Spring Skiing Is in Full Swing at These Resorts

You won’t find spring music festivals and the typical end-of-season festivities at ski resorts this year—the pandemic is still not over, as much as we want it to be—but that doesn’t mean spring skiing has been canceled. Conditions ranging from powder to slushy corn snow are on offer well into April in many states, and best of all, most of the midwinter crowds are now gone. Here are some of our favorite picks around the country for spring ski trips.

Breckenridge, Colorado

Breckenridge plans to stay open through Memorial Day weekend, making it one of the longest operating ski resorts in the country. With a summit elevation of nearly 13,000 feet, snow at the top of the mountain stays cold here even as the weather starts to turn. Breck’s big spring festivals, like Breck Pride and the concert-packed Spring Finale, are on hold this year, but the ample sunshine and laid-back vibes are not. Reservations are required for skiing (day tickets from $179), so plan ahead. For a day off from the slopes, head to the Gold Run Nordic Center, which has doubled its fat-bike rental fleet due to increased demand. And the 60-room Gravity Haus Breckenridge (from $179), a five-minute walk from the Quicksilver Lift, has three snow cabanas serving homestyle shared plates from the hotel’s Cabin Juice restaurant. Finally, be sure to check out the new Aurum Food and Wine in town for its eclectic tasting menu and music-inspired wine list, offered in one of two cozy six-person yurts in its front yard (from $115 per person, minimum of four people; à la carte dishes are available inside).

Mount Hood Meadows, Oregon

Spring at Mount Hood Meadows usually means beer festivals, banked slalom races, and pond skimming. This year some of that will still take place, but mostly you’ll come for the sunshine, a ski season that extends into May, and the chance to park your van or RV overnight at the base (overnight parking permit from $4). The ski area currently sells a midweek pass (from $239) that’s valid for the remainder of the season. For a fun Pacific Northwest road trip, hit up Timberline, also on Mount Hood, known for its extra-long season, and Mount Bachelor, less than three hours away in Bend, with great spots to camp in the parking lot come this time of year.

Killington, Vermont

Killington is known for having one of the longest seasons on the East Coast, typically staying open into May or even June. Show up on a sunny spring weekend and you can lap soft bumps under the Superstar quad, then tailgate in the parking lot with coolers and grills. The resort’s spring pass (from $249) gets you unlimited access from now until the end of the season at both Killington and neighboring Pico Mountain; your pass will also score you 20 percent off rooms at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel (from $266).

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, California

Billed as the spring-skiing capital of the U.S., Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows frequently gets ample amounts of snow through March and April, which means the two neighboring resorts can stay open well into May (they’ve even been known to reopen for the Fourth of July). Typical spring skiing here includes music festivals like Winter Wondergrass (on hold until 2022) and on-mountain revelry like the Pain McShlonkey Classic and the Cushing Crossing Pond Skim, also both likely on hold this year. No matter: you can still ski perfect corn snow off Sherwood Chair at Alpine, then hang out in a lawn chair in the Subway parking lot while eating a bratwurst from the Mogrog Café. Ikon pass holders can score up to 30 percent off lodging at the Village at Squaw Valley (from $598) through Memorial Day.

Mount Bohemia, Michigan

Spring skiing in Michigan brings mild temperatures, deep snow depths, and sweet late-season deals. Head to the Upper Peninsula’s Mount Bohemia, which averages over 270 inches of lake-effect snow annually and has two main lifts and four shuttle busses that access 585 acres of rugged, ungroomed terrain. Mount Bohemia tends to stay open until the end of April, and on spring weekends, you can ski until 5 P.M. Sleep in a slopeside cabin or yurt—the resort’s spring-break special includes lift tickets, meals, and lodging from $75 per person per day.

Sugarloaf, Maine

Sugarloaf usually hosts its popular Reggae Fest in mid-April. That won’t happen this season, but spring at the Loaf is still a guaranteed good time, and the mountain usually stays open until the end of April. If you purchase a pass for next season, you can start using it now to ski the rest of this month (from $569). The resort still plans to host its popular East Coast Pondskimming Championships on April 17. Book a room at the Sugarloaf Inn (from $287), which has a brewery inside. 

Snowbird, Utah

Boasting Utah’s longest ski season, Snowbird has been known to stay open until early July after deep-snow winters. This year is looking promising, with more than 300 inches of snowfall already on the slopes. Plus, April and May can still bring big storms to Little Cottonwood Canyon. When it’s a bluebird day, there’s no better place to be than listening to live music on the Plaza Deck after a day skiing laps off Snowbird’s legendary Cirque. From now until May 2, you can book two nights of lodging slopeside at Snowbird, including lift tickets, starting at $145.