Don’t put those boards away. For those ski areas still standing, the skiing’s sweet.
Take Sugarbush in Warren, Vt., which picked up 17 inches during April’s inaugural blast. It’s a place that exudes spring turns.
“These conditions demand that skiers and riders head for the bump runs and the steeps — bumps because they all soften up and make us feel like we are formidable athletes, and steeps because you actually need the elevation to get enough speed to get through the soft, forgiving snow,” Sugarbush vice president of communications Candice White said.
She said steep trails like Rip Cord and Organgrinder off the Heaven’s Gate chair offer enough elevation gain to make for fun, forgiving spring turns on terrain that will bump up.
“And then there’s Stein’s Run — accessible via Valley House Quad or Super Bravo — which we stockpile snow on so we can ski it into May. It is long, steep and bumps up beautifully,” she said.
On April 22, show what you’re made of during Stein’s Challenge, a four-hour frolic to see how many runs you can do on Stein’s.
Spring is also about al fresco apres ski, and Sugarbush brings its offerings outside in the Gate House Courtyard. Pond skims also bring spring fun, with Sugarbush having its competition on April 8.
With Mount Ellen closed, Sugarbush plans to operate daily through April 23, close midweek and reopen for three final days, April 29-May 1.
“Everyone skis this time of year,” Killington communications manager Michael Joseph said. “A lot of people prefer the spring skiing to midwinter — more sun, soft snow, bumps, warmer temps.”
The resort made snow March 24, the latest in recent memory, and routinely skis into Memorial Day or June.
Other mountains still operating: Stowe, Jay Peak, Okemo, Sunday River and Cannon. In April, it’s always best to check the ski report for grooming status, lodge closings and if the mountain is open midweek. Also, spring rates happen.
Wildcat, in Pinkham Notch, N.H., has dropped its rates to $49.
“I love spring skiing,” Peak Resorts director of Northeast marketing Greg Fisher said. “One thing that I always forget, and then regret, is not putting sunscreen on my lips. I can deal with a little sun on the face, but the sunburned lips? Not good.”
One place where the sun can shine in spring is Wildcat’s Lot C.
“Grab a camping grill and hit Lot C on a weekend bluebird day,” Fisher said. “Be sure to bring enough to share.”
Wildcat hosts its pond skim on April 15 and then has an Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday.
So how long will they run the lifts at Wildcat?
“Wildcat, I’ve been teasing, could go until Memorial Day,” he said. “If it keeps snowing like this, no reason why not. Will we? Who knows? But I’d love to try, and as long as people keep coming and the snow is skiable, it would be fun.”
Loon, in Lincoln, N.H., plans to stay open until April 16.
“Spring is a time for people who are really passionate about skiing and riding,” communications manager Greg Kwasnik said. “They don’t want the season to end, and they make the most out of every single run. When other people have moved on to golf and gardening, they’re still here harvesting spring corn, skiing the bumps and working on their goggle tans. It’s no coincidence that these are the same people who are first in line for the gondola when the mountain opens in November.”
Bretton Woods dropped its ticket prices to $29 for adults, teens and juniors for the rest of the season. Seniors pay $25.
The Woods has April 17 — Patriots Day — as its last day, with patriotic $17.76 lift ticket prices and a return voucher to kick off the 2017-18 season.
“Bretton Woods is all about long cruisers,” said director of ski operations Chris Ellms. “There is no better way to understand that than by riding the Rosebrook chair and coming down taking Outer Bounds, crossing the ridge and taking the wonderful green-circle Range View to the base or Avalon. Those are every much the view you hear about, with the Presidential Range looming in the background. Not to be missed.”
Off Rosebrook, Ellms likes heading over near West Mountain for one of his prime spring runs.
“There’s nothing better than going down Aggassiz with those widely spaced intermediate bumps,” he said. “As you enter that maple glade, you can almost hear the sap running. It’s just beautiful spring skiing.”
Marty Basch can be reached at marty.basch@gmail.com.