As a New England native, Keith Trasko loves snow and has been skiing since he was 17. But he has never been to Tussey Mountain, and this semester he wanted that to change.

Trasko (senior-geosciences) is one of the 987 students who scheduled skiing and snowboarding classes this semester. Yesterday's snowfall saved this semester's scheduled students from beginning their instruction on pressed air mixed at high pressures with water -- Tussey Mountain's formula for making fake snow.

Despite the milder temperatures, State College has been experiencing this winter, skiing and snowboarding kinesiology classes were still scheduled to begin this week.

"Currently we are open and we will be open all week," Tussey Mountain General Manager Dave Fahrenbach said. "We are operating with snow we made in December."

Four of the seven Tussey Mountain slopes were covered with manufactured snow in December.

When the temperature is about 28 degrees or colder, extra snow is made, Fahrenbach said. The snow is made from pressed air and water at high pressures and mixed into a snow gun, he said.

"We don't rely on getting snow; we always make snow and then getting snow is always a bonus," Fahrenbach said.

Fahrenbach said this weekend's expected temperature drop might allow for more snow to be made, which will ensure all seven slopes are going to be covered with snow this weekend.

There are two skiing classes, and one snowboarding class with five sections of 75 students each, said Raegan Ross, staff assistant for the kinesiology physical activity program. All snowboarding sections are full, but there are still places available for some of the skiing sections. Students scheduled for these classes have to pay a special fee to cover the lifting ticket, and if a student does not own skiing or snowboarding equipment, an equipment rental fee.

Tom Graham (sophomore-business) is also scheduled for a skiing class this semester and is starting the class today. He was happy to see the snow-covered campus yesterday.

"I am relieved, but not when I have to go to class," Graham said. "I'm excited, but Tussey Mountain is really small. It will be a change of pace."

AccuWeather Meteorologist Henry Margusity said the record for the latest season snowfall in State College was in 2000, when it didn't snow until Jan. 19. He said he estimates around 30 inches of snow this winter, less than half of last year's 80 inches.

"If you live where we live, it will catch up with you," Margusity said. "Beautiful weather can't last forever."