Ski area hoping for more snow soon

Friday’s storm was a good starting-off point for Pajarito Mountain Ski Area, but it will need more snow, preferably a lot and all at once, before it can open.
Pajarito, which is just one of two downhill ski areas in the state which has yet to open this winter, picked up 6 inches from Friday’s snowstorm. While ski area manager Tom Long said that was a good start, that isn’t nearly enough to get its season going.
Nevertheless, Pajarito staff has high hopes for the current low pressure system that blew Friday’s storm in from the Pacific.
There was a winter weather advisory in effect for Saturday night, with projections of as much as 8 inches of snow above 9,000 feet in the area. Under ideal conditions, that would give Pajarito an accumulation total of about 14 inches.
“We’re all really excited to see this,” said Long. “When we get enough snow we can be ready to be running in two days. Everyone here’s excited.”
Long said the snow from Friday’s storm was relatively heavy and wet — the temperature on the mountain was about 25 degrees during the snowstorm — which he said is better than dry, powdery snow in terms of making a base.
With wetter snow, Pajarito might be able to open with a lesser base total, roughly 18 inches.

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