Spring skiing, also called late season skiing, has become enormously popular as a recreational activity. There are many advantages to spring skiing, including economic, social and convenience aspects, but where are the best areas and resorts to actually take advantage of skiing and snowboarding during this time of year? Read on to find out:
Colorado
Surely one of the best known places in the world for great skiing is Colorado. Less well known are the spring skiing options available. One of the most popular spring ski destinations in the world is Echo Mountain in Colorado. Echo Mountain is well known for its late season specials. They keep their all-terrain park runs open into late hours of the night. They also offer excellent deals on lift tickets. On Friday nights, a lift ticket can be had for just $5.
Also in Colorado, Arapahoe Basin is known for offering skiing very late in the season, including into late May and even June. Arapahoe Basin caters to snowboarders, offering late season specials and even live music and entertainment for cool spring nights.
Vail is also extremely popular as a late season destination. They famously offer very low cost specials in the last few days of the season. They also offer special entertainment and activities including live music and a 100 foot long pond skim.
Canada
Whistler is well known for its springtime festivities as well, with excellent spring skiing options as well as a famous music festival in late April. Whistler also hosts many contests, concerts and a vast array of nightlife.
The West
California is an excellent place for spring skiing, especially at Southern California’s most popular resort, Mammoth Mountain. With warm temperatures during the day, it is one of the most comfortable places to be able to ski. While the lower mountain lifts will likely be closed due to lack of snow, they keep the highest elevations open well into spring.
Also in California, try Lake Tahoe. This area is home to a number of excellent ski resorts, including Kirkwood, Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley. Each offers a number of spring skiing options to travelers. Even better, is that the area is just minutes from Reno, where you can enjoy gambling, restaurants and nightlife to your hearts content.
Oregon is an excellent place to ski in the spring. Oregon has many resorts that can have quite harsh temperatures and winds during the wintertime, but come spring, the winds have calmed, the temperatures are more hospitable and the snow is still abundant and fresh. Try Mt. Bachelor for a great Oregon ski experience in the late season.
France
Fancy some European travel with your skiing? Then consider one of the many French ski resorts. They offer excellent spring skiing options. Val d’Isere is a superior choice if you want to ski in warmth. They also have plenty of ski instructors available for the beginners in your entourage.
Chamonix is also an excellent choice in spring. Chamonix is known as a resort that has harsh conditions in the winter, with some ski runs and areas closed for safety. In the springtime, winter’s grip loosens and this resort really shines.