...East Ridge. Others head for Mount Ben Stewart's untracked snow, blown clean with every breeze. Local telemark skier Tom Aberle, recently hobbled by a minor injury, spent a week conducting an informal numbers survey of those skinning the mountains...

...but toward the bottom they become risky, with stumps, rocks, devil's club and other obstacles still uncovered. Tom Aberle, a telemark skier who hiked up last week, said the snow at the ski area was good. "The Fruit Bowl is very good because...

...Gaguine, 18, shows his lift ticket, which was stamped "FINALLY" this morning. MICHAEL PENN / THE JUNEAU EMPIRE Tom Aberle stood behind Farmer. "It's good to have it open. It means we get to ride instead of walking," Aberle said. Kevin...