Sun Peaks Resort is holding fast to its scheduled opening day despite Lower Mainland ski hills opening for business early.

"Right or wrong we've built a reputation where we've set the date and stuck with it," Tourism Sun Peaks president Christopher Nicolson said Tuesday.

Other ski hills will set a date and then open early weather permitting, which can be good PR. Nicolson said Sun Peaks relies on its snow-making equipment to pick, and stick, to a date.

"That's the beauty of snow-making in the early season. It gives us that reliability," he said.

Sun Peaks set Saturday at 9 a.m. as the day that at least the Sunburst Lift will begin operation. Nicolson said Mother Nature will determine if other lifts start rolling or not.

"Any ski resort around right now is just buzzing," said Nicolson, referring to early, and significant, snowfall around the province during the last couple of days.

"What we don't know is what we have on the rest of the mountain, for example the Crystal. That will be the next intuitive lift (to open)," he said. "The forecast is for new snow two out of the next three days. We could have the Nordic and Alpine (lifts) open."

Grouse Mountain reported a 96-centimetre base and 30 cm of new snow, which allowed it to open Tuesday afternoon. Neighbouring Cypress Mountain opens its lifts for the season Wednesday.

Sun Peaks has a 40 cm base. Nicolson said there is about a third less snow down in the village.

Family run Harper Mountain is scheduled to open in December.

Big White, near Kelowna, has a 41 cm base and 23 cm of new powder. It is also set to open in early next month.