West Dover, VT – With favorable snowmaking temperatures and natural snowfall falling from the skies this afternoon, Vermont’s Mount Snow ski resort is planning to fire up a few of its high output fan guns starting Thursday night in preparation for a pre-season fundraising event and rail fest this Saturday and Sunday.  Weather permitting, the resort anticipates opening one chairlift on its learning terrain and planting some terrain park features in the snow for a rail-fest-type teaser weekend.

All proceeds from the $10 lift tickets will go towards helping North Star Bowl, a popular Wilmington, Vt. bowling alley frequented by locals and visitors that experienced significant flood damage from Tropical Storm Irene.

“This isn’t going to be our official opening for the ski season, just a fun thing to have our guests come up and enjoy some snow while raising money to help North Star Bowl get back on their feet after Tropical Storm Irene,” says Mount Snow General Manager, Kelly Pawlak.  “We’ve done a pre-season rail jam the last couple of years and people really enjoy it.”

The Discovery Shuttle lift will spin from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, October 29 and 30 with lift tickets available for purchase in the Clocktower Building starting at 9:30 a.m. both days.  Terrain park features will be planted in the snow for park riders to brush up on their skills in preparation for this coming winter.