For Some Die-Hards, Spring Means the Season Is Just Warming Up By MICHELLE HIGGINS

For Some Die-Hards, Spring Means the Season Is Just Warming Up
By MICHELLE HIGGINS
SPRING begins on March 20, but diehard skiers eager to find the best late-season conditions in North America can stretch this year's winter into early July — and at one place probably all the way to Labor Day.
With abundant snowfall in many mountain towns out West, a handful of ski areas — including the Snowbird resort in Utah, and Mammoth Mountain in California — plan to remain open through Memorial Day and, if the snow keeps coming, longer.
Last year, conditions were so good that both resorts stayed open until the Fourth of July. Although the weather is hard to predict, Snowbird said it might already be on track to do the same thing this year, given that 348 inches of snow had fallen by mid-February — about a foot more than last year — and that forecasts are calling for more.
At Mammoth, Dana Vander Houwen, a spokeswoman said, "I wouldn't be surprised if we made it into mid-June this year."
Snow or no snow, most United States ski resorts shut down by mid-April, when bookings slow and seasonal air service stops. Despite record snowfall, Aspen Mountain and Snowmass in Colorado will close on April 16 to make improvements that include installing new lifts. Crested Butte Mountain Resort, also in Colorado, will close on April 10.
Most resorts in the Northeast, where the snow season has generally been disappointing, also plan to close by mid-April.
"The fact of the matter is, it takes a certain amount of volume to drive the business," said Michael Berry, president of the National Ski Areas Association.
"There have been many, many years of great skiing right to the bottom of the mountain" during spring, Mr. Berry said. "But when the destination visitor goes elsewhere and locals decide it's time for a vacation in Mexico, that's when it's over."
Still, savvy skiers know how to stretch the season. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming, for example, officially closes this year on April 2. But when the resort reopens for summer tourists on May 27, it allows experienced skiers to ride the aerial tram to take advantage of backcountry snow.
"With our current snowpack ranking around 150 percent of normal, the snow will be there for a long time in the early summer months," said Anna Olson, a spokeswoman for the resort. "There will be thousands of vertical feet still covered."
A few ski resorts usually stay open into June. Arapahoe Basin in Keystone, Colo., plans to go through the first week of June. Whistler Blackcomb, with two mountains in Whistler, British Columbia, plans to close Blackcomb Mountain's winter operations on April 23, but Whistler Mountain will stay open until June 4. The next day, Blackcomb will reopen for summer glacier skiing until July 30.
In Girdwood, Alaska, about 40 miles south of Anchorage, the Alyeska Resort is usually open through Memorial Day. But for about two weeks in June, Alyeska offers private ski and snowboard camps for intermediate to advanced skiers and riders.
The Timberline Lodge ski area on Mount Hood in Oregon, where there is a permanent snowfield on the upper part of the mountain, is usually open year round, except for two weeks after Labor Day. At the end of May, when the snow typically begins to melt below 6,000 feet, Timberline turns on its upper lifts from Friday to Sunday to carry skiers to the year-round snow.
Last year, the resort had to cut the summer ski season short on Aug. 17 because of a lack of precipitation. But Jon Tullis, the resort's spokesman, said it didn't expect to have that problem this year. In fact, its highest lift was buried in snow this month.
An extended season often means special deals. Snowbird is offering a three-day Late Season Stay package starting April 9 at $95 a night a person, based on double occupancy, including a lift ticket. From April 23 to May 31 at Mammoth, overnight accommodations start as low as $87 a person, double occupancy; guests who stay two or more nights receive two days of lift tickets free.
Some of the best savings can be found in the Northeast, where resorts are using discounts and heavy snowmaking to try to make up for a disappointing season. Hunter and Windham Mountains in upstate New York have teamed to offer a March Mountain Madness discount coupon valid through April 16 that is good for up to 20 percent off lodging (it is found at www.hunterchamber.org/site/mmm/coupon.htm). Another coupon offers discounts on dining, shopping and other services.
From March 26 to April 9, Stratton Mountain Resort in Vermont is offering two nights of lodging for as little as $69 a person, double occupancy, including two free lift tickets.
Canada, which has seen a drop in American tourists because of tighter border security and a less favorable exchange rate, is also offering attractive ski deals to lure travelers across the border. Whistler Blackcomb, for example, has introduced what it calls an Edge Card, which for $69 Canadian (about $61, at 89 Canadian cents to the United States dollar) offers Washington State residents discounted lift tickets and the chance to skip lines at ticket windows.
Of course, no matter how much snow is left, spring skiing usually means spring conditions. The cycle of melting and freezing on warmer days causes fluffy powder to crystallize into granular pellets dubbed "corn snow" because the size and shape resemble kernels of corn.
Some skiers enjoy the crunchy sound and grabby feel of corn snow. Others prefer powder. But to many die-hards, all that matters is that it's snow.
----------------
Above in the Sunday NYT Travel section, also 3-4 good articles about skiing in there too. Worth a peek, despite their biased viewpoints on many things.