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Skiers adrift in the sun Snowboarder Scott Loring, 27, of Ashland, is prepared for all seasons Saturday as he enjoys the warm sun while showing off his and a friend's purchases outside the ski swap. Winter sports enthusiasts plow through SOU sale By Wendy Siporen of the Mail Tribune ASHLAND -- Hundreds of shorts-clad optimists braved above-normal temperatures Saturday to outfit themselves for a ski season some said could be just weeks away. "I predict an early snow," said Lelio of Central Point as she emerged from the Southern Oregon University Ski Swap Saturday with cross-country boots and skis for her son. "That's wishful thinking. We better have snow by Christmas, because I'll be up there." Patricia Ramback took a more pious approach to the coming of winter as she packed her car with skis, boots and helmets for her son Ryan, 8, and daughter Ariana, 6. "Now it's time to pray for snow," she said. But her husband, Ross, gets the credit for the great deals they found. He was in line at 6 a.m., waiting for the doors to open at 9. "There's a bunch of excited people in there," he said. Other ski enthusiasts said they'd just as well enjoy the sunny weather for as long as possible. "We kind of want it to snow but we kind of don't," said Josh Paque, a contract botanist who picked up a used snowboard at the swap. During the snow-free months, he and his colleague Scott Loring walk the wilderness surveying for rare and endangered plants. During the winter they snowboard. Each week of warm weather puts another paycheck in their pockets. "Not many people get the winter off," said Loring. "There'll be plenty of snow time." Ski-swap organizers expect to sell over $100,000 worth of new and used ski equipment in the two-day event that attracts 2,500 people from across Southern Oregon. Fifteen percent of all used-equipment sales benefits SOU outdoor programs. The swap continues today. "It's the first time in many many years that I've seen it this nice," said Phil Campbell, who coordinates the swap that has taken place on Veteran's Day weekend for the past 26 years. "Usually this weekend is when there's a real weather change." Just last week there was more than a foot of snow at Mount Ashland, reported ski area manager Jeff Hanson. "It gave us a taste of what can happen," he said. But there was bare ground for this weekend's ski clinic for prospective ski area instructors. "We always hope to open by Thanksgiving," said Hanson, adding that the average opening day is Dec. 10. "In this business ... we don't try to predict anything. We just take what comes and try to make the most of it." Snow or no snow, patrons will notice a few upgrades at the local ski area this year, including new upstairs carpeting in the lodge, new seat pads on the chair lifts and an expanded microbrew tap system in the bar. Season pass holders can also take advantage of a new reciprocal agreement with Mt. Shasta Board and Ski Park and ski all day there for $15. At Mount Shasta, operators have added five downhill trails, a beginner snowboard terrain park, three more kilometers of cross-country trails, an expanded rental shop and 300 parking spaces. Today is the last day to purchase discounted season passes for Mount Ashland. They are at the Ski Ashland table at the swap. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA