Crystal Mountain, WA – The first in a series of powerful early winter storms rolling ashore in the Pacific Northwest has prompted a number of the West’s ski and snowboard resorts to open for the season this weekend.nIn Washington State, Crystal Mountain, Mt. Baker and 49º North are all launching their respective ski seasons. Over a foot of snow fell at Crystal Wednesday night, prompting officials there to open the resort this morning with Discovery and Quicksilver lifts operating from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Chinook Express and Forest Queen opening late morning. Tickets prices are reduced to $20 due to limited operations and early season conditions. The resort’s new Mt. Rainier Gondola is scheduled to open Dec. 10.
Ski School, Kid’s Club and the rental shop are all open at Crystal, with the Cascade Grill and Bullwheel Bar & Grill serving a very limited menu. The Snorting Elk and Deli opened in the afternoon.
Mt. Baker near Bellingham opens its ski season on Saturday with seven lifts in operation after 16 inches of snowfall Wednesday night, bringing base depths at Heather Meadows to 35 inches. With low snow conditions, operations will be limited to main groomed runs only and skiers and snowboarders are reminded to be mindful of early season conditions and use extra caution.
At 49º North, chairs 1 and 3 will begin spinning Saturday morning at the resort located east of Chewelah, where as much as four feet of new snow has fallen over the past three weeks. Operations will shut down Monday through Wednesday before resuming full time beginning Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. Full skier services are available.
While other ski areas in Washington await more snow, Mt. Hood Meadows is joining its companion ski area on Mt. Hood, the nearly year-round Timberline, in offering skiing and riding to Oregonians. Meadows picked up two feet of new snow in 24 hours this week and will open a limited number of lifts on Saturday. The exact number, and pricing for the weekend have yet to be determined.
The resort will have restaurants, ski and snowboard school, daycare, sports shops, demo and rental centers operating. Meadows Parks crew is also setting rails and building jumps on “The Zoo” and “Shipyard” freestyle terrain parks.
Idaho’s Lookout Pass ski area, located along Interstate 90 at the Idaho/Montana state line, opened today as the first resort in the Inland Northwest to do so. Base depths range from 12 to 20 inches. The majority of the resort’s front side is open with top to bottom skiing and riding. Reduced rates are in effect, and like 49º North, Lookout Pass will close Monday through Wednesday of next week before doing to daily operations on Thursday.
Elsewhere around the West, snow is prompting other ski resorts to open as well. Alta Ski Area near Salt Lake City, Utah, opened this morning with nearly the entire mountain accessible from its Collins, Wildcat and Sunnyside lifts in skiable condition. Park City Mountain Resort will open Saturday, as will Brian Head Resort further south in the state.
Brian Head’s limited opening on Saturday will come with discounted lift ticket prices of $25 for adults and $20 for children 12 and under. Chairlifts Three and Black Foot will serve three runs and a terrain park with 11 features, rails and boxes, and full skier services will be available.
“We look forward to another tremendous Utah ski and snowboard season,” said Brian Head General Manager, Henry Hornberger. “Last year Brain Head had over 400 inches of ‘The Greatest Snow on Earth,’ and already we have a base of over two feet of natural and man-made snow. With snow forecast for opening weekend and into next week, we are eager to open additional terrain during Thanksgiving week.”
Further east in Colorado, Vail Mountain opened for the season today with over 1,100 acres of skiable terrain, and Winter Park will open eight lifts for top to bottom skiing on Saturday. Also on Saturday, Loveland Ski Area will open Chair 4 tomorrow to the mid-station after receiving 44 inches of snow in the past 10 days. The resort didn’t open Chair 4 until January last year.
“All the new snow has everyone eager for more terrain,” said John Sellers, Marketing Director. “Getting Chair 4 open before Thanksgiving is huge. Last season we didn’t see much snow in November, but I think we are making up for it this year. And then some. The early season conditions are the best anyone can remember.”
This week Loveland Ski Area dropped the rope on Cat’s Meow, Busy Gully, Tiger’s Tail, Holy Cat, Catwalk Trees, Fire Cut, Bennett’s Bowl and The South Chutes. Chair 7 at Loveland Valley opened today, providing beginners access to Take Off and All Smiles. The Loveland Ski & Ride School is fully operational and offering their full menu of lesson programs for all ages and abilities.
“Once we get Chair 4 open we will focus on getting Chair 8 ready,” said Bob Magrino, Loveland’s Director of Mountain Operations. “The coverage looks good and there is more snow in the forecast so Chair 8 could open early next week.”
Other ski resorts currently open in Colorado include Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin and Wolf Creek.
California’s Squaw Valley USA is slated to open for skiing and riding on Saturday with fresh snow from a potentially historic storm system on the horizon that’s predicted to deliver up to six feet to the Sierras. According to weather experts, Lake Tahoe has not seen a November snowstorm this large in the past six years.
“I’ve been here for 20 years and I’ve never before seen a storm set up like this before Thanksgiving,” said Mike Livak, General Manager of Squaw Valley USA. “With snow totals predicted to total up to six feet at elevation 5,500 feet, just imagine what great conditions we’ll have above our base area located at 6,200 feet.”
Squaw skiers and riders can kick off winter on Saturday by taking their first turns of the season on the slopes accessed by Exhibition Chairlift and Pony Tow, scheduled to spin from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. this weekend. Adult day tickets will be discounted to $59, youth and seniors $42, super seniors $27 and kids 12 and under $12.
Across the border in Canada, all three Banff-area ski resorts are now open for the season. Sunshine Village opened today, joining its neighbors Lake Louise and Mt. Norquay after heavier than predicted snowfall all week long left more than a foot and a half of new snow. Six lifts and over 35 runs are available, all covered in natural snow.
Whistler Mountain in British Columbia opened today as well, six days ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, on Vancouver’s North Shore, Cypress Mountain’s Eagle Express Quad will be open to access the north face of Black Mountain, including Upper Fork, Jasey Jay (formerly PGS), Windjammer and Panorama. For those who prefer beginner terrain, Cypress staffers will also be opening the resort’s Easy Rider Quad Chair. Lift ticket prices will be discounted 25 percent.
Cross country ski trails will be open in the lower area at Cypress and will be groomed but not track set. The Tube Park will be closed but officials are working to prepare the Sliding Area for opening Saturday and will make that announcement in the morning.