Weather whiplash, nighttime rain and midday 40-degree temperatures at the Bridger Bowl base for the ski slope's opening day did little to thaw the procession of hundreds of cars into a bare brown parking lot Friday.

The resort's groomer machines saved the day from overnight rain menacing the course, breaking up wetter, icier snow and re-processing it into a more skiable surface, according to Hiram Towle, Bridger Bowl general manager and self proclaimed 'director of stoke'.

"As long as people stay on the groomed surfaces, it's pretty much spring skiing," Towle said between assisting lift operators on their first day and greeting the first slew of skiers. "We had some good snowmaking weather (last week) and then all that went away. As long as it is fun and everybody is having a good time,

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