STEVENS PASS — The string of winter storms that delivered general misery to the Puget Sound region the past three days will bring joy to skiers later this week.
Stevens Pass ski area plans to open at 9 a.m. Thursday, the resort announced Monday, thanks to several feet of snow that dumped on the mountain over the weekend.
Details about lift ticket prices and which runs will be open the first day will be released Wednesday, said Chris Rudolph, marketing manager at Stevens Pass Mountain Resort. He did say the resort’s 28-acre Top Phlight Terrain Park, designed specifically for snowboarders, is scheduled to be open.
“It’s raining right now, so it’s hard to believe we’ll be open Thursday,” Rudolph said Monday afternoon from the ski area, which is located about 50 miles east of Everett. But the rain didn’t threaten the several feet of snow that fell Friday and Sunday, he said. He called the dumping of snow during the weekend “incredible.”
As of mid-day Monday, Stevens’ snow base was measured at about 4 feet. Of course, even if the resort was open, it would have been hard to reach, as U.S. 2 was closed at the pass because of nearby landslides.
This season’s opening is relatively late for Stevens Pass. Since the winter of 1986-87, the ski area’s opened earlier than Dec. 6 18 times and later only three times. In 2007, Stevens Pass opened Nov. 17. In the 2004-05 season, however, skiing didn’t begin there until Dec. 28.
Crystal Mountain, which was open over the weekend, also plans to reopen later this week. Mount Baker’s ski area is scheduled to reopen Wednesday after accommodating skiers during the past weekend.
For the latest conditions and details about opening day at Stevens Pass, skiers and snowboarders can check online at www.stevenspass.com. The Stevens Pass Snowline can be reached at 425-353-4400.
Reporter Eric Fetters: 425-339-3453 or fetters@heraldnet.com.
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