LUDLOW – Okemo Mountain Resort opened for skiing and riding on Sunday, Nov. 16. Four Okemo Mountain School students were the first in line to earn first-chair bragging rights. They ripped through a banner that welcomed snow-loving guests to the start of winter and Okemo’s 2014/2015 season. Okemo opened with top-to-bottom skiing and riding on 11 trails serviced by four lifts.
Okemo Vice President and General Manager Bruce Schmidt served pastries and coffee to skiers and riders waiting for the official start to the season. He was joined by Okemo’s mascot Calvin the Catamount and several other staff members who helped make the event a festive occasion.
This was the second consecutive year that Okemo opened for the season with top-to-bottom terrain – due in no small part to a snowmaking system investment of $1 million last year and the addition of another 100 energy efficient HKD tower guns this year. The introduction of more efficient snowmaking equipment with technological advances allows Okemo to make snow more efficiently at closer-to-freezing temperatures, and at lower elevations earlier in the season.
Snowmaking efforts are ongoing and continuing whenever the temperatures allow. Okemo anticipates having more terrain open as the season progresses. More trails will open as soon as conditions allow and ski patrol deems them safe.
Terrain park features were installed on the Sapphire trail on Okemo’s opening day and more features will be added.
Okemo’s new Sunburst Six six-passenger bubble chairlift with heated seats is still under construction. An early December opening of that new lift is anticipated.
For more information visit okemo.com.
