Area recreationists with their eyes on Sleeping Giant are going to have to hang on to their skis and snowboards for another week.With not enough snow on the mountain and some final tweaks to new equipment yet to be finished, the Sleeping Giant Ski Area has pushed a planned Nov. 27 opening back to Dec. 4.The decision was officially announced Friday night.

On Monday, Ham Bryan, the North Fork ski area's executive director, said the area is in a “holding pattern” on a couple of construction items.

Bryan said the new west chair lift still needs the final sign-off from inspectors, and that the mountain is waiting for the snow-making machine's manufacturer to come and make some final calibrations.

Bryan said the slope should have those details finished by early next week, and that the area should be able to fully open Dec. 4.

“We just need a little help from the snow gods up there,” Bryan said. “That would help a lot.”

The North Fork ski area, located just a few miles from Yellowstone's East Entrance in the Shoshone National Forest, has been closed since 2004. It has been extensively repaired and renovated by the Yellowstone Recreations Foundation since the non-profit acquired the slope in 2007.

Sleeping Giant's official grand opening — which will feature a torchlight parade, races and food — remains slated for Saturday, Dec. 19.

Bryan also said the ski area has not abandoned an attempt to acquire a liquor license from Park County. Commissioners denied the Sleeping Giant's request for a license last week, but Bryan said that decision has caused “quite an outcry” from citizens. He noted a couple dozen comments disagreeing with the commission's decision on the Cody Enterprise's Web site.

As of Monday afternoon, an unscientific poll on the Tribune's site indicated that 80 percent of online voters supported giving Sleeping Giant a permit.