A snow making machine sprays out man-made snow at Boreal Mountain Resort at Donner Summitt, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009. With recent overnight temperatures in the Sierra Nevada dropping below 28 degrees Boreal began making snow Tuesday night, the earliest start ever, for the resort to begin snow making operations. Using water saved in a pond from last year's snow pack, they work at night and stop when the temperatures warm during the day. If the weather continues to stay cold, Boreal is looking to open for skiing between mid-to-late October. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
TRUCKEE, Calif. (AP) - It's time to hit the slopes in the Sierra.
Thanks to some aggressive snowmaking efforts at Donner Summit, Boreal Ski Resort is opening on Friday - the earliest opening in the resort's history.
Boreal officials say the earliest previous opening was two days later, on Oct. 11, 2000. It also marks the first opening this season of a ski resort in California.
Boreal intends to start up the Castle Peak Quad lift to operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. One groomed trail will be opened Friday as well as one terrain park with six to 10 features.
Boreal's early season operation is tentatively scheduled for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until conditions permit otherwise.