SAM Magazine-Denver, Colo., Dec. 17, 2008-With snow falling across the northern part of the continent, the ski season is finally in full swing. Although West Coast saw the snow come late, it has come in abundance. Conditions ahead of the holidays look to be favorable across North America.

Canadian resorts now open include British Columbia ski area Kimberley. The ski area is reporting eight inches of new snow in the past week. The ski resort opened last weekend, but is closed this week before commencing fulltime operations on Dec. 19th. Kicking Horse also opened last Friday, dropping the ropes on 70 of the B.C. ski resort's 106 runs, with additional terrain available as conditions permit. Also opening: Fairmont Hot Springs Resort and Panorama Resort, which has 7 of 9 lifts running, accessing 10 trails and 4,000 vertical feet of skiing. Many areas in Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec have been open for weeks.

Across the border, the ski season in the Pacific Northwest is finally getting underway after a very dry November and early December. Openings have been fueled by recent snow, which allowed most resorts to begin operations, although with limited terrain on tap. Mt. Hood Meadows received 20 inches from the storm, as did M. Baker. Crystal and Timberline also started winter operations over the weekend, as did Mt. Bachelor. Brundage Mountain, Idaho, has received 28 inches, with another foot or so expected in the next few days. The area will open this weekend.

Cold weather also was a benefit to the Lake Tahoe region, which, like the Pacific Northwest, has been struggling with a lack of natural snow and warmer than usual temperatures. Squaw Valley saw snowfall rates in excess of one inch per hour on Dec. 15. The resort expects to expand operations and terrain, with top-to-bottom skiing and snowboarding and up to nine lifts in operation by mid-week. The conditions are similar at other resorts in the area, many of which have struggled to hit targeted opening dates due to a very dry November and early December.

In Southern California, resorts are also starting their seasons with Wrightwood's Mountain High and Snow Valley offering skiing on man-made conditions. Mountain High added more than two feet of natural snow in a recent storm as well.

In New Mexico, Taos has received more than 45 inches of snow from a series of storms, which also resulted in more than three feet of snow at nearby Angel Fire, which will open on December 19th.

Other regions are also enjoying ample snowfall. In Colorado, Vail has hit 100 inches for the year. "It just keeps coming. The conditions are outstanding," says Brian McCartney, Vail's VP of mountain operations. And in the East, recent storms have left Vermont in fine shape, with more snow in the forecast between now and the holidays. \

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