As the days tick by, more and more east coast resorts are beginning their 1999-2000 ski season. New York’s Ski Windham started running the lifts yesterday with the opening of five trails. Windham, a “sister” resort of Ski Liberty, Ski Roundtop, and Whitetail, is located in the Catskill Mountains, approximately 5 1/2 hours from the D.C. area. Windham features a 1,600 foot vertical drop.

Three lifts are serving the open trails, including Whistler, the Wall, What’s Next, and Wooly Bear. Snowmaking will continue as temperatures permit, helping to open more of the resort’s 34 trails.

Visitors to Windham this season will find a new sports shop, a new half-pipe, two new tubing lanes in the snow tubing park, and expanded snowmaking and night skiing.

As a bonus, season passholders from Liberty, Roundtop, or Whitetail can currently ski for free at Windham. Season passes at the three D.C. area resorts are valid at Windham anytime the local resorts aren’t open. Advantage Card holders can get in on the deal, too, with 25% off weekend lift tickets and 50% off midweek tickets at Windham. Season passes and Advantage cards can be purchased on-line at the Liberty and Roundtop web sites.