Winter seems so far away. On my hour-long drive to teach at Castleton State College these days, I see only green and yellowing grass.

A National Public Radio announcer just barked out that ski areas including Sugarbush, Stratton and Okemo have yet to open - and that although the first two hope to open this weekend, Okemo is telling skiers and riders it's not quite sure yet and to stay tuned.

Our two big local mountains, Gore in Johnsburg and Whiteface near Lake Placid, had hoped to open the day after Thanksgiving, but those plans have been scrapped indefinitely.

"We're ready, and when Mother Nature is ready, we'll be more ready," said Gore General Manager Mike Pratt later Monday, sounding remarkably upbeat.

This will be the first year in a long time that my tradition of skiing at Gore on Thanksgiving weekend won't happen - and I'm bummed.

As I've said before, when the leaves on the lawn are gone, it's time to ski. Well, the leaves are gone, but unseasonably warm temperatures are allowing golfers to still be golfing, and skiers and riders to be lamenting.

Killington was open, and some of my students already have a handful of days in, but even the region's ski monster closed up because of a lack of snow and the warmth, hoping to re-open Saturday.

But snow will come, so let's look to some positives regarding the upcoming season. Gore Mountain, which last year opened up a whole new mountain area called Burnt Ridge to pretty rave reviews, has made changes this year to improve accessibility to it - which really was the only negative issue raised, by riders in particular.

The long, flat traverse from the base lodge to the Burnt Ridge quad lift left many sputtering last year, and when I wrote that as a skier, it wasn't that tragic of a skate to get there, complaints were e-mailed to me from readers (who were riders) saying it WAS that bad. So this year, Gore has extended the Cirque Glades trail to the Burnt Ridge lift, has cut a new trail called Eagle's Nest to run from Upper Pipeline to the lift and re-graded that flat traverse trail called Cedars, to allow easier access for the riders and those skiers not crazy about skating.

In addition, Gore will open a new lodge at the Ski Bowl operation and has moved its terrain park to a widened Wild Air trail, which will return Sleigh Ride to alpine skiing, Pratt said.

Pratt also talked about increased snowmaking on Burnt Ridge's Sagamore trail.

This weekend, Gore will be open for scenic gondola rides and to allow skiers and riders a chance to get passes and tune skis. And, hopefully, Pratt said, snowmaking will start "around the clock."

New West Mountain lift

No, there's no new chairlift at West Mountain in Queensbury, but beginner skiers, parents and instructors will be psyched that the mountain this year will sport a 340-foot "Magic Carpet" lift, which essentially allows beginners to simply flop on its conveyer belt-type surface and get hauled up the beginner slope. The rope tow has been reliable - and that's what I learned to ski on at a now defunct mountain in Vermont - but for any parent who has ever tried to teach their kids to ski, you can see how this lift would be a Godsend.

"It makes the learn-to-ski experience so much easier," said West Mountain Marketing Director Margaret Martin. "It's not nearly as fatiguing and frustrating as the rope tow."

As for a new chairlift, which last year West Mountain owner Mike Barbone said was likely at least a few years away, he said that's still a long-term plan. For now, however, he wants to increase revenue through the new beginner lift and the renovated restaurant lodge and then get the lift that riders and skiers often ask about.

"We're working toward a new chairlift," Barbone said. "Right now we're just regaining the confidence of the skiers back at West Mountain,"

Hickory returns

Hickory Ski Center in Warrensburg is springing back to life after a four-year hiatus with a new beginner surface lift resembling a tubing lift, a new access road to the lodge, a renovated lodge, more beginner terrain - and for the first time, limited snowmaking on lower terrain.

Those who have missed Hickory showed up by the hundreds at a recent open house. There was a lot of excitement in the air.

Willard Mountain

Willard Mountain owner Charles "Chic" Wilson said Willard is working on a two-year project to add pitch to the beginner Bunny Hop trail. A long traverse halfway down the trail is deadly for snowboarders, and by next year that will be fixed. Trees have been cut, but Wilson said the spring was too wet to do the excavation. Willard has also added five new snow guns to allow for quicker coverage on 95 percent of the terrain there.

Dave Blow may be reached at davent67@hotmail.com.