The hill, on U.S. Highway 160 about 40 miles east of Cortez, will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.
All-day lift tickets for adults are $39. Adult tickets for night skiing from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. are $29.
Special deals are available to children, seniors and students, and lessons are offered throughout the season to first-time skiiers and snowboarders who purchase a one-day pass at full price.
Newly-hired manager Benjamin Beresford will oversee lift operations, trails, maintenance, ticket sales, rentals, retail and all other operations at the hill.
“We’re excited to have Ben join our team and kick off a great season at Hesperus,” owner James Coleman said in a news release.
“With snow in the forecast for Friday, we’re looking forward to a fantastic day of skiing on the opening day of Hesperus.”
The weather forecast promises good fortune for skiiers and snowboarders this weekend with up to 2 feet of snow projected to fall in the San Juan Mountains, and possibly a few inches at lower elevations.
After purchasing Purgatory Resort in 2015, Coleman bought the 26-trail, 160-acre ski area in Hesperus in September. Coleman is managing partner of the southwest’s largest ski area collective, which includes Purgatory Resort, Purgatory Snowcat Adventures, Arizona Snowbowl, and Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort and Pajarito Mountain, both in New Mexico.
Lift hours after Saturday are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Jan 1. After that, Hesperus will be open to night skiing. It’s the largest night skiing operation in the region.
The ski area will be open through March, weather permitting.
Visit the website www.ski-hesperus.com for more information about hours, ticket prices and deals.