It started on October 1 at Crystal Mountain, Washington - courtesy a big early season dump. The area didn't stay open, BUT IT DID OPEN.

Now the race is on to see who can open, and stay open.

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/crystal-mountain-resort-sets-new-record-oct-1-open/nbCnM/

I’m in Big Bear (in the mountains above San Bernardino, CA) right now and a freak snow storm has just hit. This report from a few hours ago says we had 2 to 4 inches, but now it looks like we’ve had 4 to 6 inches, and it’s still coming down. It snows here in October only once in a blue moon, but October 9th? And a half foot? what is  causing this snow and bitter cold at the begining of fall?.. I had hoped to get out and do some biking in sunny warmth. But instead,  this is a RECORD for the earliest at least 1 inch snowfall in Big Bear Lake:At Big Bear Lake, where official weather recordkeeping began in 1960, the earliest 1-inch snowfall on record was Oct. 10 back in 1985. If at least an inch of snow falls Wednesday, that record will be broken by a day.