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Ski resorts seize cold weather window to open early

October 28, 2009

By JAN SEARS
The Press-Enterprise

Mountain residents woke up to a surprise Wednesday morning, and skiers may get an even bigger one today.

Cold weather, and a little snow.

With temperatures at Big Bear Lake and Wrightwood in the low 30s Wednesday -- mid-20s with the wind chill factored in -- snowmaking crews were working furiously.

Mountain High Resort in Wrightwood will open one or two lifts today for season pass holders and on Friday for all visitors, spokeswoman Kim Hermon said. It's their earliest ever opening on man-made snow, she said.

Bear Mountain at Big Bear Lake may open this weekend, but it's too soon to be certain, Marketing Director Chris Riddle said. If it does open, it may be only for a day or two.

"You just know it's going to warm up again," Riddle said. "But you can't not try when it's like this. Skiing in October is a rarity in Southern California."

At 2 p.m., the temperature at his office was 30 degrees, and 21.4 degrees at the mountain's top, he said.

A cold front diving south out of Canada brought the cold weather and winds that are conducive to snowmaking, but it wasn't expected to bring any precipitation, said forecaster Miquel Miller of the National Weather Service in San Diego.

Nighttime temperatures may be low enough for snow making to continue for several days, he said.

The little chill caught Big Bear Lake residents by surprise.

"I was wearing shorts last weekend," said Angela Meyers, events and communications coordinator at the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce.

Temperatures began to drop Tuesday as the front moved in.

By Tuesday evening, the snowblowers were in full gear.

Miller said it's a little early for the first cold snap, which usually comes in November. He said he expects temperatures to be slightly higher today, and above normal by Saturday in the valleys.

Riddle said the early cold weather could boost the local economy as the resorts hire staff.

The Big Bear ski resorts employ as many as 2,000 people when the season is in full swing, he said.

He acknowledged that the snowmaking push could become an exercise in futility if temperatures rise.

"But if we got too frustrated we wouldn't be in this business," he said.