Elk Ridge open for business

Skiing, boarding and tubing offered thanks to snow

Recent heavy snows have proved to be a boon for the folks at the Elk Ridge Ski and Outdoor Area. The ski area atop Bill Williams Mountain opened for business Dec. 20, offering skiing and snow boarding. Tubing has been a mainstay at the ski area, as has the White Stag Café located within the ski lodge.

"We will be open every day through Christmas break," said ski area owner Tammy Fountain. "We are very excited for a long winter season."

The ski area will be open from 9:30 to 4:30 each day, Fountain said. Night skiing and tubing will also be offered on the weekends.

"After Jan. 4 we will go back to Friday through Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Our restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., except Christmas Day. We have a special dinner menu until 5 p.m. New Year's Eve we are doing a special dinner from 5 p.m. to midnight with tubing for the kids. If you are coming for Christmas or New Year's Eve dinner please make reservations."

Fountain said she is hoping for a long cold winter this year.

"We should be skiing until mid-April. We will be tubing, as well as other summer activities, May through October," Fountain said. "Along with the year round tubing, we will have both lifts running by Christmas weekend. We had to wait until March to get the Poma lift up last winter. We are also able to groom 90 percent of the mountain."

The ski area is located on Ski Run Road, or Forest Service Road 106, off Perkinsville Road south of Williams. The office can be reached at (928) 814-5038 for more information. Elk Ridge Ski and Outdoor Area can be found online at www.elkridgeski.com.