N.H. Ski Areas on Track to Record Year

(NECN: Lauren Collins) - The recent snow was not fun for most people, especially those who had to trudge through the cities to get to work. But there are some happy folks. The snow has brought more people to New England's ski areas.

Ever notice the way the sun bounds to life the day after a big snow storm?  Skiers are a lot like that.  As Paul Zaccaro of Mansfield, MA explains while in line for the chair lift, they "get skiing the day after!" 

15 inches of snow fell at Waterville valley Wednesday. By Friday, "a lot of people come up early and play hooky," says resort President and G.M. Bob Fries. 

It's called the back yard effect - when people have snow in their yards, they think of the mountains.  And people have plenty of snow in their yards.

Brian Adamski of Kingston, Massachusetts guess he's got "like 20 inches because of all these big storms that have been heading to New England.

Those big storms have put New Hampshire ski country on track for a record year. 

"It's perfect," says Fries.  "The season started a little slow with lack of natural snow before Christmas but, boy, since then it's been unbelievable." 

All this natural snow probably best for snowshoers and cross country skiers, because you can't really make this kind of powder out on the Nordic trails. 

"Monday of Christmas week we got a snow storm," says Fries, "but up until that time the poor Nordic guy was crying that the rest of us had plenty of snow but he didn't.  And now he's got plenty down there."

The Nordic guy is Mike Seeger who says "we've got 14 inches in the last 48 hours.  That's put us in good shape for our grooming and getting 100 percent of our trails open."

Donna Lannan of Concord, NH doesn't like shoveling out from mammoth storms, but loves digging into the wooded trails.  "They have a lot more space to groom, more terrain is opened up when there's a lot more snow," she says.

And there's a lot more snow on the way.  The Krause family should know.  They live next door to a weatherman.  "Tim Kelley shovels his own driveway out," smiles Sean Krause

But these folks have happily put the shovels down, and the worries of the winter world behind them.

Cassidy Krause knows she'll have to make up all the snow days.  "When we go back to school it won't be fun but at least we get some skiing in." 

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