Erin Grady, communications manager at Deer Valley, said Christmas was very strong.

"We were up 30 percent over last Christmas, which was a record for us," she noted. "I think the reasons are a mixture of several things — good snow, return customers and, of course, all the media exposure."

Deer Valley was voted the No. 1 ski area in North America by readers of SKI magazine. This was the second time in the past four years the resort has been named the top resort by readers.

Grady also noted that reservations and bookings look very strong through Presidents Day weekend.

Katie Eldridge, public relations manager at The Canyons, said the season started out "very strong" with a record number of season passes sold "and we had our biggest day ever on Dec. 30, which is an indication of how our holidays went."

"The one thing that was encouraging to us is we've seen a lot of people coming from the Salt Lake City area and other in-state areas, which is a market we've been reaching out to."

Eldridge, too, said reservations through the end of the season appear to be very strong.

"After the last snow, the phones started ringing off the hook," she added.

Jay Burke, director of marketing at Solitude, said skier numbers have been strong.

"Our January bookings were strong, and bookings for February and March are looking very strong, which is a good indicator that we can expect a good solid season.

"One thing we are seeing is more and more destination skiers. We know right now our destination skier numbers are going to be up this season."

Some credit last year's strong showing, along with the fact that other parts of the country held very little snow to Utah's near-record depths, for the good season this year.

There were resorts in the northwestern part of the country, for example, that did not have a 2004-05 season.

Resorts in the eastern part of the country got a late start on the ski season, and even areas to the north of Utah, up into Canada, had poor snow conditions last season.

That is not the case this year.

A report last month from Colorado said resorts "continue to have record snowfall this season. Some resorts are reporting to be 6 feet above normal snowfall . . . (and) that the northern mountains along the Continental Divide are as much as 160 percent above normal snowpack."

The latest snow report from Colorado shows Steamboat has a base of 72 to 93 inches, Aspen has a base of 55 to 60 inches and Vail has a base of 59 inches.