SAM Magazine-Vail, Colo., Sept. 27, 2007-Colorado ski areas have started to blow snow. Both Loveland and Arapahoe Basin fired up the guns this week, with Copper Mountain expected to start snowmaking operations shortly. Breckenridge has announced that the ski area will start making snow in October.

Loveland has traditionally been the first ski area to open, usually firing up the lifts and offering customers one or two runs of skiing on machine-made snow during the second or third week of October. A-Basin joined the early-opening effort a few seasons ago.

The announcement of the start of snowmaking operations for both resorts comes on the heels of two storms, which dumped small amounts of natural snow at both resorts. The snow seems to be sticking on the ground at elevations above 11,000 feet. \