'It's been coming down in bucketfuls': Jasper ski area sees unprecedented early-season snowfall

While the early snowfall in parts of north and central Alberta likely ruined more than a fewlate-summer plans this week, it already has some winter warriorsthinking about heading to the slopes.

Marmot Basin ski resort in Jasper National Park posted a photo to its Facebook page Wednesdayboasting a bounty of fresh snowthat's fallen on the mountain in the past day.

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Brian Rode, vice-president of marketing and sales at Marmot Basin, called the recent snowfall unprecedented.

"Next year will be my 40th season here, and I have never, never seen this kind of snow at the end of September," Rode said Wednesday. "It has just been snowing like mad all morning long."

The photo, taken at 1 p.m. Wednesday, has already garnered thousands of online reactionsfrom alpine enthusiasts.

"Is this really right now? See you in a couple hours," one person wrote.

"Shortly after noon there was over 20 centimetres and that's at the base of our area, right at our lower chalet," Rode said. "So it's probably approaching mid- to high-20s right now, and there's going to be more at our upper elevations, that's for sure.

"We haven't made it up to mid-mountain yet, but it would be safe to say there's at least 30 centimetres up at mid-mountain, even more than that up higher. It's been coming down in bucketfuls."

Despite the dump of snow, the mountain won't be welcoming the public any sooner than its planned Nov. 10 opening day.

"Our ski patrol and avalanche control guys, they'll probably be out on the mountain here within the next week or so, having a look around and just checking out the entire area and getting it ready for opening day," Rode said.

"That still gives people a very long season."