JACKSON, N.H. (AP) – Last weekend, cross-country skiers in the shadow of Mount Washington were in shirt sleeves, and dodging puddles on thin snow cover as temperatures soared way above freezing. But this weekend, they swished their way through a couple of feet of new snow.

“Skiers haven’t had it this good all year,” said John Garland of Bear Notch Ski Touring Center in Bartlett, which saw more than 20 inches of new snow on some trails.

Trails at the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation got up to two feet of snow Thursday and Friday.

“It was perfect,” Denise Perkins, said. “I think it was what everyone was hoping for.”

At Great Glens Trails, Marketing Director Jesse Mosston said the snow was a welcome sight. “We were in serious need of snow no question,” Mosston said.

Snowmobilers also were smiling this weekend.

“We are happy now,” said Allan Guilbeault, director of operations for Alpine Adventures in Lincoln, which rents snowmobiles and runs tours. They didn’t operate last Monday because there was too little snow.

“We were practically down to nothing,” he said.

The snow brought more visitors, prompting motels to post “no vacancy” signs. “The snow is going to mean that we are going to have a fabulous February vacation week,” said Janice Crawford, executive director of the Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“We had bookings for the week but were worried we did not have enough snow to provide the diversity of activities people want,” she said.

The New Hampshire Snowmobile Association said all 6,830 miles of snowmobile trails were open.

Brian McCarthy, executive director of the Lincoln-Woodstock Chamber of Commerce said it’s been a rough season.

“What has been killing us is there has been no snowmobiling, trail riding, cross country skiing or snowshoeing,” he said.

“This snow is going to stay for a while,” McCarthy said. “Everyone is dancing in the streets now.”

AP-ES-02-12-05 1205EST