The Thanksgiving holiday lands a bit later on the calendar this year than most, and some Inland Northwest ski resorts aren't about to wait on it.

Most resorts had tentatively marked the day after Thanksgiving as a target opening date for the season, weather permitting. Thanks to an early dump of snow, 49 degrees North Mountain Resort, near Chewelah, opened Sunday, Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area, at the Idaho-Montana border, expects to open today, and as of earlier this week, Mount Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park, in northeast Spokane County, is hoping to open on Saturday.

Meantime, North Idaho ski areas Silver Mountain Resort, near Kellogg, and Schweitzer Mountain Resort, north of Sandpoint, are set to open with the next helping of snow.

Mt. Spokane

Mt. Spokane recently completed a $3 million remodel project at the lodge, says Brad McQuarrie, general manager at the 1,425-acre ski area 30 miles north of Spokane.

The front of the lodge and ticket area has been updated, including new siding, rebuilt ticket windows, and enclosed, heated stairways.

The ski area also has invested in a number of interior improvements to the lodge.

"We tore out the old main lodge bathrooms that were undersized for our capacity and not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act," McQuarrie says. "Now the bathrooms are expanded three times as large with accessible ramps to get between different levels of the main lodge."

He says such improvements were important to serve a growing number of skiers and boarders with disabilities who come to the park.

"We have quite a large program for adaptive skiers with specialized equipment or guides," McQuarrie says.

Mt. Spokane has had strong early sales of season tickets, which indicates skiers and boarders also anticipate a good season, he says.

McQuarrie says he expects the resort to employ up to 300 people, mostly part time.

He says he's not as concerned as some retailers might be about the short season between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, especially since Christmas and New Year's Day both fall midweek.

"Weekends are already strong," McQuarrie says. "To have Christmas falling midweek extends that whole busy section because a lot of people will be off (from work or school)."

He adds, "With New Year's Day also falling midweek, it should be a great holiday stretch."

McQuarrie says he expects skier visits in the upcoming season will top last year's record attendance.

"It's supposed to be an above-average snow year," he says. "With that and capital improvements, we should see another record year."

Full-priced adult lift tickets are $52 on weekends and holidays and $39 on midweek, nonholiday dates.

49 Degrees North

After adding 200 acres of ski terrain last year with nine new runs on Angel Peak to bring the 49 Degrees North resort up to 2,325 acres and 82 runs, the resort worked in the offseason on more modest lodge improvements, says Sherry Brewer, the resort's marketing director.

"We focused on small things like new lighting, doors, and carpet," she says.

The resort also has updated its kitchen and hired a new head chef, Brewer says. "We're looking at increasing sales there with a better menu," she says.

Brewer says early season ticket sales have gone well.

"We're able to look ahead and get excited about the season," she says.

The Angel Peak terrain, which skiers access via the resort's newest chairlift, is still new to most skiers and will continue to be a big draw in its second year on the mountain, Brewer predicts.

The resort expects to employ 120 to 250 people, she says.

Adult lift tickets for weekends and holiday dates are $57. Tickets are $52 on some nonholiday Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.

Lookout Pass

Lookout Pass, located about 90 miles east of Spokane on the Montana-Idaho border, has added new terrain park features for beginner and introductory users to enable more ages to hit the park, says Chris "Cash" Barrett, marketing director for the ski area.

Lookout also will bring in a nationally recognized Nordic demo team to promote the lower-impact sport to beginner and intermediate trail users, Barrett says.

The resort will be the first in the region to have certified instructors in each of the four disciplines of snowboarding, alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, and telemark skiing, he claims.

Once again, Lookout will offer its free ski school for kids ages 6-17 on Saturdays from Jan. 11 through March 15.

"It's free classes and lifts for the duration of the lesson," he says. "We hope to get 1,000 people out there."

Lookout will have about 150 employees at the peak of the season.

The 540-acre ski area has a 1,150-foot vertical drop and 34 named runs.

Adult lift prices are $39 on weekends and holidays, and $36 on nonholiday weekdays.

Schweitzer Mountain Resort

Schweitzer Mountain Resort, which turns 50 years old this year, has invested more than $1 million in capital improvements during the off-season, says Sean Briggs, Schweitzer's marketing manager.

The resort, which is about 90 miles northeast of Spokane, will debut a new terrain park called Southside Progression Park, which will be aimed at intermediate-level freestyle skiers and boarders, Briggs says. Southside Progression Park will be located adjacent to the Schweitzer's advanced terrain park, The Stomping Grounds.

Schweitzer also has cut a new downhill run named SARS for the Schweitzer Alpine Racing School. The SARS course links two former runs and a shortcut trail, Briggs says.

SARS will be internationally sanctioned for competition and will enable Schweitzer to "bring in bigger and better races," he says.

The 2,900-acre resort now has 92 runs and a 2,400-foot vertical drop.

The lodge has a new outdoor deck off of Taps Lounge that seats up to 60 people, Briggs says.

Schweitzer will employ 500 to 700 people throughout the season, he says.

Adult full-day lift tickets are $71.

Silver Mountain

Silver Mountain Resort, about 70 miles east of Spokane, will debut another new run this year, adding to one that was cut last year, says Neal Scholey, the resort's director of marketing and sales.

The new advanced run, named Shady Lady, will course through north-facing terrain, Scholey says.

Resort staff also thinned out brush over the summer, which should allow more terrain to open up earlier this year, he says.

The 1,600-acre resort has 74 runs and up to 2,200 feet of vertical drop.

Scholey says season-pass sales are ahead of last year's pace and with the additional attractions of the Silver Rapids indoor water park and tube hill, Thanksgiving and Christmas bookings also are going well.

The resort will open with about 180 employees and likely will employ 230 people at the height of the season, he says.

Full-day adult lift tickets are $52 on most days and $56 during peak holiday periods.