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ALTA — The storm that brought steady rain to much of the valley dumped several inches of snow in the mountains Friday, just in time for the end of the ski season at resorts like Alta Ski Area.
"It feels like the season shouldn't be over because it's snowing," said Andria Huskinson, communications manager at Alta.
The storm was a welcome sight for many skiers after a less-than-impressive winter. "Thank goodness we had that early snow" in October, Huskinson said. More snow would come in December. But January and February stayed mostly dry.
"We had a couple months where it was dry and a couple months where we got a lot of snow, so kind of balanced out," said Art Henry. "But all in all, it's been a good year. But below average — not what we need to get our snowpack up in place for the drought."
"Sometimes that happens. Can't win them all," said skier Tommy Voxman.
Voxman, a student at the University of Utah, estimates he's hit the slopes nearly 100 days this season.
"Bro, it's been sick," he said, looking back on the season and ahead to Alta's final days. "It's going to be a good weekend, but don't tell people that."
Even when the wind and snow really picked up Friday, skiers weren't complaining.
"This late in the season, to be here I feel so lucky," said Amy Burton.
Burton extended her stay in Utah from her home in Boulder, Colorado, to enjoy the fresh snow.
"Even on a day like today when you get stormy, windy, fog, thunder, lightning, it's still amazing."
The only audible groans from skiers came after lighting hit in the area and staff had to shut down the lift temporarily. Every time there was thunder or lightning detected, they would close the lift again and wait about a half hour.
Alta had recorded about a half-foot of snow by 6 p.m. Friday and Huskinson expected they would get 10 to 12 inches overnight into Saturday. And with that forecast, there's nowhere else many of the skiers would rather be.
"Always like to end on a nice storm," Henry said.
Alta says it's received 411 inches of snow so far this season. The average snowfall is 540 inches.
