commitment to the ski hills. And for Rollings seeing all these regular faces for another winter at the slopes, reminds him how happy he is to have the job he does.

“I love seeing all the regulars,” said Rollings. “Everyone is super happy to be on the hill. Everyone is in a good mood. This sport is something that I have really fallen in love with for my whole life. And it’s just fun to see everybody out here and having a good time.”

General admission tickets go on sale for Welch’s 2023-24 season on Monday. As more ticket sales open up, Rollings and company hope more snow will come with the sales too.