'It is a goal': Hometown ski hill aims to open this week as excitement for season heats up

SLINGER, Wis. (CBS 58) -- While some may not be excited about the chance for snow this week, one hometown ski and snowboard hill is speeding up the process.

Little Switzerland in Slinger posted on Facebook Monday that the hill had officially begun making snow for the winter season. While co-owner Rick Schmitz tells CBS 58 Sunday night's snowmaking was more of systems check, Monday night and Tuesday night could provide the hill with enough snow to open the terrain park for one day/night this week.

"It is a goal. We won't know for sure," Schmitz said. "We're as aggressive as we can be early season. The excitement is so high. People can't wait to get out on skis and snowboards this time of year."

Little Switzerland has roughly 30 snowmaking machines, with 11 of them currently focused on the I-41 terrain park. Should Mother Nature cooperate the next couple of nights, the hill could see its earliest opening date ever.

"It would by far be the earliest open we have ever had in our history," Schmitz said. "If it gets a few degrees colder, it means way more snow production and increases our chances of trying to get on one slope this weekend."

As the temperatures continue to cool off outside, business inside the Les Moise in Brookfield continues to heat up.

"We've been selling a lot of product here, in snowboards and also in skis," explained Nicole Major, a salesperson at the popular ski and snowboard shop. "Usually people, when the hills open, they're like, 'Oh my gosh, I forgot to get my stuff,' so then people come in all at once."

Major says while they've been selling a lot of skis and snowboards, rentals and repairs are also a popular line of business. She encourages people to act sooner rather than later when it comes to getting their gear situated for the upcoming season.

"Earlier the better," Major said. "We'll still be able to get stuff out as fast as possible."

As for when the riders and gear can hit the slopes, Schmitz says Little Switz hopes to have a firm decision made by Wednesday.

"Really depends on how productive snow-making is the next two nights," Schmitz said. "If we do open, it'll just be one run that is a terrain park, but those tend to be some of our most passionate riders that are going to be out here. Even if we don't get it, it just creates so much excitement and buzz that the season's right around the corner, and people can't wait."

For more information on options provided at Les Moise, visit the website, here: http://www.lesmoiseinc.com/.

For more information on Little Switzerland, including available job opportunities, visit the website here: https://www.littleswitz.com/.