Schweitzer also announces Friday opening

Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint will open for the 2009-10 ski and snowboard season on Friday, with some help from its new snowmaking system. “The opening is possible in part due to Schweitzer’s snowmaking system installed in 2008 and completed in 2009 which has aided the ideal weather conditions,” a resort news release said Tuesday. The snowmaking system is capable of creating 18 inches of snow from the top of the Basin Express chairlift to the bottom on the Midway run. That chairlift and the Musical Chairs lift will operate from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. More lifts and runs will open as conditions allow, the release said. Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park already announced it is opening Friday. The Web site for Silver Mountain says it anticipates opening Friday as well. Lookout Pass opened Nov. 13, and 49 Degrees North opened Saturday.