The holiday week storm couldn't have come at a better time for Vermont's mountain resorts.
"This is just like a gift that keeps on giving," said skier Zachary Hark of Williston.
Bolton Valley lured large crowds of skiers and riders who were off from school or work.
"Normally, we get a lot of local Vermonters, but we have all sorts of people from out of state up here enjoying the hill, so it's great," said Josh Arneson of Bolton Valley.
More than a foot of fresh snow expected in parts of the state, and having it arrive just before New Year's landing on a weekend, has the industry completely forgetting last year's snow shortage.
"What a difference a year makes," observed Parker Riehle of Ski Vermont. "With this snow storm coming through for Christmas and New Year's, it really kicks things off in a much better way than we saw last year."
Resorts around the state were sharing their enthusiasm on social media.
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Stowe Mountain Resort said in a tweet, "The snow is here, are you?"
Jay Peak boasted, "Over a foot in the forecast heading into the weekend."
Mount Snow tweeted, "It begins," adding the hashtag "#thinksnow."
"Right now, we've received more snow than we have all of last year, so it's a totally different year in Vermont," Jamie Storrs of Mount Snow said Wednesday in anticipation of Thursday's snowfall.
The trade group Ski Vermont, which represents 20 alpine areas and 30 Nordic areas, said a successful Christmas week can set the stage for more success later in the season; because when people have a good time in good conditions, they're likely to want to return.
