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The ski season is winding down across Montana, but the major ski areas are staying open into April. There’s plenty of time for Heartlanders to plan one more western trip to close out the season.

Montana ski areas have been reveling in the powder lately, with some mountains receiving over 40 inches in a week's span, including Red Lodge Mountain which nabbed nearly four feet.

Early winter has been good to Montana skiers and riders, and four of the Treasure State’s top resorts are offering some attractive January lift and lodging packages. It’s an easy drive for many Heartlanders on the western side of the Midwest. Take advantage and enjoy some great snow conditions.

Multi-mountain pass options are growing as the Mountain Collective heads into the 2018-19 season welcoming Montana’s Big Sky and Northern Japan-based Niseko United to its roster. Previously a global affiliate, Niseko United will join the Mountain Collective as a full partner for the 2018-19 season, expanding the breadth of the Collective with full partner destinations in five countries, and affiliates in two more.

One strong spring storm will pack a powder punch for much of the West for the second full weekend of April. Meanwhile in the East, an incredible temperature contrast will exist near the Canadian border.

Whitefish has received above average snowfall this season.

The ski season is winding down across Montana with the last day taking place at many this weekend, but a few are staying open later through Easter. At least one has extended their season with all the snow that has fallen this winter.

A concept of the new eight-seat, high-speed Doppelmayr lift. (Big Sky)

Boyne announced they will install North America’s first eight-seat, high-speed lift at Big Sky Resort over the summer and it will be ready for next winter, and additional improvements will focus on the Mountain Village.

Fresh powder can be found across much of the Northeast. (Stowe Mountain Resort)

The Northeast and Great Lakes regions are settled in a weather pattern that allows for more snowfall and cold temperatures. The West sees some snowfall return and possibly a pattern change.

Heading up to Lone Peak on the tram.

America’s biggest skiing resort, Big Sky with 5800 acres and 300 runs tumbling off four mountain peaks, made several improvements this past summer that improved slope access. They open for the season on Thanksgiving Day, November 23.

Big Sky offers big snow and big views. (Big Sky/Facebook)

The ski season is winding down across Montana with the last day taking place at many this weekend, but a few are staying open later through Easter. At least one has extended their season with all the snow that has fallen this winter.

Whitefish Mountain Resort has received more than 31 feet of snow so far this season. Conditions are prime spring skiing, but plans on closing after skiing and riding Saturday, April 8. Dummy Derby takes place this coming Saturday, April 1 as competitors compete for a $400 cash purse. The annual season-ending Pond Skim is scheduled for the closing Saturday. Lift and lodging packages start from $98 per person, per night and include breakfast and hot tub access.

Big Sky Resort remains open through April 16 affording a little more time to enjoy those spring conditions. The annual, spectator friendly Pond Skim takes place Saturday, April 15, with live music following at Whiskey Jacks. April lift and lodging packages offer 30 percent off select condos booked through central reservations. Tours of nearby Yellowstone National Park are also available, and this is an excellent time of year to tour the park. It’s a great time to catch the bison before they start moving to higher ground.

Red Lodge Mountain has extended its season through Easter to April 16 and lift and lodging packages start from $72 per person. It’s some of the best late season skiing and riding in recent years.

Discovery Ski Area remains open through April 9 and lift and lodging packages start from $128.

Great Divide plans on remaining open through April 9 and on weekends through the month as long as the snow remains skiable. They’ll pick the best weather day of each weekend, 10am-5pm. Lift tickets are $10 per hour or $30 for the day.

Snow conditions at Big Sky are excellent this season. (Big Sky)

Big Sky Resort, part of Boyne Resorts headquartered in Michigan, is planning on spending over $150 million on resort improvements over the next eight years. The improvements will include the most advanced chairlift network in North America, elevated lodging, dining and shopping, and more on-mountain activities, according to Stephen Kircher, president of Boyne’s eastern operations and Big Sky.

The aim is to establish Big Sky Resort, with its iconic Lone Peak, and surrounding area as the American Alps.

“For more than 67 years, my family and our organization has remained committed to creating a memorable experiences at unique destinations, often inspired by sense of place and attention to detail,” said Kircher in a prepared statement. “Big Sky will become the best representation of that ideal with our 2025 efforts.”

This past summer as part of the program the resort installed a couple of new state-of-the-art lifts replacing older, slower and less comfortable lifts. A six-seat, high-speed detachable accessing Lone Peak’s bowl replaces the old triple chair, and it’s a Big Sky blue bubble chair with heated seats. Talk about comfort. The other chair, a new fast, fixed-grip triple, will serve the long, steep runs in the Challenger area; reserved for expert-level skiers and riders. It replaces an old, slow double and is more wind resistant. 

Big Sky Big Grass returns to the resort for the 11th year in a row, Thursday -Sunday, Feb. 9-12.

Live Music Featuring: Sam Bush Band, Del McCoury Band, Billy Strings, Drew Emmitt Band, Jeff Austin Band, The Travelin' McCourys, 2016 Grammy Nominated artist Sierra Hull, Darol Anger and the Furies, and The Good Time Travelers.

West Yellowstone and Yellowstone National Park, just 45 minutes away, makes a great day trip. National Park snowcoach tours will take you to Old Faithful, bison viewing and more.

Big Sky offers several lodging packages throughout the winter; 30-percent off the nightly rate in the Huntley Lodge on select dates, and a fourth night free at several of the village lodges and hotels. Some blackout dates may apply.

With all the snow the resort has received so far this winter conditions are excellent. They set visitation records over the holidays.

Dan Egan prepares to jump over John Egan in a classic "extreme" skiing shot. (Dan Egan)

Action sport and extreme ski pioneers Dan and John Egan will be inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum as part of the class of 2016.

Whiteface offers the biggest vert in the East. (Whiteface)

Whether you’re a ripper or parent wanting to introduce kids to snowsports, now’s the time to plan a special vacation, and there’s nothing like trying something new or different to make it memorable.

The Big Sky eighth annual Big Grass Concert, Feb 4-7, includes some of the top blue grass acts in the country; The Sam Bush Band, David Grishman Bluegrass Experience, Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, Travelin’ McCoury's, Keller Williams, Drew Emmitt Band, Billy Strings and Don Julian, Two Bit Franks, Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen, The Good Time Travelers, and more. A weekend concert pass is $185, which gets you into all shows.  Single show tickets are $35 each early bird and $50 at the door. Plan ahead.

The time for season pass deals at Montana ski resorts may be over, but several lift ticket deals remain. Frequent skier cards, packs and punch cards can substantially lower your daily lift ticket cost. Check out these offers.

New runs, new glades and new terrain parks are part of the improvements skiers and riders will see this coming season at Big Sky Resort, and kids 10 and younger ski and ride free and free membership in the Kids Club when staying with parents.

Big Sky Resort General Manager Taylor Middleton received the Chet Huntley Lifetime Achievement Award from the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce. Middleton has been instrumental in the creation and marketing the "Biggest Skiing in America®" brand. He led the successful integration of Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin into a unified ski resort operation in 2013.

The ski season is winding down across Montana with the last day taking place at some resorts this weekend. Get out and enjoy some of the last skiing and riding of the season.

A couple of classic events, one has been around for a decade and the other nearly six decades, are happening at Whitefish and Big Sky early next month. And, of course, there’s always great skiing and riding at both plus some attractive lift and lodging packages.

Season pass deals at Montana ski resorts may have ended, but several lift ticket deals remain. Frequent skier cards, packs and punch cards can substantially lower your daily lift ticket cost. Check them out.