“We are tantalizingly close,” said Guy Lawrence of the Summit. “But definitely won’t be this weekend.”
Lawrence said he’s not sure when Summit East will open. The ski area had originally hoped to open Summit East before the holidays, and then pushed the opening to Saturday.
Lawrence said the delays are because the ski area is installing the two new chairlifts on its own. The process saves money and will have the lift open considerably earlier than if they’d purchased a new lift. Had they waited to buy new lifts, Summit East wouldn’t likely open until next season or later.
Summit East has been closed since a landslide destroyed the main lift in January 2009. It is the third major ski area upgrade planned for ski areas in the Washington Cascades this season. White Pass unveiled 767 acres of new terrain in December and Crystal Mountain opened the state’s first ski area gondola Jan. 1.
Skiers and snowboarders will be compensated for their wait with plenty of fresh snow. While the National Weather Service predicts rain below 3,500 feet today, snow is likely tonight and will continue through the weekend.
