STEVENS PASS — Get ready to hit the slopes. After a two-week delay after a lack of snow, three of Stevens Pass ski area’s 10 lifts are scheduled to open Wednesday.
Starting at 9 a.m., the Daisy, Skyline Express and Brooks Express lifts will be running and the newly renovated Granite Peaks Lodge will be open for food and drinks.
The slopes will close at 4 p.m. Wednesday, but will stay open for night skiing until 10 p.m. the rest of the week.
As of Monday afternoon, the resort had 31 inches of snow, with more accumulating by the minute.
Almost two weeks ago, Stevens Pass had only about 8 inches of snow cover.
At 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, the resort will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Brooks Express lift. Vail Resorts, which bought the ski area for $67 million in 2018, upgraded the Daisy and Brooks trails chairlifts and loading terminals to speed up the path to beginner slopes this year.
The improvements increased the mountain’s capacity by 9% and should help guests move through lines faster, spokesperson Nicole Stull said.
Granite Peaks Lodge, formerly known as the T-Bar Lodge, has also seen some changes since last season.
The lower level that once had more grab-and-go items now operates like a cafe. It offers hot food items such as paninis and soups in addition to prepared to-go options.
Upstairs, the resort hired staff to clear tables and sort tray items into recycling and compost. The move is a part of Vail Resorts’ commitment to reaching a zero net operating footprint by 2030. That goal includes promises to eradicate emissions, prevent waste from reaching landfills and avoid effects on forests and habitat.
Wednesday’s opening day is on the later side for Stevens Pass. It typically falls between Thanksgiving and mid-December. In the past decade, it has opened as early as Nov. 16 and as late as Dec. 20.
Opening day is forecast at a chilly high of 31 degrees with snow falling in the evening.
Julia-Grace Sanders: 425-339-3439; jgsanders@heraldnet.com.
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