Winter Park Resort
Its spring, which means the temperatures are getting a little warmer, the sun is staying out a little longer, and in Colorado the skiing and snowboarding is getting even better. Spring skiing in Colorado means heading to the mountains, making smooth carves on fresh groomed runs, pushing around late season powder, and enjoying the many fun resort events and activities. Below is a roundup of springtime celebrations happening at CSCUSA resorts through April and beyond.
Even though spring has arrived there is still a lot of ski season left. March and April are historically Colorados snowiest months, which is part of the reason why Colorado has one of the longest ski seasons in the country, often stretching well into May. Keep up to date on snowfall totals with the CSCUSA snow report updated by the resorts themselves: http://www.coloradoski.com/snow-report. Keep up to date on resort closing dates, subject to change, by checking here: http://www.coloradoski.com/resort-season-dates.
Arapahoe Basin
13th Annual Festival of the Brewpubs – Sunday, May 25, 2014
Arapahoe Basin will host beer tastings from Colorado breweries from noon-4:00pm. Guests can sample brews from their favorite Colorado breweries and get in spring turns during this high-energy Memorial Day weekend event. The event will feature live music from 1:00-4:00pm in the base area featuring White Water Ramble. Participants must be at least 21 years of age. Cost: $25 for beer tasting session (noon-4pm) and commemorative mug. For more information, visit www.arapahoebasin.com.
Aspen/Snowmass
Bacon Appreciation Day – Sunday, April 6 and Schneetag – Sunday, April 20
Buttermilk closing day is the best way to celebrate bacon as Bacon Appreciation Day is back for the fourth year in a row. The 4th Annual Bacon Appreciation Day, featuring bacon snacks and samples all day long, including bacon waffles, bacon samples, sundaes with bacon sprinkles, a bacon and beer happy hour and the Bacon Bartender’s Brawl, will take place on closing day, Sunday, April 6.
Schneetag (pronounced Sch-knee Tog) is one not to miss. This hilarious Snowmass event invites teams of four to create a craft that they will pilot down a slope and attempt to float across a pond. Every team has a theme and will perform a skit before they descend. This event is just as ridiculous and entertaining as it sounds. For more information, visit www.aspensnowmass.com.
Copper Mountain
Sunsation – April 12 & 13 and April 19 & 20
A Copper Spring Tradition continues with Sunsation over two back-to-back Weekends: April 12 & 13 and April 19 & 20. The first weekend of Sunsation features a hybrid rail jam / pond skim, the 3rd annual Red Bull Slopesoakers, on Saturday, April 12. Back by popular demand, this years course is expected to be bigger and better than ever before and prizes include $500 cash and 2014/2015 Copper Mountain season passes. Registration for Red Bull Slopesoakers is open now, sign up at www.coppercolorado.com. Additionally, guys and gals show off their best beach wear in the infamous Eenie Weenie Bikini Contest on Sunday, April 13. Contestants make their way down from the base of the Main Vein Halfpipe via skis or snowboard and give their best show to a panel of judges. Registration is day-of; please visit www.coppercolorado.com for more information. Music line-up to be announced.
The second weekend of Sunsation, and Coppers closing weekend, kicks off with The Color Runs first 5k race on-snow on Saturday, April 19. The course stretches across the resort and features color throws at each mile of the course, ensuring all runners are colorful from head to toe. Register now for the happiest 5k on the planet, The Color Run, at http://bit.ly/TCRCopper. Use the discount code COPPERMTN for a special deal for Copper Mountain fans. Join Copper for the Worlds Largest Easter Egg Hunt complete with 50,000 eggs on Coppers closing day, Easter Sunday, April 20. Music line-up to be announced.
Crested Butte
Slush Huck – Saturday, April 5
The end of ski season at Crested Butte is another excuse to celebrate, dress up in silly costumes and have wacky events, like the Slush Huck on Saturday, April 5th where contestants skim across water on their skis and snowboards (or snowbikes). Get in your last turns of the season and go out with a bang in Crested Butte. For more information, visit www.skicb.com.
Eldora
2014-15 Season Pass Sales
Eldoras 2014-2015 season passes are now on sale. Skiers and snowboarders who purchase a season pass for next year now can ski the remainder of the current season free. Adult season passes start at just $269 with some blackouts. For more information, visit www.eldora.com/tickets.season.html.
Loveland
Corn Harvest Benefit for The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) – Saturday, April 26
Celebrate spring skiing and support the CAIC, an invaluable source of information for backcountry travelers and the Colorado Department of Transportation, at the 13th Annual Corn Harvest. Guests don their best Hawaiian shirts and Loveland will provide the leis. Help Loveland raise funds for this amazing organization and tour Lovelands sweet spots with local experts, enjoy live music on the basin patio and win great prizes in the raffle stocked with skis, beacons, packs, gloves, and more. Packages are available for the event and include lift ticket, lunch, New Belgium beer and raffle ticket. Join Loveland for a great day of skiing and fun all for a good cause; for more information visit www.skiloveland.com.
Monarch
Kayaks on Snow – Saturday, April 12, 2014 10:00am 2:00pm
Kayaks on Snow 2014 is Monarchs signature event. Contestants race head to head, similar to Skier Cross, down a specially designed course featuring berms, banks, and bumps, ending in an icy pond. This is as fun to watch as it is to race. Great sponsors will be on hand to provide plenty of stoke for this unique event. The $10 entry fee includes event t-shirt. Sponsors include Colorado Kayak Supply, Smith Optics, Mountain Khakis, Melanzana, PWDR Room, Ripzone, J2, and TNF. For more information and registration, call 719.530.5081 or visit www.skimonarch.com.
Powderhorn
Slush Sprocket Mountain Bike Race Sunday, March 30 7:30am 2:00pm
This downhill mountain bike race on Bills Run is where the rubber meets the snow. This will be a Giant Slalom style race with gates, berms and jumps; a solo race against the clock and competitors, and may the fastest racer win. Limited to 100 competitors; helmets required, and no additional traction can be added to tires (i.e. spikes, studs, chains). For more information, visit www.powderhorn.com.
Pond Skim Sunday, March 30, 4:30pm – 6:00pm
The ski classic event: watch people ride an assortment of objects into the pond as the snow melts its way into spring! Limit 45 entries. Register with the Powderhorn Ski & Ride Center, (970) 268-5700 x2080.
Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort
Closing Festivities March 29 & 30
Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort is hosting the last big celebration of the season Saturday and Sunday, March 29 and 30. On tap is Durangos own Ralph Dinosaur and the Fabulous Volcanoes playing live on Sunday, March 30. Purgatory will feature giveaways, including a snowboard and a bicycle. For more information, visit www.skipurg.com.
Ski Granby Ranch
Closing Festivities- Saturday, April 5
Skiers and snowboarders are invited to join Granby Ranch as they close out their season. Guests can celebrate with Ski Granby Ranchs traditional spring splash decked out in their favorite costumes. Skiers and snowboarders will find out if they can make it across the pool or just make a splash. Check out the outside bar with lots of great deals, barbeque starting at 11:30am, and a Best Costume contest. No better way to end the season than with friends, food, drinks, and one final ski. For more information, visit www.granbyranch.com.
Steamboat
Springalicious Festival – April 1-13, 2014
Incredible Colorado bluebird sunny days, hilarious and fun events, along with a boatload of Champagne Powder snow mean that spring will shine a whole lot brighter in Steamboat-Ski Town, U.S.A. during the entire month of April. The Steamboat Ski Area celebrates the close of the 2013/14 winter season with a month-long festival including a boatload of Springalicious festivities, fun events such as the Cody Challenge, Cardboard Classic and Splashdown Pond Skim along with three free music concerts every weekend including Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, MarchFourth Marching Band and G. Love and Special Sauce on closing day, Sunday, April 13th.For more information, visit www.steamboat.com.
Sunlight Mountain Resort
Beach Party Pond Skim Spectacular Sunday, March 30
Sunlight will host a beach party at the base of a mountain. Guests will wear their best costume and show off how they skim across the pond while enjoying live music and boat drinks. This event is to celebrate another successful season at Sunlight and also offers another opportunity to win a season pass to Sunlight for the 14/15 ski and snowboard season.
Telluride
Mountain Town Get-Down March 28 – 30
Telluride Ski Resort will be celebrating the end of winter and heating things up for spring with the Mountain Town Get Down, taking place March 28-30, 2014. Live performances from the national reggae acts of John Browns Body and See-I will be paired with music by local Telluride artists who will keep folks entertained while enjoying sun, goggle tans and good vibes. The weekend will kick off on Friday, March 28 with happy hour at Tomboy Tavern featuring local act Lily von Schtupp.
The following day will feature free live music in the Mountain Village core from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m. Telluride local band, TriCo, will perform, followed by See-I at 2:30 p.m. and wrapping up with John Browns Body at 4:30 p.m. Sundays activities will once again resurrect the Bikini Slalom from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm with the Gorrono Ranch Luau from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. with local reggae band Bredren. For more information, visit www.tellurideskiresort.com.
Winter Park Resort
Springtopia -April 19-20
The 2013/2014 season ends with a flourish at Winter Park Resort with Springtopia, a month-long celebration that culminates in two free concerts closing weekend.On Saturday, April 19 Big Head Todd and the Monsters will kick off the festivities with a free concert at the base of Winter Park Resort.While there is no charge to attend, VIP tickets are available for $50 and include access to a special viewing section, two free drinks, appetizers, free concert t-shirt, and a chance to meet the band.
The following day, Sunday, April 20 features wall-to-wall activities as Winter Park Resort celebrates the close of another spectacular winter season.The fun starts with the annual Easter Egg Hunt in the Village at Winter Park and Wells Fargo Golden Bunny race before the Coca-Cola Spring Splash pond-skim contest at noon.The day concludes with another free concert, as Dumpstaphunk takes the stage at 3 p.m. to celebrate the official end of Winter Parks successful Season of the Seven. Lodging and special April pass deals are now available at www.winterparkresort.com.
Wolf Creek Ski Area
Closing Festivities April 6
Wolf Creek Ski Area is closing out the season with great deals and fun activities right to the very end, including two Local Appreciation Days coming up in April: Wednesday, April 2nd and on closing day, Sunday, April 6th. Lift tickets will be $38 for adults and $22 for seniors and children, with no ID required. College Day is on Saturday, April 5th, with $38 lift tickets for students with their valid college photo ID. The final race of Wolf Creek’s Fun Race Series is on closing day, April 6th. As always, it’s free and open to skiers and boarders of all ages and abilities. For more information, visit www.wolfcreekski.com.
Wearing the right gear and equipment for spring skiing and snowboarding and knowing how to ride responsibly is essential for enjoying your day on the slopes. Visit http://www.coloradoski.com/page/ski-safety for helpful tips and to learn Your Responsibility Code, the list of best practices to ensure your safety on the mountain.
CSCUSA Resort Closing Dates*
March 16: Howelsen Hill (open Saturday and Sunday 3/22 and 3/23)
March 30: Powderhorn, Purgatory at DMR, Sunlight
April 6: Buttermilk, Crested Butte, Ski Cooper, Ski Granby Ranch, Telluride, Wolf Creek
April 13: Aspen Highlands, Monarch, Steamboat, Silverton
April 20: Aspen Mountain, Copper, Snowmass, Winter Park
April TBA: Eldora
May TBA: Loveland
TBA Arapahoe Basin
*Closing dates subject to change
