PRINCETON —Mount Wachusett is set to open in the next couple weeks. 

According to Chris Stimpson, the public relations manager of Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, officials at the mountain tested out their snowmakers on Tuesday, Nov. 16. 

“We fired up the guns to do a test run.  We were able to make a couple small piles, but nothing that was really going to last,” said Stimpson. 

Stimpson said there’s a 50/50 chance the mountain will be open to skiers the day after Thanksgiving. If the cold temperatures don’t hold, the ski area’s expected to open the following week. 

For those looking to get into skiing, Stimpson said the ski area offers beginner packages which include lessons, a lift ticket and rental equipment.

“It’s everything you need if you are a first timer,” he said. “The tickets are just for the beginner areas. You go out with the instructors, they give you the basics and you’ll be off and skiing before you know it.”

For seasoned skiers, Mount Wachusett is offering a “flex pass” this year. It’s a special three-day lift ticket containing three eight-hour sessions that can be used any time throughout the season, as opposed to back-to-back. There are six-day flex passes as well. The park is expected to operate at near pre-pandemic levels as well. 

“We are still waiting on the regulations, but it looks like outside we are going to be pretty much back to normal, we won’t have regulations like we had last year,” said Stimpson. 

Last year, due to COVID, chairlifts were limited to two instead of four people and skiers who were not in the same party could not be on the chairlift together. In addition, Stimpson said the lift lines were divided and there were limits on indoor seating in the lodge.

“We are just really excited to get open right now,” he said. Later adding, “Right now, for indoors in the lodge, the staff will be masked up and they will be recommending that guests wear masks regardless of vaccination status.”