No snow means C.O. high school ski teams must practice on dry land

(Update: Adding video and comments from David Smullin)

Redmond Community Nordic Ski Club's first competition postponed due to lack of snowfall

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- David Smullin, the Redmond Community Nordic Ski Club head coach since 1999, is no stranger to dry-land practice sessions. But they have become more of a necessity this season, as Central Oregon waits for more snow to arrive.

The Redmond Community Nordic Ski Club is made up of students from Redmond, Ridgeview and Sisters high schools and the Redmond Proficiency Academy. The club has been training for the last three weeks, mostly on dry land, working on conditioning drills like hill runs with ski poles in hand.

"We've been able to train three times on snow before it melts," Smullin told NewsChannel 21 on Wednesday.

The lack of snow in late November and early December is not unusual for Smullin and his ski team, but it is one of the drier early seasons in recent years.

“Four or five years ago, we had similar issues," Smullin said. "Right now, this seems like the worst I’ve seen it in a while.”

The club's first competition of the season was set for Dec. 15, but is now listed as to be determined.

Gregg Timm, the head coach for Bend High's alpine ski team, told NewsChannel 21 the dry weather has not changed how his team has prepared for the season.

"We've already been on the snow a number of days," Timm said. "It's the same number of days as any season."