Snowbird, UT (Wednesday, May 11, 2005) - Utah’s longest ski and snowboard season received a two-day bonus as Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort officials have announced the Tram and Gadzoom lifts will be open for skiing and riding Thursday and Friday in addition to the weekend schedule continuing through Memorial Day.

A slow-moving low pressure system delivered more 15 inches of snow by this morning, with additional accumulation forecast through Friday morning.

"This is our way of saying thanks for a great season," said Snowbird President Bob Bonar. "If there’s going to be a foot or more of new snow, our customers will want a piece of it."

Snowbird will offer the Tram and Gadzoom lifts Thursday and Friday with advanced and intermediate terrain only. The Little Cloud lift also is scheduled to operate Saturday and Sunday. The resort's terrain parks and Superpipe have closed for the season.

The lifts will be open from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday (to allow for avalanche control work Thursday morning) and 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The daily ticket price is $30.

Tickets will be sold at the Snowbird Center only.

Snowbird’s epic season featured more than 600 inches of snowfall and began Nov. 5. In addition to this Thursday and Friday, Snowbird is open weekends through and including Memorial Day, conditions permitting.

Snowbird's new snow falls on an already impressive mid-May base, as this photo of the resort's Little Cloud Bowl last Sunday shows. (photo: First Tracks!! Online/Marc Guido)