STEVENS PASS — The ski resort here is expected to open for the season Wednesday.
Stevens Pass gained about half a foot of snow over the weekend. Heavy flurries are expected to fall Tuesday, leaving up to 2½ feet of fresh powder. The high temperature is expected to be 29 degrees on Wednesday.
As of Monday, the base snow depth was 20 inches. So far this season there has been a total snowfall of 41 inches.
The National Weather Service also has issued a storm warning in the area, starting at 4 a.m. Tuesday and lasting until early Wednesday. Heavy snow is expected above 2,500 feet. It could make travel difficult or impossible, according to officials.
The season is expected to start with four chairlifts in operation, including Hogsback, Skyline, Daisy and Brooks.
Folks can expect a new owner at Stevens Pass Mountain Resort this year. Vail Resorts of Broomfield, Colorado, bought the resort over the summer.
The company announced last week that it plans to replace two lifts and to renovate restaurants on the mountain for the 2019-2020 season. Both the Daisy and Brooks lifts are expected to be upgraded. The repairs may reduce the time that people wait in line and increase the number of riders by more than 9 percent.
The resort opened in mid-November last year, which was the third-earliest launch ever. That season also brought a record 450,000 visitors. Snowfall was somewhat higher than usual, as well, with 468 inches in the base area. That’s 8 inches more than the average.
Stevens Pass is about 60 miles east of Everett on U.S. 2 in the Cascade Range.
Stephanie Davey: 425-339-3192; sdavey@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @stephrdavey.
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