Escape to the mountains? Who's still skiing?
I can't think of a better time to escape to the mountains. If you were about to put your ski boots away, reconsider a retreat to the snowy slopes for mid-winter ski conditions and the serenity that only the high alpine can provide. Lifts are still spinning in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont with serious snow depths and some traditional spring ski festivities. Here is what's happening in the ski hills this week and weekend:
Sugarloaf still has 97% of their terrain open, although they will scale back some lift operation during the midweek. The Loaf will host the East Coast Pond Skim Championships this Saturday April 20, this was postponed from two weekends ago when it was just too cold and wintry. Saddleback is open weekends through April - still sporting base depths of up to 52" of snow, and $29 lift tickets. Sunday River will wrap their season when they reopen this coming weekend, with $39 tickets Saturday April 20 and Free skiing on Sunday April 21 as their grand finale and thanks to their friends and fans.
In New Hampshire, Bretton Woods ended their ski season yesterday. Wildcat will reopen for skiing this Friday for the weekend, with pond skimming Saturday. As of last weekend, Wildcat still had 93% of their terrain ski-able, and they may offer skiing April 27-28 as well.
Vermont ski resorts still open include Killington, Sugarbush, and Jay Peak which is still at 100%. Stowe will ski through Sunday April 21. Mt Snow may reopen this weekend.
I never understand why so many skiers are so eager to ski one skinny snowmaking trail in November, but hang up their boards in sunny April when so many trails are still open with sweet soft snow. Well, it's up to you, but there is still great skiing, scenery, and goggle tanning up in the mountains.
See you on the slopes.
Photos of Stowe and Sugarloaf by Greg Burke
Contributors
Eric Wilbur is a lifelong recreational skier who spends most of his winter and spring in the mountains of New England. He does not ski in jeans. You can read more of Eric's work here.
Heather Burke is an award winning ski journalist with over a decade of ski news coverage. As a former ski instructor and a ski parent, she knows the ski biz from the inside out. She and her family visit New England ski resorts, as well as the West and Canada, to report on the latest trends and their best family finds. Her husband Greg takes all the accompanying photos, and their work can be seen at www.familyskitrips.com and www.luxuryskitrips.com.
