Sunshine, Warm Temps, and Spring Skiing: It's All Good

Spring is in bloom  in the mountains. Nights are cold and days are warm. It’s maple sugaring season. Skiers know this time of season as spring skiing. It means sunshine and fun: a chance to work on goggle tans and wind up looking like a raccoon at the end of the day. You can lose the layers, wear shorts and tees, and hotdog it in corny, sugar snow. It also means ski area deck barbeques, crazy parties, contests, and—oh yeah, some delicious carving.  

For those of you skiers who love this side of the season, you’ll be happy to hear it’s a sunny forecast for this weekend.  Friday will be damp with mixed precip and light showers at some ski spots, including a few in central and northern Vermont. But that will pass. Temperatures will be in the 50's well into New England. Surfaces will continue to be spring-like with corn snow. Vermont’s Mad River call its conditions a Corn Fest!

As the sunshine crosses the mountain, follow it and you’ll stay on more enjoyable, just-soft-enough snow. Ski midday for the best conditions. Late afternoon may get sloppy, especially on runs with less of a pitch. That can trip up some folks. Upper mountain runs at higher elevations may stay firmer longer. 

Take the sunscreen, wax up with warm weather in mind, pack lighter layers and enjoy. As an added bonus, snow coverage seems to be especially healthy in central and northern New England—even off-trail.

CT
Southington reopens for the weekend, Friday afternoon at 3pm, with skiing until 9pm.Weekend hours are 9-5 p.m. Whoopee, Glacier and Laurel are roped off. Last year Southington’s closing date last year was March 14.  Deals: Save $10 on a 4-hour flex ticket; Weekend fast pass deals now available, beginning at 2:30 p.m.

Ski Sundown reopened Thursday. It’s spring conditions with all runs skiable and a base of up to three feet. Events: March 19:  Bump or Bust Mogul Competition starts at 8 a.m. and goes all day with the end-all-be-all of Southern New England ski parties.

Mohawk reopens today, Friday, with a full day of skiing and college student, spring break  discounts.

MA
Jiminy Peak has day and night skiing on almost all runs. Jericho is the only double diamond off the front runs. Note: The final night session of the season is Saturday night, March 19. Events: March 19-20: Spring Fling features the Cardboard Box Derby, Egg Toss, Pie Eating Contest and Pond Skimming Contest.

Butternut is 100-percent. Note: Tubing is finished for the season. Events: March 20: Final Countdown Rail Jam; March 26: ParrotHead Festival Deals: Everyday $25 tickets until the end of the season begins March 14

Catamount offers most runs. Note: No more nightskiing this season. Events: March 19: Family Fun Races; March 20: Scavenger Hunt; March 19-20: Box-O-Rama  Deals: $27 tickets Mon-Friday.

Berkshire East is open Saturday and Sunday only. Tubing is finished for the season.

Wachusett projects 21 runs for the weekend, including Vickery Bowl. The base is now 10-20” with spring snow. It plans to ski into April. Spring Hours, opening from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Deals: Buy online for spring discounts.

VT
Mount Snow is close to 100% with spring conditions and  all mountain areas online. Events: March 19-20: Carinthia Open features the best slopestyle skiers and boarders in the country; March 25: ReggaeFest; March 27: Duct Tape Derby.

Okemo 118 runs with groomed, loose granular. It plans to ski to mid-April. Events: March 19-20: FestEVOL with O.A.R. in concert Deals: Kids Rock Free with an adult ticket purchase.

Bromley’s southern exposure is perfect for the weekend’s Spring Fling fun. Four terrain parks and more than three dozen open runs. Events: March 19-20: Spring Fling.

Killington saw a few inches of snow at the start of the week. It’s wide open on all runs and has also been making snow this week. The weekend's sunshine will make Bear Mountain all the more fun. Events: March 19: Burton Stash Gathering at Bear

Mad River Glen has also had early week snow, about 4” Monday.  The mountain’s 100-percent and the upper mountain’s been skiable very nice.  Events: March 19: Triple Crown Mogul Challenge.

Smugglers’ Notch offers something for all skills. Experts-only Black Hole, off Madonna, is back open. All of Morse and Sterling are skiable. Coverage is good, even on natural snow trails with a base of 34-48”. Events: March 19: Helly Hansen Big Mountain Battle.

Jay Peak Resort goes with everything. It’s loose and frozen granular with a base of up to 55”.  Events: March 19: George Syrovatka Citizen's Downhill Race.

ME
Sunday River has spring cover and 112 open runs. Events: March 27: Chili Cookoff and Firefighters’ Race ; April 4: ParrotHead Festival.

Sugarloaf is on all mountain areas with a snowpack of 45-65”. A few diamonds are roped off, but White Heat is open, along with other expert challenges. All four parks, the Pipe and mini- pipe are open. Events: March 19: Sugarloaf 60th Anniversary Celebration; Banked Slalom with Olympic gold medalist Seth Westcott.

NH
Bretton Woods is online with a base of up to 60” and all runs. Events: March 19: NE Telemark Spring Fling.

Cannon is virtually 100-percent with glades and backcountry. A few new inches at the top of the  week brings the season snow total to 18 feet. Events: March 19: Splash and Crash Dummy Races; April 2: Bodefest. Registration is underway. Deals: Tuesday and Thursday Two-for-$67.

Attitash has a 26-50" base with 75 open runs and its haul of new snow from Thursday. Note that Spillway will be closed for racing through Sunday. Deal: Friday $35 Tickets  March 18: On-Snow Golf Tournament.