With temperatures this winter varying from tropical to arctic conditions, Iowa’s skiing and snowboarding season got off to a late start.

“It’s a month behind at some places,” said Joseph Miller, junior in pre-business and social chairman of the Iowa State Ski and Snowboard Club.

Miller also works for the ski patrol at Seven Oaks in Boone, where he said the recreation center opened almost 20 days later than expected.

Other Iowa ski areas including Sundown Mountain in Dubuque and Fun Valley in Montezuma, opened just before Christmas.

“We normally open in the first part of December,” said Lori Bryan, secretary at Fun Valley.

She said Fun Valley opens as soon as there is enough snow on the ground to ski and usually closes in the middle of March.

Although there have been several weekend snowstorms, Bryan said the number of skiers has been below normal this year. She said attributed the low numbers of people coming out to ski to the arctic temperatures that followed the snow.

Sundown Mountain President Gene Gordon said better skiing conditions this past week have been good for the park’s business. He said the trails have been nearly 100 percent open since the first snow.

“Skiers get anxious when they haven’t skied for a while,” Gordon said.

Bryan said all the ski trails at Fun Valley are open and there is 18-40 inches of base snow.

“It’s pretty icy right now,” Miller said.

However, Miler said he has found most skiing conditions throughout Iowa to be good and most trails open.

One advantage to skiing at areas in Iowa, Miller said, is that most businesses provide snowboarding trails. He said Seven Oaks provides a variety of jumps for snowboarders to challenge.

Gordon said Sundown Mountain has a separate fenced-in terrain for snowboarders and extreme skiers.

Elevation at Fun Valley is 240 feet and is open Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sundown Mountain has a 475-foot elevation and lift passes for adults, which cost $30 on Saturday and Sunday and rental cost is $20. Weekend lift passes for youths and seniors are $20 and rentals are $16. Gordon said on weekdays, adult lift passes and rentals are $24 and $20, and passes and rentals for seniors and youths are $20 and $16.