Wilmington, N.Y. (AP) — With conditions ideal for snow-making, the state-owned Whiteface Mountain ski center near Lake Placid has opened for the season six days ahead of schedule.
Hundreds of skiers hit the slopes on Saturday under sunny skies with mild temperatures and variable conditions.
Olympic Regional Development Authority CEO Ted Blazer says the recent weather has been ideal for snowmaking, allowing the mountain to open early. It was the earliest opening for Whiteface since 2003, when it opened on Nov. 16.
The ski center will be closed Monday through Thursday and reopen on Friday for the holiday weekend.
The other state-owned ski resorts, Gore and Belleayre, are also slated to open for the holiday weekend. Gore, in the Adirondacks, is set to open on Friday and Belleayre in the Catskills on Saturday.
Copyright Associated Press 2012
