Ski Resorts Eye Better Snow Season

Wednesday, December 20th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WINTER PARK, Colo. (AP) â€” Holiday crowds are heading back to ski areas from New England to the Sierra, raising hopes they can make up some of the money they lost last season to the wacky weather created by El Nino and La Nina.

A year ago it was raining in some high mountain areas in mid-January, and the Y2K scare kept many visitors away even at resorts that did have ample snow.

``There are a lot of people who feel robbed about last Christmas because the Y2K paranoia wouldn't let them travel. This year they want that winter vacation,'' said Joan Christensen, spokesman for Winter Park.

The resort's skier numbers are up 89 percent from last season. Mammoth Mountain in central California set a record for November.

``The conditions are wonderful. It's perfect. The snow is great and the sun is out,'' said Matthew Beck, visiting Telluride, Colo., from Washington D.C.

Greg Garrett, a Telluride resident and snowboarder, agreed.

``The conditions are great, a vast improvement from last year,'' he said.

Last year Telluride had a mid-mountain base of 13 inches. This year it is 37 inches.

``We were able to have the Plunge and some of our other steepest runs open for opening day, Nov. 21,'' said resort spokeswoman Kelly Ladyga.

Sugarbush in Vermont only had 49 trails open for the holidays last season. This year it will offer at least 85.

``We're looking at having a great Christmas. Our reservations are up substantially,'' said Sugarbush spokeswoman Veronica Markel.

``We're a month ahead of last year in snowfall totals,'' said Connie Marshall of Utah's legendary powder capital, Alta. ``This is the best start we have had in the 29 years Snowbird has been open,'' said Fred Rollins, spokesman for the Utah resort. Jackson Hole, Wyo., plans to have most of its steepest terrain open by Christmas.

Winter Park has already received about 130 inches of snow, more than twice what it had last year at this time.

``Most days it is snowing so hard you can get untracked powder at 11 a.m.,'' Christensen said.

``We're busy right now,'' said Mike Lane, spokesman for the Steamboat resort.

Many California-Nevada resorts are ahead of last year, although they haven't benefited from heavy snow in recent weeks, said Katja Dahl of Squaw Valley.

``Things are great,'' she said. ``Skiers and boarders have been patient, and it is paying off.''

In Colorado, Aspen had to delay its 24 Hours of Aspen endurance race by a day â€” because of heavy snow and cold temperatures.

The snow gods are even cooperating in Alaska. Its premiere resort, Alyeska, had to delay its opening this year because of warm weather. But the resort picked up 31 inches in 24 hours this week, and had more than 100 inches at the top.

``We are very happy to have snow for Christmas,'' said Alyeska spokeswoman Cella Baker, adding that lift ticket sales tripled the day after the snow fell.

Resorts in the Pacific Northwest also waited longer than usual for their first major dumps, but have picked up 3 feet of fresh snow in the past week.

Whistler-Blackcomb in British Columbia received 31 inches in the past week and will be 100 percent open for Christmas with all 33 lifts operating.