Blue Mountain Resort has opened the slopes for the season, and winter sports fanatics are flocking to the trails for some snow-centric fun.

"We started blowing snow last Wednesday night and Thursday morning, and we were able to get enough down to open seven trails and four lifts today," Blue Mountain Resorts marketing specialist Melissa Yingling said."All the guests who visit us will see that we are consistently blowing snow on all of our other trails as well, and we're hoping to have more open by the weekend, and to open to the valley by Sunday, if weather permits."Local and visiting winter sports enthusiasts came out in droves for a perfect weekday opener, a first for the resort, which normally opens over weekends."We live here during the winter, absolutely live here," skier Bob Herb said as he took a break from the ski trails. "I've been a season pass holder as long as I can remember. Weather conditions are perfect, and there are no lift lines."Snowboarder Jeff Keyes, who hails from Cape May in New Jersey, has been anticipating the event eagerly."I'm psyched. We've been waiting for this day for a while," Keyes said. "We always come out here opening day every year, because we don't get to do it all year. It's a big day for us. I think it looks pretty nice, not too cold, and they've got a lot of snow out here."While AccuWeather is calling for some brutally cold conditions over the next few days - including snow showers today with a high of 21 degrees - employees are keeping a positive outlook."It will feel like winter more, rather than last year when it was warmer and people weren't really in the snow mood," Blue Crew member Kristina Harajda said. "I think it's going to be a good thing."Yingling said that the chilly conditions will make for optimal snow-blowing, allowing the resort to potentially open up more trails over the weekend."As for it being super cold, our snowmakers and groomers work really hard to make sure that we have the best conditions out there," Yingling said. "They keep an eye on the weather and will do everything that they need to do to make sure that we have the best conditions, given the cold weather in the next two days."Pat and Lee Bernhard, who have been hitting the slopes together since they began dating as teenagers, could not wait to take to the trails."We're excited to be here for the first day of skiing, looking forward to a good winter and getting on the slopes," Pat said.Yingling was quick to point out the highlights of Blue Mountain over competing resorts - though she did say that the others are great, too - as well as alternatives to the traditional trail options that allow everyone to have some fun."We are actually Pennsylvania's highest vertical, so we have some of the best terrain for ski and snowboard enthusiasts alike. If skiing and snowboarding isn't your thing, but you're always looking for something to do in the winter with your family, we are the only snow tubing park in the region to offer family tubes. It's a really fun experience."Even if you happen to be completely new to the world of skiing, the team at the learning center can help you figure out the slopes. Lessons will begin Saturday."I market this place, and I only started skiing this year," Yingling said. "I actually took a run this morning, and it was really awesome. We have a great learning center here. They had me on a trail by my second lesson. They're really great at working with you and acknowledging where your skills are to progress you the right way. I attribute my ability to hit the slopes this morning on our learning center team."Blue Mountain is currently offering discounted lift tickets, available only at the ticket windows, until the valley section is open. Yingling predicts that most of the resort's sales will come from this special promotion. This should be helpful in spreading the word on their new campaign that aims to show all that Blue Mountain has to offer."We are encouraging people to redefine adventure with us this year, and use the hashtag #redefinebluemt and show us their adventures when they're here," Yingling said.While some of us may be huddled by the heater over the next few bone-chilling days, true winter fun-seekers will be out on the mountain, taking in the scenery and shredding the slopes. You just cannot stop these folks."It's great to get back, especially with the seasons getting shorter," Ed Voidt, who has been skiing for 40 years, said as he came off the trail. "I'll be doing this as long as my body permits."