Skiers and riders rejoice! The wait is over after the ski area opened for the season Thursday morning by firing up the gondola for some top to bottom skiing on River Run.

This season, Keystone has a new skier bridge connecting the base of River Run with its gondola.

The resort is holding an early season scratch game promotion where it will give away more than 2,000 prizes including a chance to win a slope-side condominium for the season.

"It's slope-side, were stocking the fridge and there's a hot tub outside and it's yours to use from January through April this year," Kate Coble of Keystone said.

If conditions stay cool enough, there is already word that Keystone could be opening additional terrain in the coming days.

Arapahoe Basin announced Thursday plans to open top to bottom skiing on Saturday.