RED LODGE — This year, Red Lodge Mountain kicked off its 64th season with an unforgettable start, thanks to fresh snow and a dedicated crowd of skiers eager to hit the slopes.
Skiers were lined up outside the ski resort as early as 4 a.m. that morning to be the first in line to head up the mountain. The first 100 also received a free beanie.
“The chairlift opens at nine, so they were here five hours before the chair even opened, just to get the first chair and to have their token beanie. Like I say, that's good dedication we like to see," said Troy Hawks, marketing and sales director for Red Lodge Mountain.
According to Hawks, he said they saw an impressive turnout and nearly three times as many people as they did last year.
"I think there's a little pent-up demand. There always is after a long, warm summer, so a lot of excitement to be back on the snow here today, and we're happy to have them," said Hawks.
Skiers Katrina Dringman, Beau Dringman, and Ben Haynes from Billings were not as early as some but still were eager to hit the slopes. It has been a family tradition for them to come to the mountain each year, and this season was no different.
“It’s like an iconic weekend,” said the Dringmans. "We've been coming up here since we were little, and our parents have been coming up here. Our grandpa came up here, so it just feels good to be out.”
“The best one yet,” added Haynes. "We're so excited to be here. Most snow that I can remember on opening day."
Nine-year-old Ben Wilder from Cody, Wyo. was also excited to be out in his third year of skiing.
“It feels great to be back on snow," said Wilder. "There's a lot more snow here, and it's just a good place to ski."
A significant snowfall and the resort's impressive snowmaking capabilities played a big part in the early season's success. Red Lodge Mountain boasts the second-largest snowmaking system in the state, helping to ensure the resort opens with ample coverage even in years with light natural snowfall.
“We've got a pond on top of the mountain that can hold 13 million gallons, so we've pumped out 13 million gallons already in the season. We can refill the pond throughout the season, and then continue to make snow and get more terrain open as we head towards Christmas and the holiday season," said Hawks.
For Curtis Sielaff, a ski instructor with over 40 years of experience at Red Lodge Mountain, this year’s opening day felt like a marked improvement over last season’s slower start.
"I know a lot of people are fighting to make things go, and we actually have wonderful snow right now," said Sielaff. "A big plus for us always is to get cold and to stay cold, and we haven't had any big melts."
Last year’s season was plagued by thin coverage, with many runs struggling to open. This year, skiers were welcomed by well-covered slopes and clear skies.
“We're already better than we were last year. It was pretty darn thin. We were having a hard time even opening up runs, and the runs we had open had very little snow on them. It's getting better. What we have right now is actually in really, really good shape,” said Sielaff.
In addition to the new snow, the resort is also sporting new signage and a fresh logo, something that adds to the positive energy around the mountain.
"I think that it's fun to see all the new signs with the new logo and the new advertisement and everyone's happy today just to be out skiing for the first day of the season," said skier Chandler Peabody. "We feel like we live in one of the greatest places in the U.S."
Peabody and her family took advantage of the Thanksgiving weekend to come out. Phoebe Nutt usually teaches skiing but got to enjoy the nice conditions with the Peabody's.
“Energy and vibes just feels so much more energetic and happy," said Nutt.
Lukas Sullivan and Gunnar Moen were also optimistic for the season.
"We got a good decent park. The rails are a little hot, a little sticky, but hopefully we'll have a good rest of our day,” said Sullivan. "We'll have some pretty decent storms coming through, so hopefully, we can get a couple powder days this year.”
The mountain will now be open seven days a week and ready to take on all that the season has to offer.
“The weather is wonderful. The snow is good, and we're just glad to be back up here," said Sielaff.
Click here for more information about Red Lodge Mountain.
