U.S.

El Nino Smiles On Ski Resorts

April 8, 1998 / 3:52 PM EDT / AP

Few people in the mountain resort community of Big Bear Lake are complaining about El Nino.

The powerful El Nino-driven storms that have brought floods and unseasonable weather to some areas of the country have dropped a bounty of snow in the mountains, and that means more skiers and snowboarders.

On Monday night, 3 to 6 inches of snow fell throughout the San Bernardino Mountains. More snow is expected later this week.

It's all adding up to a record year at Bear Mountain ski resort, said spokeswoman Judy Bowers.

"We are definitely staying open until April 20, and maybe longer depending upon Mother Nature and the interest level of people up here," Bowers said. "Much longer than that and people are ready to go to the beach."

The latest the resort has stayed open is May 1, 1991, Bowers said. That year, the mountain had 137 to 194 inches of snow. This year, the base is 140 to 267 inches, she said.

Jack Bailey, 40, owner of Bear Valley Ski Rental in Big Bear City, is happy as a clam.

"Usually, by now, business is just trickling in. But we are going strong, as strong as we were during mid-season," Bailey said.

In the spring, Bailey converts the rental shop into a plant nursery. He's in no hurry to make the change this year.

"You can't plant until the snow melts anyway," he said.