snow sports

Check skiwhitepass.com to get signed up for the annual White Pass Castlejam this Saturday.

With more snow in the forecast, Bureau of Reclamation officials expect the snow pack in the lower basin to be normal or above before the end of the month.

The National Weather Service predicts more than 15 inches of snow Friday and Friday night, then another 3 to 5 inches of new snow on Saturday.

White Pass officials say it's a way to celebrate the agricultural history of White Pass founders, who grow apples, stone fruits, grapes, vegetables and are the largest producers of hops in the world.

The cost is a little higher than the traditional ski boot which usually is in the range of $500 to $700. The Dahu boot is $899. They come in black and white with models for men and women.

All this snowfall means good news for growers, who rely on the snowpack to create water for crops in the spring and summer months.

There's a lot of snow on the ground and in the forecast for the White Pass Ski Area, and that's good news for General Manager Kevin McCarthy.

The opening is also good news for the many businesses that rely on all that skier and snowboarder traffic to help boost sales during the fall and winter months.

If the ski area opens on Saturday, it'll be the same date the area opened last year -- Dec. 14.

White Pass Ski Area General Manager Kevin McCarthy says he's confident the ski area will could open as soon as mid-December, just before Christmas.