Ski resorts opening this weekend Courtesy of Colorado Ski

The long-awaited winter season has finally arrived! Snow is dumping across the country, and resorts are opening this weekend.

A snow-filled blizzard hit the Colorado high-county hard last night and continues to blow. So much snow has fallen in the last several days that Snowmass has pushed their opening day nearly a week earlier to this Saturday (Nov. 22).

Currently, Colorado has eight resorts now open and each continues to get impressive snowfalls. Silverton Mountain has received 17 inches of snow in the last 48 hours and currently boasts a natural mid-mountain base of 48-inches. Copper Mountain got 10 inches overnight and 31 inches in the past week; Breckenridge has received 9 inches of new snow in the last 24-hours, 10 in the last 48 hours, allowing them to open 25 additional acres of terrain and run more lifts, including the Quick Silver Super 6. Loveland ski resort received 8 inches in the last 24-hours; Winter Park saw 7.5 inches in 24 hours; Arapahoe Basin got 6 inches in 24-hours and Keystone has seen 3 inches in the last 48 hours.

Vail will open this Friday (Nov. 21) and saw 10 inches of new snow in the last 48 hours from this storm. Down the road, Beaver Creek has received 11 inches of new snow in 48 hours and will open this Saturday, Nov. 22. Monarch will open Friday, Nov. 21 and has received 8 inches in the last 24 hours and 11 inches in 48 hours. Early-opening Snowmass has received 9 inches in the last 48 hours, totaling nearly 5 feet since Nov. 1.

With nine inches of new snow in the past 48 hours, adding to their 2.5 feet of snow since Nov. 1, Telluride is abuzz with skiers and riders dusting off their boards for their opening day on Nov. 26. Durango Mountain Resort continues to get hit with snow and saw 10 inches in the last 48 hours. Sunlight has seen 7 inches in the last 24 hours.

In Canada, Whistler and Blackcomb have fresh snow for opening day. At least 10 inches of snow fell overnight on the mountains as measured at the bottom of the Catskinner Chair (elevation 1,500 meters) on Blackcomb Mountain. Whistler and Blackcomb have already had 2 feet of snow dumped in the last four days and more is on the way. Snow has even reached Whistler Village.

The forecast calls for daily snowfall through the rest of the week, with up to 35cm of new snow by Thursday.

Opening Day on Blackcomb Mountain is this Saturday, November 22, and Whistler Mountain opens on Thursday, November 27. Stuart Rempel, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Whistler Blackcomb is excited. "This may be one of the best opening days in the last few years and should lead into another great winter," said Rempel.

Snowmaking operations have been going at capacity since early November, laying down an excellent foundation of snow. After expanding reservoirs over the summer, Whistler Blackcomb snowmakers have been taking advantage of the extra snowmaking resources. In the last three weeks, over 47 million litres of water have been used to create on-mountain conditions that already surpass what was available on opening day last year.

-- Mountainzone Staff