Minnesota Ski Area Opens

TAYLORS FALLS (AP) — It's still October, but skiers and snowboarders already are hitting the slopes at Wild Mountain Ski Area near Taylors Falls.

Operators made snow, and Wild Mountain opened at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Last year, Wild Mountain opened on Oct. 7, its earliest opening day on record.

Amy Frischmon, one of Wild Mountain's owners, says the latest into the calendar before the area was able to open was Nov. 20 in 2001.

In order to make snow, Wild Mountain says temperatures below freezing for several hours are needed as well as low humidity.