Thank you snowstorm? Tussey Mountain is almost ready to open

Thanks to cold temperatures and a base of natural snow from last week’s winter storm, Tussey Mountain is opening two slopes on Sunday.

The Utah and beginner slopes will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, said Sue Matalavage, Tussey Mountain general manager.

In her 32 years at Tussey, Matalavage said this is only the fourth time that the mountain will be opening around Thanksgiving.

“It’s exciting to be open this early. It’s really exciting,” she said.

The snow from the storm wasn’t enough by the time it gets groomed and packed down, so Tussey has been making snow to go along with it and now has about 15-20 inches, Matalavage said.

By the time Tussey opens, they’ll probably have about 55 hours of continuous snowmaking in on it, she said.

Matalavage said she expects a lot more slopes to be open by Christmas.

Last December, a chairlift grip — which had been tested at the beginning of the season and passed all its inspections — slipped at Tussey Mountain and caused several injuries.

Matalavage said all the spring sets in every single grip on the chairlift were replaced, and there were no incidents the rest of the season.

It was a “freaky thing,” and the community supported Tussey “100 percent,” she said.

This story was originally published November 23, 2018 at 11:08 AM.