Mountain High and Snow Summit will open on Friday, Nov. 22, for the snow season, a chance for snowboarders and skiers to dust off their gear and hit the slopes.
The two resorts will be the first in Southern California to open, while Mammoth Mountain celebrated its opening day last Friday. Snow Valley will open on Nov. 29.
Mountain High in Wrightwood will open Friday just to season-ticket holders, with general public tickets available on Saturday, Nov. 23.
The resort will open with a top-to-bottom run with at least three trails and some park features set out.
While weather has been “marginal,” the resort was able to make enough snow to safely open with a 1- to 2-foot base, said John McColly, VP of marketing for Mountain High.
“We’ve been through a lot this year, we’re open and here and ready for an incredible winter,” he said, referring to the September Line Fire that nearly destroyed the resort.
It’s unclear whether the resort will stay open next week, or shut down and reopen for the holiday crowds the following weekend.
“We’re still operating day-by-day,” McColly said.
The first 100 passholders on opening day will get a free commemorative beanie, as well as coffee and pastries. There will be a DJ on the deck and a photo op with a banner break for the first chairlift, as well as raffles and giveaways.
Snow Summit in Big Bear, which received a few inches of snow from the storm over the weekend, will also open on Friday for the season.
Sister resort Bear Mountain has yet to announce when it will be open to the public.
The Grizzly Ridge Tube Park at Snow Summit is not opening yet, but the Big Bear Snow Play and the Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain for tubing have opened for the season.
Mt. Baldy has also not announced when its ski operations will start, but snow play and scenic lifts are now open for the weekends.
A storm forecast for Sunday through Monday is expected to bring winter weather to the region, though it is too soon to know if snow or rain will fall onto mountain towns.