Submitted by Fox First at Ten on December 27th
SANDPOINT, Idaho (AP) - Early-season snows are making skiers and resort owners happy in northern Idaho and eastern Washington. Officials at Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint say December snowfall is the heaviest in nearly 30 years. The ski hill is reporting 180 inches of new snow this month, creating a thick blanket of snow at the ski village and summit. The Spokesman-Review is reporting (http://bit.ly/TrzUlS ) snowpack of 109 inches at the top of the mountain at Schweitzer. Schweitzer doesn't have a monopoly on snow among the region's ski resorts. In eastern Washington, Chewelah Peak has 94 inches atop the 49 Degrees North ski area. In northern Idaho, Lookout Pass ski area is reporting 94 inches and Silver Mountain Resort has 58 inches. Weather forecasters, however, are predicting a slowdown in snow fall this week. Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
