China Peak seeing 'night and day difference' from 2017 to 2018

CHINA PEAK, Calif. (KFSN) -- China Peak Mountain Resort is seeing a good amount of business so far this snow season, especially when you compare it to last year.

"It has been a night and day difference, I can tell you that," said Rich Bailey, ski patrol director at China Peak. Bailey has been working at the resort for 47 years.

"I've seen some very highs and some very lows," he said. So far, this year is sitting more in the middle. The resort is in the midst of its earliest ski season since 2010 and they currently boast a 17-inch snow base, with about 3-5 inches of snow on top. There's room for improvement with every storm, but it's a far cry from where the resort was this time last year, when they had zero inches of base.

The day after Christmas, historically, is the busiest day of the year for China Peak. "It's perfect what I call 'cheater snow'... perfect ski conditions," Bailey said of the current snow base. The resort also makes their own snow to add to the natural snowfall.

Right now, the resort is running at "about 60%," meaning all of their lifts are not running yet. They'll get them all going as business necessitates.

China Peak is currently open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.