SCRANTON -- Atop the mountain today was a sight and sound many felt was doubtful after some of the warmest -- and wildest -- winter weather some have ever seen: snow making.
After a week of nearly 70 degree days, plus extensive damage from an EF-2 tornado, Montage Mountain was forced to close in order to clean up and regroup from the one, two punch.
"You know, we're fighters here at Montage, so we kind of took it with the attitude, 'we're going to make this happen and we're going to put snow down and we're going to get back open'," said Jeff Slivinski, Director of Marketing at Montage Mountain.
Slivinski says the resort in Scranton plans to open again Saturday morning -- a tall order considering power was just restored in full Friday morning.
"'There's some steps you have to go through to get the companies out doing all the work, and then the actual labor has got to take place, so the timeline just took that long," Slivinski said. "We're back though, we're looking forward to a good weekend. Temperatures are going to cooperate, and we're going to be able to make snow again, as you can see."
Temperatures are forecasted into the single digits for the weekend, allowing Montage's staff to make up for lost time -- and lost snow.
"'I didn't think they were going to open back up after the big storm, the snow was already bare as it is...now they're making snow so it will be great," said Tristan Hunter, an employee at The Ski Corner in Dickson City. The Ski Corner's second location is located right on Montage Mountain.
"'It's good for business, if the mountain's open then we're open," Hunter added. "It means we're making money."