Attention, skiers and snowboarders: It’s time to hit the slopes.

The arrival of cold weather has allowed the region’s ski resorts to set opening dates, with Seven Springs Mountain Resort opening for the season this weekend, with trails and slopes available from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

And after a year of uncertainty as it pertains to the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing seems certain: area residents are ready to get outdoors.

That’s become clear by the amount of traffic coming to Seven Springs’ website, spokesman Alex Moser said.

“About a week ago, before we even announced our opening, we saw a one-day traffic (spike) to our website that was higher than any other day since 2012,” Moser said. “Our web traffic is always a really good barometer for us.”

Ski resorts throughout the region are planning for a busy season, as outdoor enthusiasts emerge from their homes and seek blue skies and fresh air while dealing with the everyday difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic. That pandemic also has led to added work for the resorts themselves. They want skiers and tubers to visit, but must make sure those visits are safe.

When Seven Springs, which sits about 90 minutes from Wheeling, opens this weekend, Moser expects seven or eight slopes and trails and two to three lifts to be available. Season pass sales are ahead of where they were last year, and Moser said the desire to get outdoors is spurring former and future skiers.

“I think we’re seeing a lot of lapsed skiers coming back,” Moser said, “but I also think we’re seeing a lot of curiosity from people who’ve never done it before.”

Snowshoe Resort in Pocahontas County opened last week and spokesman Shawn Cassell said that resort also saw early signs of pent-up demand in people wanting to get outdoors. Snowshoe had a soft open for staff and season pass-holders last Thursday and Friday, and the weekend brought plenty of skiers.

“We had a really strong start with the amount of terrain we had open and the pent-up demand,” Cassell said. “Saturday and Sunday were very busy.”

While every resort wants to see outdoors enthusiasts enjoying the slopes, they also want to keep those slopes available. COVID-19 safety protocols have been an integral part of resorts’ opening plans.

It’s not just about remaining 6 feet apart and wearing masks. Cassell said one of Snowshoe’s main concerns was “capacity management” and finding the sweet spot between having enough people at the resort to be profitable and maintaining enough space between everyone to be safe.

Seven Springs has attacked the issue from multiple angles, Moser said. Masks are mandatory. Staff members are using electrostatic cleaners and adding HEPA filters to ensure all areas and surfaces are free from the virus. The resort increased the number of takeout windows available for skiers to buy food. Online purchasing of lift tickets, rentals and lessons is much more efficient and the resort is asking visitors to buy online ahead of time.

“The team here has worked very, very hard at this for the last few months,” Moser said. “This has been an overwhelming, daunting task.”

Resorts believe that hard work will pay off for people to get a chance to enjoy the great outdoors safely.