Skiing

Spring Fever On The Ski Slopes

By Heather Burke

April 17, 2015

2 minutes to read

By Heather Burke, Boston.com Correspondent

OMG – what a great day to ski. Yesterday at Loon Mountain was “bluebird,” as skiers say when the sun is high and the snow is soft. It’s late in the season, but for those who hang on, and don’t hang it up, the skiing is fantastic. Loon still has 60 percent of its terrain open as it enters its closing weekend.

Yesterday at Loon, a fun friendly bunch of skiers got their spring rewards as Angel Street turned heavenly with sugar cookie dough snow. The dress code was loose at Loon – there was a snowboarding werewolf, topless men, shorts, t-shirts, and sunglasses. The superpipe was super popular as the tall walls softened for skiers and riders to launch big tricks with forgiving landings – also providing great viewing from the sunny Octagon Deck.

It saddens me every season that skiers call it quits just as the sun comes out and the best skiing of the year arrives. Yes, you need to wear sunscreen and watch for bare spots. And yes, the perfect corn corduroy does get squishy in the afternoon, but the ski slopes still have decent base depths, and a spring fever attitude that I find irresistible. Zany costumes come out of the closet. You can rock your jeans and your retro ski attire — it’s perfectly appropriate now.

This weekend is the last call at Loon and Saddleback. Saddleback celebrates with $39 lift tickets and a “Tumbledown the Bumps” event on Tightline on Saturday with music, 80s attire and $3 tumbledown drafts at the yurt. Killington hosts a “Dazed and Defrosted” music fest Saturday, their 167th ski day with no end in sight. Jay Peak is still spinning, hosting their 6th annual Tailgate Party on Sunday.

Mount Snow’s last day of its 60th season is Sunday with $19.54 lift tickets, but you must pre-purchase on line. Stowe’s final day is Sunday Apri19. Okemo keeps skiing this weekend on 68 trails, with plans to reopen April 24-26.

Mad River Glen, Cannon and Mount Sunapee will end their seasons this Sunday. Bretton Woods’ grand finale is Patriots Monday with $17.76 tickets. Sugarloaf has Pond Skimming Saturday, The Loaf will keep skiing into May. Sunday River stays open through Patriots Day, then re-opens April 25-26 weekend, and finishes the season on May 2 with their free SkiMaynia tradition. Wildcat is open through April 26, then plans to re-open May 2-3 weekend.

Get out and enjoy the spring skiing while you can. And feel free to wear your one-piece dayglow fart bag, or whatever strikes your fancy. Seriously, old-school and outrageous is all the rage.