Stowe, Vermont - It's no surprise that this season hasn't been easy for Vermont's winter sports industry.
As we head into this important holiday day weekend, ski resorts are optimistic because they have something you probably don't have in your yard: snow.
"Rumors were not good and we were pleasantly surprised when we came up here," says Rob Cohen.
The Cohen family from Pennsylvania is at Stowe for the President's Day holiday weekend.
"Hotels are filling up. It's a lot of last minute bookings," says Michael Colbourn, Stowe Director of Communications.
Colbourn says weekends and holidays represent about 65-percent of Stowe's business. He says right now almost all the trails are open and the weather forecast looks promising.
"We are optimistic," says Colbourn.
Stowe admits they are 100 inches behind last year's amazing snowfall but right now there is a two to three foot base here and staff here say that's all you need.
Usually more powder on the slopes means more profits down the road at The Matterhorn.
"In the next ten days I hope to get 5,000 people in and out," says Charlie Shaffer, The Matterhorn owner.
Shaffer says he added a parking attendant to handle the hopefully big crowds. He says this upcoming week will be a nice boost because he says so far this season the after-ski crowd, like the snow totals, is down.
"I'd hope for better but I think we're doing pretty well compared to what people perceive the conditions to be up here," says Shaffer.
Most mountains across Vermont report a lot of their trails open, even if this year it has taken a lot of snow making.
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