AUBURN — After a huge push by the community to open Lost Valley for another season, not even a fickle Mother Nature could keep crowds away Sunday.

Skiiers and snowboarders with runny noses gathered in the lodge for a quick bite before heading back out to the lift.

Everywhere, a preponderance of young children — helmeted, waist-high winter sportsters — meandered around the lodge, usually with a lone adult attempting to outfit them all.

Co-owner Connie King said, “We are excited to be open and the conditions are wonderful — thanks to our wonderful snowmakers, we are getting more open every day.”

The guns were running full throttle, blasting snow high across Big Buck as the snow cat spread a deep base across the run. Little kids practiced their moves at the Snow Sports ski and ride center while family after family arrived with gear in tow.

Among them was Caroline Lynch, 17, from Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

“My family has a house in Scarborough and I wanted to come skiing since we were up here and this isn’t too far from the house,” Lynch said.

“My dad used to ski for Bowdoin College and he said this is where he came for his ski team,” said Lynch, resting after several runs.

Lynch said conditions were “Really great. It’s a lot of snow and no ice at all, so that was really nice,” she said. “It’s a great sport — I’d like to come back when more of the trails are open — it’s really great and it’s just a day trip.”

Hunter Nelson, 11, of Minot was in the lodge with his dad, William. This was Hunter’s second season snowboarding at Lost Valley.

William Nelson, a boarder as well, said he’s been sidelined by a back injury. It didn’t stop him from coaching the kids however, as he sent his 7-year-old son, Sawyer, back up for another run with the promise of chicken fingers and french fries at the end.

The slow start to the season didn’t affect the Nelsons very much, except for Sawyer.

“The 7-year-old out there, he wants to go everyday, all day,” William Nelson said.

A lazy start to winter isn’t the only obstacle Lost Valley faced. Last fall, the fate of the local ski area was questionable. That’s when the Friends of Lost Valley organized.

In October, volunteers from the community gathered with chain saws, tractors and trimmers to chop, chip and spruce up Lost Valley to make it ready for another season — something the struggling business was simply unable to do otherwise.

“They’re all here on their time,” King said in October. “They’re volunteering and getting all the work done — doing not only what we would have had to pay people — maintenance people to do but things that would not have gotten done. All these cutting of the trees and the trimming and all that would not have gotten done.”

The Friends of Lost Valley group organized a Crowdrise page and through its efforts, raised a little over $26,000 toward launching another season of skiing, snowboarding and Special Olympics events.

Local businesses also became involved in the effort. Mac’s Grill started their own fundraiser, adding another $400 to the cause.

Efficiency Maine also came to King’s aid, revamping the lighting and helping find ways to curb energy costs.

Steve Yenco of the FLOV said, “Being part of this group since September has been something truly remarkable.

“Over the past year, I watched other mountains like Black Mountain in Rumford and Big Rock in Mars Hill go through the same thing and saw how the community rallied around the mountains to help stop them from closing,” Yenco said.

“I stopped by there a few nights back to see how the snowmaking was going and it was really a nice sight to see — knowing that this group of people with just a strong love for Lost Valley was able to make this happen,” Yenco said.

“None of us wanted to see this place close and we are just so happy that with the help of so many we were able to help Connie and (Lincoln Hayes) out and keep the place open,” Yenco said.

Appreciative of all the help she’s received, King invited the community to “Come enjoy the slopes, and great family time!”

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