DONNER SUMMIT — In its annual pursuit to fire up the first chairlift of the season in California, Boreal's only competition in 2009 appears to be its own past self.

The Donner Summit resort plans to run the Castle Peak Quad lift on Friday, which will beat its previous earliest-opening record of Oct. 11, set in 2000, by two days. No other California resort has announced such an early start.

Anxious skiers and snowboarders can thank Boreal's aggressive snowmaking efforts for the record opening, as the featured run is coated in a roughly 12-inch, mostly manmade base, said Jon Slaughter, director of marketing at the resort.

“About 98 percent (of the snow) is blown,” Slaughter said, crediting Boreal's extensive snowmaking system, which the resort has bolstered each of the past two years. “We got about 3 to 6 inches (of natural snow), but when you pack that down with the cat it goes down to nothing.”

Asked if that dusting helped with the early opening, Slaughter said, “It helped the enthusiasm more than anything.”

Boreal will offer the one groomed trail, and one terrain park dotted with six to 10 features. The Castle Peak Quad will operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends only (Friday through Sunday) until further notice.

Lift tickets are subject to sell out on any given day over the weekend. Especially with the early arrival of this year's tweaked version of the Jibassic Public Invitational — formerly called the Jibassic Pro Invitational.

The two-day event, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., is open to the public and will feature $20 cash giveaways for tricks performed on the features set up on the hill, Slaughter said. Unlike past years, the jib event is not a competition.

“It's an anti-contest, is my best explanation for it,” Slaughter said. “It's going to be kids out jibbing, and us with 20-dollar bills in our hand giving them money for cool tricks and for having fun. There's not going to be a winner …

“There's no sign-ups, no jerseys, no nothing. It's just the same existing features that will be out on the hill, and we're just paying people to hit them.”

The 5th Annual Jibassic Public Invitational also will include a Team Video Challenge, which filled up with the max number of 15 teams in less than 1 minute, Slaughter said. That portion of the event is a competition, as teams will film Friday through Sunday, then will have 36 hours to edit their videos for a chance to win a $2,000 cash prize awarded by FUEL TV.

Judges will include Robbie Sell from FUEL TV and the Boreal park crew.

IF YOU GO Lift tickets for children ages 5-12 will be $15, and adults ages 13 and up $30. College student tickets are available Friday with valid student ID for $15. All season passholders are welcome, or buy a pass on-site at Boreal's Last Chance Pass Sale, which ends Oct. 31. Resort services will be available, including food, beverages, rentals, limited availability on lessons and retail. Gated access to the mountain, valid lift tickets and passes permitted in the gated area only. Stay tuned for updates at www.rideboreal.com. For more information call 426-3666, extension 180.

Jibassic Public Invitational

To celebrate Boreal's record-breaking early opening, the 5th Annual Jibassic Public Invitational Event will take place on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10 and 11.

This year's event has been cooked up to feature all shredders willing to throw down great tricks for cash. Boreal is primed with $2,000 cash to be handed out on both Saturday and Sunday.

The public park is the venue for best-trick cash, which is open to all.

Judges will include Robbie Sell from FUEL TV and the Boreal park crew. Wads of $20s will be dished out from noon to 4 p.m. on both days.

This year's JPI.5 event also includes a Team Video Challenge.