All signs indicate a whiter winter … if we’re lucky

I was afraid, I was very afraid. Should I take on this column again? I mean there was only so much optimism I could wring out of our meager snowfall last year. Could I do it again if I had to?

If there is any justice within the hearts of the snow gods, it would seem to be showing its face. The superlatives are flying in the Northwest as ski areas in Western Washington, the hardest hit last year, opened up this week, and the ski areas in the Inland Northwest are feverishly getting ready.

Mt. Baker is claiming the most snow base of any ski area in the world with 91 inches at the Pan Dome on Wednesday. Stevens Pass is enjoying the earliest opening in more than a decade.

Lookout Pass and 49 Degrees North are the lucky winners in the friendly Inland Northwest competition – they are opening today, the earliest opening in 10 years for both.

Silver Mountain, Schweitzer and Mt. Spokane are all out track-packing the runs, training the staff and getting ready to make the call as soon as the conditions allow. Silver intends to open on Thanksgiving. Schweitzer and Mt. Spokane will open earlier if conditions allow.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, such as, say, in Utah and California, skiers and snowboarders are looking expectantly to the skies waiting for their due. Forgive me, but it’s nice to be rid of the envy I was feeling last winter.

I know we certainly deserve it, but does this mean an epic winter ahead of us? Will the snow stay with us? I’ve consulted many sources including the Farmer’s Almanac, The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the position of the planets and the tidal action of the moon. I’ve checked the size of the huckleberries, the woolly bear caterpillars and its brown bands and the horses’ hair. I’ve compiled all this data into a complex formula of algorithms and the outcome reads, “We’ll let you know in April.”

In all seriousness, each source you look at tells a different story leaving us at the beginning – believing what we want to believe. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, we should receive higher than normal precipitation this winter. The Old Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a mild winter with warmer temperatures. As for the myths – I have my own bone to pick with a winter outlook based on the length of the horse’s hair. Isn’t that a lot like saying winter jacket sales are really high this fall, therefore it should be a cold and snowy winter?

Regardless, the early opening not only has the resort staffs scrambling, and we skiers are surely ill prepared. For those that still need gear, the 49 Degrees North Ski Swap is this weekend in Chewelah and the Schweitzer Alpine Racing School Ski Swap will be the following weekend, Nov. 19.

I suggest taking out the “early-season” gear on Saturday for a spin, see how out of shape you are, then go limping in to the Spokane Snow Show on Sunday at The Big Easy, where you can scope out and purchase the latest in gear and apparel as well as salivate over the ski porn from previous years.

The Snow Show should be a more exciting format this year. Switching the venue from the Convention Center to The Big Easy will create a more festive environment. Add to that a crowd of people who have already had their first day on the slopes the previous day and the mood should be quite celebrative.

Teton Gravity Research’s ski movie Tangerine Dream will play next door at The Met at 6 and 8 p.m.

Details: The Snow Show: 12 noon to 7:30 p.m. at The Big Easy, at 919 W. Sprague. $5 for adults, free for children younger than 12. Season pass holders are free. Tangerine Dream tickets are $12, $7 for children younger than 12. When purchased together (movie and Snow Show), adults are $15. Tickets are available at the door or at Tickets West. www.spokanesnowshow.com.