SnoNews

Summer vacationers often seek out lakefront property to cool off, and a number of ski and snowboard resorts across the West are blessed with a lake within spittin’ distance.

Colorado’s mountain resorts roll out the fun carpet during the summer, especially for families with children. Base areas abound with entertainment for the younger set, while most resorts put kids on the mountain for outdoors activities, like mountain biking and tubing.

Resorts all over the West put gravity mountain biking on the top of the summer attractions. Those who crank up the lifts in the off-season put on bike racks and bring riders to great heights.

Colorado ski and snowboard resorts took a short break after winter, but they quickly turned their attention to the burgeoning summer season – full of hikes and bikes and thrills of all kinds.

Apres-ski singing was popular with folk tunes joining ski songs in 1950s and 1960s. (Dick Smith/State of NH)

Early ski trips were largely couple- and singles-oriented affairs, with 1930s’ snow trains popularizing the social connections and good times that became associated with the sport. Many joined ski trips just for the fun of the après-ski life — skiing was optional if looking for a mate.

A51 Terrain Park is one of the best. (Keystone/Facebook)

At Keystone, the motto is “It’s all here.” From renowned terrain park to wide groomers to high-alpine bowls, the Colorado resort does have the full package. Aimed clearly on the family vacation business, Keystone focuses on how to keep the kids engaged, the teens entertained and the parents challenged.

A keystone holiday getaway is a good bet. (Keystone)

The B-rolls of early snowfall photos have started, and the usual suspects have already dropped their ropes on a new season. So the next question is: Where to ski and snowboard during the holiday season?

Fourteeners loom over Keystone golfers (Keystone/Facebook) 

The golf season at Colorado winter resorts may be truncated but, while they are open, the courses reflect the mountains amidst they sit.

Vail Resorts is working to keep Northstar snowy. (Vail Resorts/Facebook)

Vail Resorts will aggressively pursue a comprehensive sustainability commitment, called “Epic Promise for a Zero Footprint.” This undertaking commits to zero net emissions by 2030, zero waste to landfill by 2030 and zero net operating impact to forests and habitat.
 


Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine is loving this Spring so far with a fresh 5-10" of snow from Tuesday-Wednesday this past week. A good base depth is essential to keep the lifts turning into this second week of April (Sugarloaf/Twitter)

Spring keeps on springing surprises at us! In this week’s SnoCast, Old Man Winter makes a return to western US, while Mother Nature insists Spring is on the way in the east.