It’s one of the happiest days of the year for skiers, snowboarders and snow-sport enthusiasts, as Mount Washington Alpine Resort has officially opened for the year.
On Dec. 8, the Comox Valley resort kicked off its 2023/24 winter season with the Whiskey Jack Chair, spinning from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., offering access to mid-mountain terrain.
Two magic carpets will also be operating with access to beginner terrain, along with the Tube Park for snow-sliding.
At the Nordic Centre at Raven Lodge, cross-country trails will be open for both skate skiing and snowshoeing.
As of Friday morning, the snowbase sits at 40cm; the resort notes on its website that because of the cold weather, they were able to make snow and supplement the natural snowbase.
According to Environment Canada, a special weather statement is in effect for east Vancouver Island where higher elevations could be expected to receive up to 10 cm overnight and into early Saturday (Dec. 9 morning).
For more information on ski and snow conditions daily, visit mountwashington.ca/the-mountain/conditions/snow-report.html