Thousands of skiers and boarders are heading to the hills this week to enjoy "phenomenal" snow conditions on Mount Washington.

"We have an excellent base to work from," Mount Washington Alpine Resort spokesman Brent Curtain said yesterday. "We are seeing multiple dozens of people every day ... definitely hoping for a record season."

Every year, more than 300,000 people ski the mountain near Courtenay.

This is shaping up to be a banner season, thanks to early heavy snows that allowed the mountain to open early -- on Nov. 28, rather than Dec. 11 as planned. More than 100 centimetres fell between Dec. 14 and 18. An added bonus was being able to open all the trails -- 647 hectares or 1,600 acres -- by mid December, ahead of Christmas, when visitor numbers spike. Early openings allow the resort to have staff in place and prepared for the busiest time, Curtain said. "It makes it a more enjoyable experience for everyone," he said.

The record November snowfall prompted the resort to open the east side of the mountain, called the Outback, on Dec. 16, which is "phenomenal," Curtain said.

"That's a very big positive for us," he said.

Advanced and expert skiers and boarders enjoy the Outback's challenging terrain.

Recreational skiers will be sharing some of the runs and trails with international athletes arriving for the 2010 Olympics and Paralymic Games in Whistler. "They will be cruising around the mountain here and there," Curtin said.

Jobs were tougher to find this year at the resort, which had thousands of applications for the 100 openings it took to a job fair, Curtain said. At peak times, 700 people are employed at the resort.

More past employees returned this year, compared with previous seasons, he said.

This reflects an "almost a complete 180 in the employment landscape," Curtain said. It's a sign of the economic times, as unemployment rates rise following the global economic crisis, which put the brakes on many employment-generating sectors.

New Year's Eve celebrations are in place at Mount Washington, where tickets at Fat Teddy's Bar and Grill have sold out. Tickets are still tickets available for the Bobs and Lolo family carnival, and a countdown to midnight is happening at the Ozone snow tubing park.

cjwilson@tc.canwest.com