Working towards opening day inch by inch With one of the most comprehensive snowmaking systems in the state, it’s all systems go lately at Eldora. PHOTOS BY DAVE GIBSON[/caption]

On Thursday, October 26, when nighttime temperatures finally became cold enough, Eldora began making snow for the first time this season. Around forty snowmakers would take turns during 12-hour shifts, 24 hours a day, to help jumpstart the mountain’s snowpack with their snow guns. Mother Nature lent a huge helping hand in the way of a major snowstorm on October 28 and 29. From mid-mountain at 9,700 in elevation to Eldora’s summit at 10,200 feet, they received 15 inches of fresh powder. Taking advantage of their good fortune, they’ve been concentrating on the runs Hornblower, Windmill, Klondike, and International, and have been adding to that total ever since.

Many of the snowmakers are return employees. From all different parts of the country and world, one of them is Brice Powers hailing from Fort Collins. It is his first year making snow. Sol Atkins comes from Floyd, Virginia, and is also a rookie. Brad Hooker spent the last three years on the snowmaking crew in Taos, New Mexico. This is his first season at Eldora. Jesse Adkins is from Georgia and worked at a summer camp near Ward. He’ll be spending his winter on the mountain making snow.

Director of Marketing Sam Bass called the snowmakers “The real heroes and backbone of the resort.” Continuing on, Bass related that he thinks that, “There’s a certain romance to the job. It is exciting and out of the ordinary and appeals to adventurous people who want to live and work in the mountains.”

As well as things have been going lately, with any luck and the weather cooperates, Eldora’s projected opening day of November 17 may be moved to an earlier date.