Archive for Friday, November 20, 2009

Sunlight Mountain Resort opening day set for Dec. 4

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— Sunlight Mountain Resort is sitting pretty with recent snow storms that have blessed the region.

But even with a top mountain depth reported at 16 inches Tuesday, Marketing Manager Dylan Lewis was reluctant to say whether the resort would open early.

“We are raring to go,” Lewis said. “We are out grooming snow, and we were making snow all weekend, and we just want to make sure that we have a great product when we open.”

The mountain is scheduled to open Dec. 4.

But the snow that already has fallen drew a small crowd of winter sports enthusiasts to the mountain Sunday.

People were snowshoeing, skiing and snowboarding, and there were even some families out for a day of sledding.

Lewis said the mountain was blanketed under eight inches of snow from this past weekend’s storm. That total — on top of about 22 inches from the previous storm about two weeks earlier — has made for a good base covering most of the mountain.

“The way things look now, we will be able to open top to bottom on Opening Day,” Lewis said.

Sunl­ight hasn’t opened for Thanksgiving weekend since 2002, according to Lewis. Last year, the resort had to push back Opening Day one week and didn’t open until Dec. 13 because of a lack of snow.

But this year, the mountain is sitting pretty, and Lewis said it’s the best early season conditions he’s seen in his three years as marketing manager.

“This is definitely the best conditions we’ve seen going into opening day,” Lewis said. “It makes us a lot less nervous.”

In addition to the early winter bounty, Lewis said crews worked through the summer trimming all the weeds and foliage on the ski trails allowing for a better base condition.

And the Glen­wood Springs Mall Opening Day and Treasure Hunt is scheduled for Dec. 4 unless another storm comes through which could allow for an earlier opening.

So keep your fingers crossed.

“We want to make sure that it’s good for folks. At worst, it looks like an on-time opening,” Lewis said.

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