Blacktail Mountain Ski Area will open for the season on Saturday and will remain open every day through the Christmas holidays.

“This last little storm this weekend treated us really well,” Blacktail owner Steve Spencer said. “We got about eight inches up top and it’s looking pretty good.”

After Saturday’s opener, the ski area west of Lakeside will operate every day through Jan. 4.

Lifts start at 9:30 a.m. and run until 4:30 p.m. Blacktail will be open for normal hours on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

“The top of the mountain will be in good condition and we’re working on grooming the bottom now,” Spencer said on Monday. “We’ll hope for more snow, but that’s always the game you play.”

Snow depth was 26 inches, according to Monday’s snow report.

After Jan. 4, the ski area will return to its normal schedule: open Wednesday through Sunday.

For more information, visit www.blacktailmountain.com or call 844-0999.