The ski and snowboard season has officially begun as skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes at Blue Mountain Resort.
Lilian Bender, a 12-year-old from Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and her mother were among the estimated 3,000 people who came to opening day. The lifts officially started at 9am on Friday.
“I’ve been snowboarding for four years and it’s like a hobby of mine,” Bender said. “I like snowboarding.”
Opening day was postponed a week due to warm temperatures in November. Skiers and snowboarders were eager to make their first descents.
“I woke up at 6:30 this morning,” said Garrison Pate of York, Pennsylvania. “I couldn’t wait to get out and I’m happy to be here. It’s great.”
CBS Philadelphia
Blue Mountain is one of many Pennsylvania resorts open for the ski season. Nearly all of the snow at Blue Mountain is man-made.
“It’s the best place there is,” said John Collins of Milltown, New Jersey. “It has the most vertical. It has long runs.”
Currently, skiers only have access to about 30% of the slopes. But officials hope to have all 40 routes open by Christmas week.
“We are currently making snow on one of our most popular trails, Razor’s Edge, and this is actually the first time we have ever made snow on it,” said Ashley Seier, director of marketing for Blue Mountain Resort. “So we’re definitely going to bring some of those favorite routes online faster than ever.”
CBS Philadelphia
Bender hopes her favorite trails will have extra snow this year with the help of Mother Nature.
“I think there’s going to be more snow than last year,” she said.
She is optimistic that it will be a good winter.
