DENVER -- Any bit helps. That, at least, is the mantra at local ski areas.

The snowstorm that has buried the Front Range since Tuesday morning has been more subdued in the high country. However, while the snow totals aren't as good as they hoped for, the national exposure is.

"Whenever we get snow in the national news, we absolutely always see an increase in our Web activity," Copper Mountain Ski Resort spokesman David Roth said. "We have seen a lot more online lodging bookings."

John Sellers, spokesman of Loveland Ski Area, said he got a call from a national news organization in New York about the snow.

"Nationally, it is still warm throughout most of the country," he said. "So when people see the storm, they will start thinking about their ski vacations."

Sellers and Roth agreed this ski season comes with very conservative sales expectations due to the recession. But video of Denver blanketed with snow being shown across the country and globe can only help.

"It's like when the Broncos play a national game and it's snowing," Roth said. "We see an increase in bookings then."

The storm has whitened the mountains but the snowfall is not nearly as deep as it is in the Front Range. Loveland Ski Area received 9 inches so far in the storm. Copper Mountain recorded 8 inches of powder, Roth said.

Loveland was the first ski area in the nation to open up when it started its lifts on Oct. 7. It opened up an additional chairlift and extra terrain on Wednesday as it anticipated doing.

"We were ready to go with the man-made stuff," he said. "But, obviously, the natural stuff helps."

Sellers said the ski area is optimistic of opening up more of the mountain this weekend or next week.

The only other ski area in the state that is open is Arapahoe Basin, which reported 7 inches of new snow from the storm.

Copper Mountain is still scheduled to open on Friday, Nov. 6. Roth said it is too early to tell if the resort will open additional terrain that it planned on.