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Record Breaking Opening Day For Ski Season

LOWER TOWAMENSING TOWNSHIP — It’s a year for the record books at Blue Mountain Ski Area. For the first time in 38 years, the slopes will open a week...
BLU MOUNTAIN

LOWER TOWAMENSING TOWNSHIP -- It's a year for the record books at Blue Mountain Ski Area.

For the first time in 38 years, the slopes will open a week before Thanksgiving.

Crews have been putting the final touches on trails before opening day.

Blue Mountain Ski Area near Palmerton has transformed into a winter skiing wonderland thanks to cold temperatures and lots and lots of snow-making machines. There are more than 1,000, if you're keeping count.

"We started last Thursday night. The arctic blast that came really hooked us up," said Blue Mountain Ski Area general manager Jim Dailey. "Those temperatures have allowed us to open the earliest in our history with the most we've ever opened with."

It's the earliest in 38 years. Ten trails are open and some have snow four to five feet deep.

Groomer Danny Shupp has been working to get it all ready.

"As soon as the snow piles are made, then we spread it out and make the surface for the skiers to ski down," Shupp explained.

Groomers have been busy making sure the trails are ready for opening day but they also are making sure they're ready to survive the rain that may come early next week.

"We're keeping it thicker, so we're not making a trail full width, but we're really getting close to it because of all the snow coming down."

Trails will close after this weekend and reopen Black Friday for the season.

Workers are busy off the trails as well, working on millions of dollars of improvements and renovations, including Slopeside Restaurant, the main lodge, and other projects across the ski area.

They are hoping for a record year on Blue Mountain.

"Typically when we have an early opening, we have a really good long season, a lot of people come out and this is a good omen, we need it."

Slopes at Blue Mountain open at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

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