TULLY -- Good news for skiers! While it may have been a hassle for drivers and schools, the 40+ inches of snow we received this week has been a blessing to local ski resorts, which are opening a week earlier than last year.
Song Mountain, Toggenburg Mountain, and Labrador Mountain are all opening for the season Friday morning. Song Mountain has more than two feet of fresh snow, in addition to the man-made snow they have been pumping out for the past week
Owner Peter Harris says this is “Some of the best opening day ski conditions we’ve ever seen… Lake Ontario really cranked it up for us.”
He added “We have a ton of snow, and all of our trails are open. Almost two feet of lake effect on top great snow-making temperatures. We couldn’t ask for anything better.”
The early start to the ski season should be good for the local economy as well. Harris says at its peak, Song Mountain employs almost 150 people. He says their phone has been ringing off the hook, and they expect to attract skiers from not just Central New York, but also southern and western New York State and Pennsylvania.
“We have had some years where it gets kind of dicey. Christmas is a huge week for us, and it looks like we’re going to be all set” said Harris.
For a complete listing of schedules for local ski areas, click here.
Don’t forget to look for CNY Central Meteorologist Mike Brookins’s weekly Ski Report, updated every Friday afternoon on CNYcentral.com and the NBC3 News at 5:30.
