BOISE, Idaho — Skiers wanting to hit the slopes for the first day of the year will have another location to choose from, as Soldier Mountain will be open on New Year's Day.
On Dec. 31, the resort will host two torchlight parades where skiers will carve down the resort with glowsticks or flares for the 100 skiers who RSVP. The Youth's Parade will start at 5:30 p.m., and the young skiers between 8-14 will be given glowsticks. The Adults Parade will follow, and those 15 and up will be given a flare.
Resort officials said there will also be free hot chocolate and there will be a firework finale.
While they are excited about the snow season, they said it wouldn't have been possible to open without the effort of their 1976 snowmaking machine, which sat for two decades.
"Thanks to these efforts, Soldier Mountain has a fully functional snowmaking system that extends from the base to the top of the High Trail Express for the first time since the late 1970s," said Paul Alden, Soldier Mountain general manager. "This lets us start spinning the Bird's Eye chair earlier, too."
The resort started daily operations on Dec. 27 and will be open until Jan. 7, with the hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding Jan. 2, according to a news release. The resort will have two operating chairlifts and the following opened trails: North Ridge, Timber, Bird's Eye, Miss Belle the Magic Carpet.
Mother nature this year hasn't been on the skier's side, and officials said skiers should use caution as early conditions exist.
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