HOODOO - Chuck Shepard got what he wanted for Christmas: skiers flocking to Hoodoo Mountain Resort.

"We have a record week going on," the CEO of the ski resort said Friday.

The resort, about 50 miles east of Sweet Home on Highway 20, opened the first weekend in December but then had to close for lack of snow. It reopened Dec. 20 and has been welcoming skiers since.

"In terms of snow, it's the best we've had in at least six years, and maybe more," Shepard said. "You're not going to see powder skiing like this anywhere."

The resort currently has a 6-foot base, which is compacting somewhat under the weight of all the new snow that has fallen in the past few days, Shepard said.

The resort is gearing up for its annual New Year's Eve fireworks show, slated to start at 9 p.m. Monday. Music starts at 7 p.m., and skiers are invited to stay until midnight, although the lifts shut down during the fireworks. The resort and its Autobahn innertube run also are open New Year's Day.

For more information, including current weather conditions, see the Hoodoo website at www.hoodoo.com.