SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. -- The snow falling in Colorado's High County means one thing for the state's ski resorts.
"Cha Ching, Cha Ching," said Dustin Schafer with Loveland Ski Resort. "People see the snow, especially falling in Denver, they go online, and it means it is time to buy those season passes."
Schafer said Loveland sees a surge in lift ticket sales during early season snowstorms, much-needed business for mountain towns still recovering from last year's dry season.
Last year's snowless winter left many resort employees unemployed and forced some skiers and boarders to find powder elsewhere.
"I had to ski out of the country last year," explained a skier at Loveland Monday.
"There were good days; there just weren't quite as many. It was disappointing," said snowboarder Amanda Miller.
"Having a good snow year is very important for Colorado," said Schafer. "It's a crucial part of Colorado's tourism business. We're rooting for all the mountains."
Most ski resorts do up to a third of their business over the upcoming holiday season, which is why they are hopeful Tuesday's snowstorm is a sign of more to come and a strong start to the ski season.
Loveland Ski Resort opened on Oct. 20, and is currently operating three runs. Schafer said with Tuesday's snow and more in the forecast, they hope to open more runs next week.
