Friends elatedly pack into the Silver Queen Gondola for the first time this season as Aspen Mountain opened on Thanksgiving morning. Due to poor November snowfall and spotty snowmaking conditions, only 42 of 828 acres were available to skiers and snowbarders today at Ajax. Jason Charme/Aspen Daily News

Aspen Mountain and Snowmass Ski Area opened to skiers and snowboarders today as scheduled, albeit with extremely limited terrain.

Aspen Mountain opened with 42 acres of terrain. When fully operational, Ajax (as it is known to locals) boasts 828 skiable acres. Top-to-bottom skiing was not available. Aspen Skiing Co.'s website listed two of eight lifts in operation and three of 104 trails opened amid a 3-inch base.

Skiers and snowboarders in line for the Silver Queen Gondola on Thursday m

See Full Page