SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. — The snow making machines are blowing snow, and crews are working to move the 15-foot deep piles of snow those machines make up and down the hills at Hidden Valley Resort.
The ski resort is ready to open for the season on Saturday, a week earlier than last year.
“This is our Super Bowl. All season long,” said Brett Cook, Vice President and General Manager of Hidden Valley Resort. “I consider the first quarter is getting started right now, and we’re kicking off a great season.
Cook said they made upgrades to the snow making system at Hidden Valley this year — which along with the cold temperatures so far this month — has allowed the resort to gear up for opening a little earlier than last year.
“When we have those cold temperatures, our snowmaking system can really take advantage and we’ve got some pretty good piles out there, and we’re going to open with a good amount of terrain,” Cook told Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek.
They’ll have nine hills open to start the season this weekend, which is nearly the whole “Valley” side of the mountain.
Also new this year — Hidden Valley said it will have more youth and women’s ski programs through the entire season.
“This is a great mountain to learn,” Cook said. “Great terrain that really suits everybody from a true beginner all the way up to an advanced or expert.”
“There’s been a lot of hype and excitement here recently with the weather and the change and the cold,” added Robert Zeglin.
Zeglin is the owner of Always Boardshop, which is just a few miles away from the ski resorts in Donegal. He said people have already been stopping in and stocking up.
“Just gloves, hats, beanies, stuff like that has really, kind of sells early on, and then we progress into some of the hard goods, and the boots, boards, bindings, stuff like that,” Zeglin said.
And he said having two of the major local ski resorts open a few weeks before the holidays is great.
“It really benefits us a lot just getting people up here, getting people up on the mountain really gives us a boost in business,” Zeglin said.
Hidden Valley will be open Saturday and Sunday and then reopen next Friday for daily operations. Seven Springs started daily operations for the season Friday after opening last weekend.
“I live for skiing and snowboarding,” Cook said. “Winter season’s where it’s at and we love having people come out and having fun with us.”
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