The recent cold snap has allowed a southern Indiana ski slope to open up earlier than in many recent years.

Ski Paoli Peaks opened for the season last weekend, with its snowmaking machines able to blow more than a foot of snow Sunday night.

Marketing manager Val Dreusicke says the slope about 40 miles south of Bloomington opened on Christmas Day last year. Some years it has not been able to have its nighttime skiing until January because of the snow conditions.

She says the slope drew good crowds in its opening days. Paoli drew about 90,000 people during 70 days of skiing last winter, which is about average.