Wild Mountain Opens To Skiers Sunday
TAYLORS FALLS, Minn. (WCCO) -- While many people were out raking leaves on Sunday, others were hitting the slopes.
Wild Mountain in Taylors Falls is officially open for business. The entire ski area isn't quite ready, but the terrain park was open Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
WCCO's Katie Steiner grabbed her skis for a little early season action.
In most of Minnesota, it's still fall. But in Taylor's Falls, there's a tiny slice of winter.
"Ever since the end of last year, I think about the beginning of the next year," Matt Wunderlich said.
Matt Wunderlich is the Park Crew Director at Wild Mountain. And he lives for opening day.
"It's all I think about working all summer, I can't believe it's real," Wunderlich said.
But here it is. Snow on ground, boots clipped in and gloves meeting back up with rope for the first time this season.
"The first week in October we put the snow guns on the hill and we start watching the temperatures, our snow crew is on hand 24/7 just in case it gets cold enough, and it did. And here we are," Wild Mountain officials said.
It's not very often people can hit the slopes this early. This is the fourth-earliest opening Wild Mountain has ever had.
"October 21st, I can't believe it's actually here. I didn't think it was going to happen this soon, but it's here," Wunderlich said.
Austin Sam is one of the many boarders who came out. And he has one thing on his mind.
"First board slide. I've been waiting all summer," Sam said.
And it's that anticipation that makes this half a run so worth it.
"It's just kinda like after waiting, all that time. Just getting out that first day you just get this feeling," Sam said.
It's that carefree feeling that you get skiing on a warm, sunny October day.
"It just feels great. Just glad to be out here," Sam said.
For daily updates, check out Wild Mountain's Snow Report.
