Mt. Waterman has skiers again

The tiny ski area on the Angeles Crest Highway reopened Saturday after five years of stillness. Only two lifts were running, there were no rentals nor were there even difficulty signs on the runs. But the new owners got it open for President's Day weekend. Former owner Lynn Newcomb, 87, came by for opening day.

At lunchtime, he was holding court at a picnic table outside the warming hut, telling stories to a writer for a national magazine while old friends came by to congratulate him.

Amid well-heeled skiers in gleaming orange and yellow plastic footwear, he wore jeans, a windbreaker and old-time dark brown Sorel boots.

Newcomb's family opened the mountain in 1939.