The usual suspects will extend the 2021-2022 ski and snowboard season through May and beyond, as a flurry of late-season storms has reinforced the snowpack throughout the West.

Of the mountains that the Ikon Pass covers in Colorado, Steamboat and Winter Park encompass some 6,000 acres and have something for everyone: Scads of intermediate runs, cruisers and groomers galore, and fields of moguls.

Traffic and parking have been hot topics this busy ski and snowboard season, but one way to avoid all that is to hop aboard the Winter Park Express train.

You could say Winter Park Resort’s excitement level is off the charts because for the third time USA Today readers named the ski resort the best in North America. Winter Park beat out 19 other nominated North American resorts for the coveted title.

With snowmaking temps more favorable, more and more Colorado ski and snowboard resorts are opening, and Ikon Pass holders can try out as much variety in Colorado as in any other state in the Union.

The 2021-22 ski and snowboard season has gotten off to a rocky start, with only the highest-elevation slopes open and all others waiting impatiently for more snowfall and colder temps.

Winter Park Resort is sending off summer with one last hurrah high up on the mountain. On Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, Winter Park Resort, along with Upslope Brewing Company, will host a signature Backcountry Tap Room event – fresh mountain air, views for miles and refreshing craft beer all included.

In Colorado, the most definitive way to know that summer is over and winter is not long off comes when the high-country aspen groves put on their brilliant yellow coats.

Summer is still in full swing, but early indication shows that there is already high demand for winter mountain vacations. And, planning ahead certainly pays off.

The month of August puts Colorado's mountains on display -- their high meadows flowing with chilly creek waters. What better to celebrate the high country with than a few mugs of craft beer. 

When the snow melts and all that’s left of Colorado’s ski resorts are the seemingly endless trails, rushing mountain water, bright green aspen glades and wildflower-covered meadows, what is there to possibly do?

Despite Covid restrictions, the ski and snowboard resorts of Colorado had a hot summer season last year with hiking, biking, scenic lift rides, and other social-distanced activities. But one key attraction was missing: Music.

The snow is still falling and the slopes just closed at Winter Park Resort, but the resort is preparing for warmer weather and summertime mountain adventure. Winter Park Resort is anticipating opening its summer activities, including its famed Trestle Bike Park, on Saturday, June 19, 2021.

Several Colorado ski areas are taking advantage of recent snowstorms and extending their ski seasons through late spring.

Winter Park has extended their season through Sunday where they currently have 1,325 acres open. 

Breckenridge plans to stay open through Memorial Day weekend - May 31st.

Arapahoe Basin is aiming for a closing date of June 6th this year.

After a warm first week of April, the snowpack took a nosedive across the state. But a cooler and wetter pattern through mid-April halted the early snowmelt for several more weeks and even added to the snowpack slightly.

The vast majority of U.S. ski and snowboard resorts have shuttered operations for the season -- many of them extending past announced closing dates -- but a hearty dozen will spin their lifts deep into the spring.

Thanks to a snowy March and persistent pent-up desire to hit the slopes, a slew of Colorado ski and snowboard resorts will keep their lifts spinning beyond original closing dates.

A storm system will bring heavy snow to the western mountains, especially the Colorado Rockies this weekend as a cold and stormy pattern persists. On the flip side, the East enjoys mild and spring-like conditions. This week’s SnoCast has the details through St. Patrick’s Day week.

Whether it be Covid-distance crowds, the high price of lift tickets, or simply a need to breathe the Great Outdoors, the participation in uphill skiing has exploded in Colorado this season.

Winter is here and that means ski trips are top of mind. But you may be questioning the merits of hitting the slopes this year. I certainly was before driving up to a handful of Colorado ski resorts for day trips and weeklong excursions. My biggest takeaway? The experience and potential risks vary from mountain to mountain. 

Several New Mexico ski and snowboard resorts will delay openings, as the governor brought her state back to early-Covid restrictions this week by issuing a stay-at-home lockdown.