Staff at a Putnam County ski resort are cleaning up after a recent storm caused thousands of dollars in damage, according to News 12. The broadcaster reported from Thunder Ridge Ski Resort in Patterson, where owner Dean Ryder is now sorting through the mess left behind by the weather.
Ryder showed News 12 a parking lot that now looks like torn up carpet, a ski school building left with no foundation and a muddy lift ticket office. The broadcaster described the scene as one of widespread damage across the resort's grounds.
According to News 12, Ryder says the destruction all traces back to Monday morning's downpour. The broadcaster reported that the rain caused a retention pond to blow over its dam harder than ever before, unleashing a rush of water across the property.
That surge washed equipment, signs and debris down the mountain and across the road, News 12 reported. The broadcaster relayed Ryder's account of how quickly the water moved and how much it carried with it.
Ryder, who has owned the resort for 34 years, told News 12 he has only seen something like this happen once before, and that it was nowhere near this level. According to the broadcaster, he estimates the storm caused about $100,000 in damage.
The owner said the parking lot is buckling and feels hollow underfoot, and that it will have to be entirely replaced, News 12 reported. The broadcaster said that replacement makes up most of the damage and most of the cost the resort is now facing.
Despite the destruction, Ryder said he and his staff can handle it, with contractors already on site, according to News 12. The broadcaster reported that he plans to have everything back in place to reopen in mid-December, just as the resort does every ski season.
Ryder said he is working with his insurance company to cover repairs to the damage from this storm, as well as an earlier one and a windstorm back on July 4th, News 12 reported. The broadcaster noted that more rain is on the way for the area even as the resort digs out.