Some Tahoe-area resorts, including Squaw Valley and Boreal, are opening for the season Friday. That's thanks to a fall storm that dumped up to three feet of snow on some mountaintops.

"It's exciting," said Gretchin Fins, a manager at Powder House ski rental in South Lake Tahoe. "And I think it's always a little boost for business."

Ski shops suffered last year through the driest winter on record. But Fins says sales stayed fairly strong at her store.
 
"We just tried to keep a grip on not overbuying for this season as a result of last year, because we still are sitting on some merchandise," she said, "but it's merchandise that will sell."

Forecasters are predicting clear skies for weekend skiiing.