We're all familiar with that skier or snowboarder who just couldn't wait for opening day on Big Mountain.
However, their enthusiasm for the official opening day pales when compared to the energetic few whose plans don't depend on the resort's.
Although the Big Mountain officially opened on Thanksgiving and that weekend showed a record attendance of 6,000 people - 300% more than last year - a few FHS students were not limited to the operation of lift equipment.
Their commitment requires hiking part or all of the way up the mountain and snowboarding or skiing down before the season started.
"It isn't too bad," said snowboarding senior Phil Davis, who hiked all the way up the mountain on Nov. 9 and 16. "It gets tiring after a while, though."
"It was real nice powder, sunny and tons of people were doing the same thing I was," said senior Paul Cockrell.
Hiking is more economical than buying a lift ticket, but it requires stamina and patience that some people don't have.
"I would ski down so fast it wouldn't be worth it," said junior Jessica Wyman, who snowboarded Chair Three when it was the only chair open. "That's what the lifts are for."
"Hiking's hard," said junior John Harkin, who reached the summit in two hours. "But once you reach the top, it's a real thrill."