Almost certainly. That's what it has been since they started opening the summit on opening day. Paron's to Excelsior back to the chair. It's not much but its good enough to get the legs and the stoke going early season
I had the same experience. I use Michelin X-Ice now and highway riding is much better.
Another advantage to using dedicated snow tires that isn't mentioned enough is that you can optimize your non-winter tires to something that performs significantly better than all season tires, especially...
“I used to race cars, but skiing is a step beyond that. It removes the machinery and puts you one step closer to the elements. And it’s a complete physical expression of freedom.” --Robert Redford
Love that quote.
RIP