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Snow Day on the Slopes

HERRICK TOWNSHIP — Fresh powder on the slopes makes for some happy skiers and snowboarders, especially if it’s a snow day off from school. “I ...

HERRICK TOWNSHIP -- Fresh powder on the slopes makes for some happy skiers and snowboarders, especially if it's a snow day off from school.

"I was jumping up and down. I was like, 'We can't wait to go skiing.' Then when we found out these guys were going, we were super, super happy," 13-year-old Alex Duffy said.

Duffy and his best friend Nicholas Booth are students at Abington Heights Middle School.

There were 14 trails and five out of seven lifts open Wednesday at Elk Mountain in Susquehanna County. The consensus seemed to be that conditions were perfect after the latest winter storm.

"Well, I noticed there is definitely a lot of snow, hopefully, the groomers aren't out so there is lots of powder to crush that slope," Booth said.

It was a snow day on the slopes for grown-ups, too. Corey McAlarney saw the forecast Tuesday night and decided to make the drive up from Philadelphia to stay with his family in the Scranton area.

"Took advantage of it. I came up late last night, spent the night at my mother's, and tried to get first chair for this morning," McAlarney said.

Over six inches of snow fell at Elk Mountain overnight Tuesday into early Wednesday morning. Just before noon Wednesday, the sun came out, a sight that skiers and snowboarders were thrilled to see.

"I won't need an extra layer, which is what I was thinking about earlier. Of course, I'll change the lens in my goggles. I needed a lighter lens earlier so I can see and now I need one to block the sun! Get a little color on the cheeks too, maybe," Dana Miller of Justus said.

The sun more than just feels good when you are out on the slopes. Skiers say it actually makes skiing easier.

"The sun helps, you can see a lot better. You can see the depth perception and it just makes it a lot more fun to ski," Jay Langan of Clarks Summit explained.

With or without the sun, the wind, or a fresh six inches of snow, many agreed any day on the slopes is good enough.

"I just love the powder flying over your back, just crushing it and going fast," Booth said.

"I love that thrill of just going down the slopes, the wind in your face, the snow flying up behind you," Duffy added.

For folks who could not get enough of the slopes Wednesday, they are excited there is still plenty more winter to come.

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