Ski And Ride Seasons Extended Up And Down The West Coast
Thanks to late-season dumps, a half-dozen ski and snowboard resorts in the Far West will push their seasons as far into May as possible.
From British Columbia to California, there are plenty of chances to carve up the soft stuff all the way to Memorial Day. Most shrink operations to several lifts and a dozen or so runs. Most offer discount tickets, as well as free skiing for those who buy next season's pass now.
Lake Tahoe area benefited from several massive storms in February and March, putting down sufficient cover for late-spring turns and twists at two resorts. Palisades Tahoe will keep the faith through Memorial Day, May 27, before shutting down for the summer. Neighbor Donner Ski Ranch off I-90 has decided to run weekends "until the snow is gone."
And over on the eastern Sierra, Mammoth Mountain continues its habit of staying open late. Daily operations, with about 10 of 24 lifts running, is Memorial Day.
The big news in the Pacific Northwest is that Timberline Lodge, which normally keeps Palmer Snowfields on the upper slopes of Mt. Hood open until fall, will close Aug. 2. This is the earliest closing date since 2005, and officials said that the season's sub-par snowfall and lack of expected late-season dumps forced the decision.
Around the corner, Mt. Hood Meadows has moved into spring mode. A portion of the Oregon mountain's 2,100-acre trail map will be open for skiing and riding Fridays through Sundays until May 18.
Over near Bend, Mt. Bachelor will remain in operations through Memorial Day. The seventh-largest mountain in the U.S. will spin a few chairs and groom a few runs on every day from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Up in western Canada, a trio of big mountains plan to keep things spinning deep into May. The Whistler side of Whistler Blackcomb is to remain open until May 20. Recent reports indicate nearly half the terrain and about 40% of the lifts will be available for skiing and riding. The Blackcomb side is closed for the season.
Also heading toward a May 20 shutdown will be Marmot and Sunshine Village. Marmot originally was to close in early May, but late-season largess has pushed that back. Up at Sunshine Village near Banff, May 20 is the closing date. As they head into May, Sunshine Village officials report all lifts and all runs open.
