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February 1, 2006Warmest January in history for T.C.A rough month for ski areas and snowmobilersTRAVERSE CITY - It isn't just your imagination. It really was the warmest January in Traverse City history, with temperatures reaching the freezing mark or higher on 25 days last month.The average temperature, said Mike Cellitti of the National Weather Service in Gaylord: 31.9 degrees. Historically, the average is 20 degrees. "It was the warmest January on record," Cellitti said. Warm temperatures across northern Lower Michigan - Sault Ste. Marie had its second-warmest January and Houghton Lake also nearly set a record - plagued local ski areas and nearly canceled an annual Antrim County rite: the White Pines Stampede cross country ski race. Still set to go on this weekend, the race from Mancelona to the Shanty Creek resort was nearly called off this year for the first time in the event's 29-year history, said race director Jack McKaig. "We got hurt with the rain on Sunday. It hurt us bad," McKaig said. "We got a lot of calls from the cross-country community across the state, asking us to please not cancel. We decided to go for it." But the course had to be altered. A portion through an area golf course where skiers normally cross had to be cut out. "People were playing golf there two weeks ago," McKaig said. Normally 50 kilometers long, this Saturday's race has been shortened to about 35 kilometers, and organizers are warning skiers that conditions aren't perfect. " ... (W)e strongly recommend that skiers NOT use their best equipment," the race Web site cautions. " ... (T)here may be spots where skiers will actually have to walk their skis across snowless patches." The Web site for Crystal Mountain ski resort puts a positive spin on the unseasonably warm weather: "Crystal has seen plenty of sunshine in the past couple of weeks!" Above-average snowfall in December allowed the resort to build up a good base on the ski hill, said spokeswoman Joan O'Neill, but the warm January made for "a love-hate relationship" with the resort's cross country trails. "We've had cycles of great conditions, with all 40 kilometers (of trails) open, and then we get the meltdown," O'Neill said. Afternoon rain and temperatures well into the 40s kept crowds down on the alpine slopes at Crystal Mountain Saturday afternoon. "It does deter the locals, the day tickets that you plan on being purchased," O'Neill said. "It didn't deter our overnight guests." Resort officials are hoping for a colder, snowier February. "We're very thankful for December," O'Neill said. "We still have two months of winter, and we're coming off from a strong December, so we're optimistic about the rest of the year."
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