The snow is finally here, and Marble Mountain is finally set to open

Wednesday's the day. Skiers and snowboarders in western Newfoundland are expected to flock to the slopes of Marble Mountain as the hill opens for the first time this winter.

After a week of snowmaking, Mother Nature helped this week with a fresh blanket of snowfall.

"This is what we've been waiting for here, weather-wise," said Dustin Parsons, Marble Mountain's marketing manager. "We've been waiting for this since last April. Of course, we opened for the first time this summer ever. We had our first summer of Marble. That was interesting, and now we're excited to be back to what we know the best, which is operating a ski resort in the wintertime."

Following a huge dump of snow in November, Marble was hoping to open this Christmas, but rain and mild temperatures in December thwarted those plans. Snow and freezing conditions in January, however, meant they were able to keep their backup plan of a Jan. 11 opening.

"Riders are going to be riding on mostly man-made snow with what looks to be a layer of natural snow on top, so, really, that's perfect," Parsons said Monday. "It'll be firm, it'll be fun and safe, and hopefully by the weekend, we'll be able to ride the high stuff."

In preparation for this weekend, Parsons said, about a dozen workers have been preparing the hill and its outside infrastructure. Inside the lodge, workers have been busy preparing the kitchen, ski patrollers are training and administrative work has been amped up. By this weekend, he expects, more than 100 employees will be ensuring all aspects of the operation run smoothly.

"Everything's going to be going full swing by this weekend," he said Monday. "Our lessons will be happening, our group lessons and private lessons will be available, all of our services will be back online and our restaurant, Bishop's Tavern, will be reopened seven days a week now as well."

Parsons says season pass sales have been up this year, and the hill introduced a "weekend season pass," which caters to those who are unable to ski on weekdays.

The hill opens at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

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