This is the day snow enthusiasts have been waiting for.
All three North Shore mountains are now open for business, but it's not business as usual just yet. Many runs and lifts remain closed.
"We're supposed to get some more snow possibly on Tuesday and also the operations crew the more work they can do, and through the next week certainly with Christmas break coming we're hoping to open more runs and more lifts," says Cypress Mountains' Kent Rideout.
Still, it's a beautiful sight for skiers at Cypress, especially considering what's coming.
Athletes will be hitting the slopes at the local mountain in 2010. When that time comes, Cypress is hoping to have optimal conditions.
"We really just have to keep our fingers crossed for good weather in the sense that good visibility and things like that for the athletes," says Rideout. "I don't think there'll be a problem with snow coverage. (A day like) this would be perfect."
The hills have also come to life at Mount Seymour . At least some of them have. Only the rope tow is operating for now.
"We're definitely on track -- just waiting for 20 to 30 more centimetres to really open up the rest of the terrain," says Mount Seymour's Jikke Stegeman.
Of course, you don't have to ski or board to have fun in the snow.
Just weeks ago snow was scarce, prompting concerns about when the season might start.
"We certainly a week or so ago we had a lot of naysayers and people you know getting pretty worried but the North Shore mountains are unusual in the sense that they can change so rapidly," says Stegeman.
December 13th isn't the earliest opening, but it's not the latest either. And with more snow in the forecast -- things are looking up.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Maria Weisgarber
