STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

The sight of the Challenger lift running on Bald Mountain Wednesday made the smiles on the lips of skiers and boarders turn up even higher than they were on the Thanksgiving Day opener.

And it fueled all kinds of speculation—would Warm Springs open Friday…or Saturday?

Here’s the scoop: Sun Valley Resort will open the Warm Springs side of the mountain on Friday, Dec. 6—a week ahead of last year.

The year-old six-passenger chair will service Upper Warm Springs, Warm Springs Face, Mid Warm Springs and Lower Warm Springs. Eager skiers can catch the first chair on its 8-minute 3,138-vertical foot ride up the hill for the first Warm Springs top-to-bottom ride of the season at 9 a.m.

And the Warm Springs Lodge will open for the season on Friday, fueling skiers and boarders with its hot chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven, the Konditorei Café’s spicy Fire Trail coffee and more.

The opening of Warm Springs adds a dollop of whipped cream on a season that’s been nothing short of promising since Thanksgiving Day.

Sun Valley launched its 89th season with powder runs on Upper Limelight, French Dip, River Run, Sunnyside and Graduate, in addition to groomers on Upper and Lower College, Mid River Run and Lower River Run.

And a day later it opened Ridge, Blue Grouse, Upper Christmas Bowl, Upper Holiday, Lift Line and Cutoff.

Temperatures in the 40s have not been conducive to snowmaking, but they have made for pleasant skiing. And, while Mother Nature has dumped her stockpile of snow so far on the Buffalo Bills' stadium, the grooming of Sun Valley's slopes has been superb and there’s been just enough fluff on top of the runs to make for fun skiing.

And, while the snowmaking has stopped temporarily on Seattle Ridge, its runs have been packed awaiting the debut of the new Seattle Ridge six-passenger chairlift—hopefully, the weekend of Dec. 13.

Once skiing’s over, head for Sun Valley Village on Saturday where the Winter Wonderland Festival kicks off with cookie decorating and photos with Santa in the Boiler Room from noon to 4 p.m. Shop for a Cause at Village shops Saturday and Sunday when a portion of proceeds will benefit The Advocates, Wood River Community YMCA and the Hunger Coalition.