Whiteface Mountain Ski Center will open for winter 24 hours ahead of schedule, on Thanksgiving Day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Olympic Regional Development Authority announced Tuesday afternoon.

The state authority’s goal most years is to open its state-owned ski centers in the Adirondacks, Whiteface and Gore Mountain in North Creek, by the day after Thanksgiving. That’s still the plan for Gore, but Whiteface is now set to open a day early, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday.

Why? It seems like it’s just because they can.

“We just want to get people skiing, and we want to get people ready for winter,” ORDA spokesman Jon Lundin said Tuesday.

Six trails are expected to be open at Whiteface on Thanksgiving. Skiers and snowboarders can ascend on the Cloudsplitter Gondola to the top of Little Whiteface and descend on intermediate trails like Excelsior, Summit Express and Upper and Lower Valley. Lower down, the Mixing Bowl beginner’s trail will be open. Lessons and beginner programs will be offered through the Parallel from the Start and Learn to Snowboard programs.

Whiteface will add more trails Friday via its Face Lift four-person chairlift.

Lift tickets will cost $64 for adults and $42 for juniors and seniors. There’s a discount for generosity: If you bring a non-perishable food item to donate at the ticket window, you can ski or ride for $38 for adults, $29 for teens and $20 for juniors.

“It’s been an interesting autumn weather-wise, but thanks to a stellar crew and recent investments in snowmaking technology, we are able to make tons of snow in a very short amount of time and open early again this year,” Whiteface General Manager Aaron Kellett said in a press release.

Gore Mountain’s winter season is set to begin late Friday morning. Its newest lift, the Adirondack Express II, will take skiers and riders to the top of the Showcase trail for intermediates and experts, which descends 1,500 feet over a mile-and-a-quarter. Snow guns are also at work on the Sunway, 2B, Lower Sleighride and Arena trails.

“We are already seeing the energy savings from utilizing these new guns,” Gore General Manager Mike Pratt said in the press release. “We’ve been able to resourcefully capitalize on colder weather when it’s been available, while preparing other trails to open as well.”

“ORDA ski resorts spent the off-season discovering new ways in which they could enhance customer service, from the time guests arrive at the resort to when they pack up their skis and boards at the end of the day,” ORDA President and CEO Ted Blazer added in the release. “Through new technology and communication between the staff and guest, we’ve greatly improved and personalized our customer service, with the overall goal of creating customer loyalty and growing skiing and riding to the millennial market.”

“The ski industry is vital to New York’s economy during the winter months,” Cuomo said. in the release “With more ski resorts than anywhere else in the United States, New York is a must-visit destination for all skiers and riders and their families.”

“This winter is a great time to visit Whiteface Mountain to enjoy the highest vertical drop east of the Rockies, and the beauty and fun of Lake Placid,” added Empire State Development Executive Director of Tourism and I Love New York Gavin Landry.

Downstate skiers and snowboarders can book an overnight trip to Whiteface or day trips to any of three Catskill ski areas, including the state-run Belleayre, on the I Love New York Bus, operated by Hampton Jitney, departing from from New York City and Long Island. More information is available at www.iloveny.com/bus.

Trails and lifts are subject to change this weekend. State officials recommend visiting www.whiteface.com or www.goremountain.com before coming for the latest conditions.

This season’s Whiteface opening is later than it’s been in past years, when fall weather was colder. Last year it opened on Nov. 16, 12 days ahead of schedule. For the 2013-14 season it opened on Nov. 15, two weeks ahead of schedule. For 2012-13 it opened Nov. 17, six days ahead of schedule.