KIRKWOOD, Calif. — The omens of a promising ski and snowboard season continue. Officials at Kirkwood Mountain Resort announced Wednesday morning that they will be joining the opening day flurry, Saturday, Nov. 14.

The resort credited receiving 34 inches of snow at its base area in the last 11 days for making an early opening possible. They will open seven days ahead of schedule, joining Northstar, Squaw and Heavenly Mountain resorts with the Saturday starts to the season.

“It’s insane, I haven’t been this stoked for opening day since 10-11 — the last big, big, year,” resort spokesman Kevin (Coop) Cooper said.

---

---

———-

Lake Tahoe skiing: Alpine Meadows to open Thursday; Squaw on Saturday.

---

---

———-

He added that the mountain currently had up to a 42-inch base at some higher elevations.

“These systems came in really good,” he explained, regarding the recent weather patterns. “We’re going to have the most terrain open in Lake Tahoe.”

Kirkwood officials estimate that they will have roughly 500 acres of terrain open Saturday and top-to-bottom skiing with three running lifts — Chair 5, Chair 6 and Chair 1.

“With more new natural snow coming, we’ll look to open up more terrain,” Cooper said, looking ahead toward Thanksgiving week.

According to Cooper, the mountain will open a full three weeks ahead of last year’s opening date.

“Our base is 10 times (pauses), 100 times better than last year,” he said. “Compared to last year, we had Chair 5, that was it.”