Skiing and snowboarding is a winter activity that many students enjoy. The winter season is starting up with eight Utah resorts already opening, some being Snowbasin, Brighton, Brian Head, Alta, Snowbird, along with several others. However, students in Cache Valley are still waiting for Beaver Mountain to open. Beaver Mountain has plenty of snow and plenty of people eager to hit the slopes, so why has it not opened?

Students in the valley are starting to get impatient while waiting for the opening day announcement. Some have already started hiking the mountain and others are making the trip to other resorts. When asked if he’s ready for ski season, Anders Petersen said: “I’ve already hiked Beaver mountain twice and went to Snowbasin for opening weekend. Of course I’m ready.” Beaver Mountain recently shared on their Instagram that they are close to announcing the opening date, but are waiting for more employees. Beaver also confirmed the mountain has enough snow to open, but needs to be prepped just a little bit more.

Freshman Ben Kotter states: “I don’t get how all the other resorts opened and Beaver is needing employees. Where did they all go?” Many of Beaver’s employees are college students that just work to get through school. Because Beaver has enough snow and the mountain is almost ready, it should open soon; however, due to a shortage of employees, they may not be able to open for a few more weeks. With eight other resorts in Utah already open, many are starting to question when Beaver will. While Beaver waits for employees, students can help Beaver open by stopping uphill traffic. This will help Beaver get their final preparations of the mountain ready for the season so Cache Valley students and other residents can finally hit the slopes and begin the long awaited ski season.