JUNEAU -- Juneau residents will have another reason to be thankful next week: Eaglecrest Ski Area is opening eight days early.

General Manager Matt Lillard attributes the planned Nov. 25 opening to the recent dumping of snow in the region. He says Eaglecrest has gotten about 46 inches since Nov. 12, and there's about 95 inches at the top of the mountain.

He says he's pleased with the amount of natural snow, and the way it's fallen.

He says this won't be Eaglecrest's earliest opening though it hasn't opened this early in years.

Eaglecrest, which is on Douglas Island, initially planned to open for the season Dec. 3.