The Best Places To Ski That Are Still Open

The Best Places to Ski That Are Still Open

Every skier – from veteran to newbies – love to ski in the sun. Spring skiing makes the sport and recreational activity even more appealing that it already is. The weather is warmer, which brings night skiing, and sunnier, and the surroundings look even more beautiful and breathtaking. The end of the season brings a lot of live music and other entertainment events to the mountains, as well as great food and competitions, usually for free or at deeply discounted rates.

Mammoth Mountain, California

Season ends July 7

Just 30 minutes from the eastern entrance of Yosemite National Park, you can easily roll your ski vacation and some spectacular sightseeing into one visit. The high elevation at Mammoth Mountain allows for one of the longest ski seasons in North America. Mammoth is also a top resort for snowboarding. From the challenging chutes at the top of the mountain, to the eight unbound terrain parks including Unbound Main (a highly praised terrain park by extreme enthusiasts) this mountain attracts some of the top professionals in the industry.

Grand Targhee, Wyoming

Season ends April 16

The resort within the Caribou-Targhee National forest is famous for having deep powder and excellent terrain options. People love Grand Targhee because of its off-piste runs, snow, challenging trails, and no crowds. The resort is also known for its stunning scenery, backcountry access and cat skiing. Enjoy spring celebrations with live music every weekend through closing day, open mic nights, a big air competition, banked slalom, the pond skim, and the Crazy Horse Snowmobile Hillclimb.

Snowbird, Utah

Season ends May 28

The mountain gets more than 500 inches of snow each season so ideal skiing conditions last for a long time. The view coming down at sunset is amazing. Located in Little Cottonwood Canyon, everywhere is a potential line for snowboarder, and that includes the many small cliffs for hucking. The resort offers many activities including avalanche training, fly-fishing and a backcountry skills seminar. They usually have scheduled live music, free movies and other events for the extended spring season.

Killington, Vermont

Season ends May 28

Killington, the nickname of which is "the Beast of the East," is the largest ski resort in the East Coast. The resort is home to the largest vertical drop in New England – 3,050 feet. Killington includes six mountains with a total of includes six mountains with a total of 155 downhill trees. The longest one, which is also the longest in the eastern part of the country, Juggernaut, is 6.2 miles. Skiing at Killington lets you see majestic views of five neighboring states, mountains and Canada.

Arapahoe Basin, Colorado

Season ends June 4

Situated 68 miles west of Denver, Arapahoe, known as the Legend, is one of Colorado's most historic ski resorts, offering skiers and boarders one of the longest ski periods in all of the U.S. With a timeline that goes all the way back to 1946, calling A-Basin "legendary," as many powder hounds do, is no exaggeration at all. Arapahoe Basin has some of the highest skiable terrain in North America.

Timberline, Oregon

Season ends September 9

Timberline is known for its blue terrains. About half of the resort's trails are designed for skiers advancing to intermediate level. The resort boasts about 3,690 vertical feet (the most in all of the Pacific Northwest). People love it for its overall value. There are a total of more than 1,400 skiable acres. At the lodge, you can swim at 6,000 feet in a heated pool surrounded by snow-capped summits. Try the mountain hot tub and sauna afterwards. 

Lutsen Mountains, Minnesota

Open daily through April 9; weekends until May

Lutsen is one of the northernmost ski areas in the country outside of Alaska. Skiers and snowboarders have four interconnected peaks overlooking Lake Superior, 95 runs, and an 825' vertical rise at their disposal. The resort has live music every day, seven days a week. It also has the region's only gondola. The spectacular views of the lake from just about anywhere on the mountain keep people going back.

Squaw Valley, California

Season ends July 4

Freeskiers love Squaw Valley for its terrain. The more adventurous visitors like it because the ski ground can change quickly but not abruptly. The resort spans more than 6,000 skiable acres. The bowls near the top have no trees so you can ski down freely in a very wide open space. Extreme skiers love the Squaw Valley for its many black and double black trails. They take up about 30 percent. The resort sees very few cloudy days. It's in California after all.

Red Lodge Mountain, Montana

Season ends April 16

The resort prides itself in offering "no lift lines, no attitude, no big prices; just great snow, great people, and an authentic experience in Montana's Rocky Mountains." It is nestled against Montana's highest peak in Custer National Forest. The annual snowfall is about 250 inches a season. Skiers have about 1,600 acres of accessible terrain to explore. Day care is available for ages 6 months to 4 years.

Sunday River Ski Resort, Maine

Season ends May 1

Sunday River has the second largest vertical drop in Maine, after Sugarloaf, and is one of the state's most popular ski resorts. Skiers can choose from 133 trails that run across eight interconnected peaks. The Spring Après Concert Series are still going on with the last show on April 8. Enjoy lawn games and activities for the whole family, lots of food, and adult beverages at the outdoor bar or on the Foggy Goggle deck.

Sun Valley, Idaho

Season ends April 17

The mountain culture with ski races, après parties, and concerts at America's first ski resort is thrilling. You can do all of that while taking a break from exploring more than 3,400 vertical feet and more than 2,000 acres of varied terrain. The snow sports school offers group, private, specialty, and adaptive lessons. Also, the Sun Valley Ski Resort is famous for its night skiing.

Vail, Colorado

Season ends April 23

Vail is often recommended as a great resort for beginners and families. Newbies can go to the top of the mountain and ski down. The best snow is there and the resort has a lot of different green runs. The resort is huge. It is among the largest in the world with more than 5,200 acres of developed ski and snowboard terrain, including seven legendary Back Bowls. They are the best option to escape the crowds. The north facing Blue Sky Basin is also very quiet and has endless backcountry trails, in addition to its many advanced terrains.

Mt. Bachelor, Oregon

Season ends May 28

The winds are too strong in the winter and many of the runs are closed. That's why skiing here in April is better than in December. The conditions in the spring are ideal due to a solid snow base; the runs are wide and beautiful. You can go biking or golfing if you need a break from the slopes. Mark the end of the season with the Brewski Beer Fest. Pond skimming at Mt. Bachelor on closing weekend is a must-see.