ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Northeastern Pennsylvania ski resorts have begun making snow and are eyeing a December opening after a horrendous 2015-16 winter.

A Thanksgiving weekend start isn't in the cards, but resort operators hope to open slopes weeks earlier than last year's severely truncated season.Brian Czarnecki of Camelback Mountain Resort in the Pocono Mountains tells the Morning Call of Allentown they're focusing on a Dec. 9 opening day. He says a heavy winter blast before that could change things.Blue Mountain Resort says it is aiming to open no later than the second week of December.Last year, most Pennsylvania ski resorts couldn't open until early January, and lost the busy week between Christmas and New Year's Day.Southwestern Pennsylvania's two major ski resorts, Seven Springs and Hidden Valley, opened Friday.