SnoNews

The days have lengthened, the sun is higher in the sky and the wildflowers are out, as Utah’s winter resorts put on their summer best and welcome the offseason.

The White Bear at Deer Valley. (Deer Valley) 

Whether you love powder or corduroy, groomers or trees, one of the best treats after a day on the snow is an après-ski cocktail. SnoCountry.com did some tough research and discovered some of our favorite signature resort cocktails.

Snowbird's revamped base lodge feeds the pow' soul. (Snowbird/Facebook)

A couple of high-speed chairlifts, upgrades to base lodges and the end of night skiing in Park City make the list of top improvements at ski and snowboard resorts in Utah.

Banking into a berm at Snowbird. (Snowbird/Facebook)

Summertime means getting the mountain bike into the hills where it belongs – and Utah resorts stand ready with lifts running to get bikers to the top.

Find terrain for everyone in the family at Jackson Hole. (JHMR)

With winter about to start in earnest, now is the time to check the SnoCountry snow reports and book a mountain retreat. With so many great options out there, here’s a few of SnoCountry.com’s favorite holiday getaways:

If big snow falls early, pay less to ski more powder at Crystal Mountain. (Crystal Mountain/Facebook)

This is what we do in anticipation of another ski and snowboard day: Think snow, check web cams, pray for cold – and lock in a couple of early-season discount tickets.

Here’s SnoCountry’s sampling of early ticket deals around the country:

Crystal Mountain. Limited number of five-pack of adult tickets available on first-come, first-served basis at Washington mountain. Cost is $335 for 10 percent savings.

Sundance. Utah resort sells limited number of day tickets 40-60 percent off on a revolving basis. For example, Dec. 9 ticket costs $30.99 – more than half off.

Mammoth Mountain. Ski opening day at Cali resort for $50, online only. Includes free coffee and cocoa to stay warm till lift opens at 8:30 a.m.

Snow Summit. Opening day at SoCal mountain is $41; stay another day and get two days for $69. Must buy online at least 72 hours in advance.

Steamboat. Through Dec. 18, three days of skiing and riding costs $169 with Boat Launch Pass, plus 20 percent off mountain lodging.

Aspen/Snowmass. Book at least two nights before Dec. 18 and get 40 percent off lift tickets at any SkiCo mountain. Book three nights at Little Nell Hotel before Dec. 18 and get two lift tickets free.

Bromley. Purchase a Sun Mountain Card by Dec. 16 for $69, and get $30 off full day ticket price all season. Price goes up to $79 after that.

Stratton. Top out at $69 midweek, $89 weekend with bonus day after Jan. 2 for $89 with X2 Card.

About one-third of American ski and snowboard resorts have strung ziplines to keep the mountain thrills going through the summer.
Hundreds of thrill-seekers hook up and slide every offseason, choosing from full-speed rides (60 mph in some cases!) to more leisurely flights using hand brakes. Many combine with suspension bridges and other aerial challenges for a tour. Most ziplines have age and height restrictions – and require parents or guardians for youngsters.

Bring your lawn chairs and blankets as Sundance invites talented local bands and artists to mingle their music with the mountain air. (Sundance/Facebook)

This summer, the hills are alive with the sound of music – pop, rock, jazz and much more – as resorts all over the country crank up the volume.

It’s time to buy a tube of sunscreen and floppy hat, tune up the mountain bike and dig out the Birkenstocks: Summer in the Utah mountains is just around the corner.

Despite some serious dumps in March, all good things must come to an end. In Utah, that means a pretty good season will mostly wind up by mid-April.