The battle to be the first ski area to open for the 2019-20 ski season in the USA has got underway in Colorado with snowmaking starting at Keystone and Loveland ski areas.
"Snowmakers fired up the snowguns on Catwalk and Mambo last night. The forecast looks good and we will keep laying down the flakes as long as conditions permit. Get ready, we will be skiing soon!" a Loveland statement reads.
So far only one US ski area has named a target opening date in October, Mt Rose by Lake Tahoe in California which is targeting the 26th.
However others are battling to open sooner, with Arapahoe Basin, frequently the winner, although last autumn Wolf Creek, also in Colorado, opening first after a big early natural snow storm.
Vail resorts have invested in new snowmaking at Keystone with the stated aim of being one of the first to open in the US.
East Coast resorts have also been first in the past if they get enough cold weather for snowmaking, which is looking promising over the next week or so. The usual contenders include Sunday River in Maine, Killington in Vermont and Wildcat in New Hampshire.
One resort could actually open now, but doesn't look to be planning to until November. Timberline ski area on Mt hood in Oregon has a permanent snowfield and was open this year through to the start of September. It also got a 35cm snowfall at the start of this week.