I grew up in the Boston area and while it has been 55 years, we still have family there and often spent thanksgiving there.  On those occasions I’d meet some northern New England ski friends in the Wachusett parking lot at 7:00 for an annual ritual, the skin and ski of Wachusett.  Normally their opening day is Friday after thanksgiving but snow would have been made.  The real draw was not so much the skiing, which was often not good, but kicking off a new season with old friends.  The run down was followed by a social hour with breakfast beers in the parking lot.  Then we’d all go off to our respective family dinners feeling a little more exalted than the rest of humanity.  Recent and upcoming surgeries mean it won’t happen this year for me and it hasn’t been cold enough to make snow.  Wachusett is a venerable and well run area with a long history and an enlightened uphill policy.  There are a couple of stories about it on DCSki by John Sherwood.

https://www.wachusett.com/Tickets-Passes/Season-Passes/Uphill-Passes.aspx

https://www.zippia.com/wachusett-mountain-ski-area-careers-1204102/history/

Fun story.  Thanks for sharing!

My friends who are in the Boston area are saying Wachusett is 50-50 to open on Black Friday.

I thoroughly enjoyed skiing at Wachusett while my daughter was in school near Boston.  Having an apple doughnut in the CCC-built lodge that is now mid-mountain is a great way to warm up.  Usually have fires going in both fireplaces.