Wintry Weather Gives Resorts a Lift

A white Christmas is expected, but nobody at Mammoth Mountain dreamed of such a white Halloween.

The weekend storm left up to three feet of powder on the slopes of the Eastern Sierra resort, so Mammoth will open today instead of waiting until the planned Nov. 9 date.

“To be open in October is pretty cool,” resort spokeswoman Karen McGillis said.

Very cool. It was 15 degrees at the main lodge before dawn Monday and was still below freezing about noon. The snow-making machines were in full operation and more flurries were expected.

Only one run, Broadway Express, will be open--on a base of 18 inches--but more could open this weekend, McGillis said.

Lake Tahoe-area resorts also received significant snowfall, but most are sticking to Nov. 18 as their opening date. Boreal on Donner Summit is an exception, having opened three lifts servicing eight trails on Friday. Alpine Meadows on the north shore received 26 inches at the base and much more on the higher slopes. The resort will open one lift servicing three trails Wednesday and another lift--a high-speed quad--on Saturday.