Many are hearing the calls of bicycles, kayaks and hiking boots. Golf clubs rattle in the barn. Rakes do a dance as skiers and riders walk by them.
But there are diehards paying them no mind.
That’s because they’re still making turns.
Across northern New England, there are a handful of lift-serviced ski areas still operating, serving steadfast season pass-holders and those enthralled by spring lift ticket discounts.
Snowmaking and a healthy dose of spring snow (despite April’s angry mixes) helped keep the season going, even allowing some resorts to perform an encore.
Bravo!
“It is fair to say that the incredibly snowy month of March set Vermont resorts up for a great April,” Ski Vermont marketing and communications director Sarah Wojcik said in an email. “The snowpack remains deep, especially on trails that receive both natural and snowmaking coverage.”
Plus cooler than average temps at the start of April helped preserve the snowpack as more than 8 inches of snow fell at some resorts.
Five resorts — Mount Snow, Okemo, Stratton, Burke and Bolton Valley — now closed, extended their seasons due to the abundance of snow and open terrain. Those still open have consolidated their operations, but the lifts are still spinning.
Sugarbush, in Warren, Vt., is projected to be open weekends only through May 6.
“March and April have been unbelievable,” Sugarbush communications manager John Bleh said in an email. “Nice to have after a slow start.”
Bleh says the resort aims to stay open until Cinco de Mayo weekend every year.
“Even without all this March snow, the trails we designate for spring had plenty of snowmaking on them,” he said. “Our snowmaking upgrades over the last several years have helped big time in that regard.”
Jay Peak and Killington try to stay open as late as possible.
“This wintry April is only helping extend their season,” said Wojcik.
Jay Peak in northern Vermont reported that approximately 90 inches of snow fell in March, bringing its season total at the end of that month to more than 360 inches and setting the resort up for a “phenomenal spring and a strong close to the season,” according to director of communications and events JJ Toland.
“If you had told me in January that we’d be looking at another season extending into May, I would have said you might have bumped your head into one too many moguls,” Toland said. “But provided temps don’t spike into the 90s in the next few weeks, we plan on keeping a lift or two spinning at least until May 6.”
Jay Peak will cease midweek operations starting April 23 and just run its lifts on weekends after that date. If that happens, it’ll be the ninth year in a row the resort’s been open for skiing and riding into May.
Killington averages 24 inches of snow in April, with the resort picking up 19 inches last year. As of last weekend, 11 inches had fallen. The plan is to operate daily through their May Day Slalom on May 1 and then open Friday through Sunday from May 4 until the snow’s gone.
Once that happens, work can begin on $16 million in capital improvements that includes a new six-person high-speed bubble chairlift at Snowdon, new quad lift service at South Ridge, updates to the K-1 gondola, new RFID gates and intermediate-terrain enhancements.
In New Hampshire, Wildcat — which opened for the 2017-18 season on Nov. 11 — is shooting to stay open into May, now with weekend operations.
“We like to make ‘smart snow,’ so as soon as our team saw a good stretch to open the resort (and keep it open), snowmakers worked around the clock to do so,” Wildcat marking director Jack Fagone said in an email. “This man-made snow makes a great base that ultimately keeps us skiing into the spring.”
Sunday River, in Newry, Maine, plans to wrap up the season on April 29. That’s Ski Mania Day, with free skiing and riding. The River is now in weekend-only mode.
“April has been really strong and is on par with April of last year,” said director of communications Darcy Lambert. “There is something to be said for coming into spring skiing with ample snow. The conditions are tremendous. Plus any month that starts with 5 inches of new snow is a good month in our book.”
That’s also true for those still riding the lifts.
Marty Basch can be reached at marty.basch@gmail.com.