Spring on the Slopes

Originally uploaded by jodi_engle

Today is the first day of spring, which means the official start of spring skiing–and with it, comes the allergies. I have the perfect marketing point for ski resorts: “Escape the high pollen count from all those flowering trees in the Bay Area, and come to Tahoe, where the vegetation is smothered in several feet of snow!”
Skiing in the springtime is truly undervalued. On March 13-14 (last weekend), it felt like spring conditions with sunny skies at Alpine Meadows on Saturday and Northstar on Sunday. The only difference was that at Northstar, the crowds were heavier than I’d ever seen. To my chagrin, Northstar had the audacity to sell refreshments at high prices to skiers and boarders waiting in the long lift lines. Usually, spring skiing means fewer people, along with the sunny skies and warm weather. Overall, the atmosphere is more relaxed. That’s because by 2 p.m. the snow is too soft to ski comfortably, so everyone heads into the lodge for drinks. Spring skiing requires some extra precautions, namely sunscreen and extra water to stay hydrated.
Kirkwood kicks off spring with a big Spring Break Party–Jammin’ XVII-April 2-4. A lifeguard tower and giant pond will turn the plaza into a slopeside beach.
Squaw’s sun-drenched mountaintop outdoor pool and hot tub opened on March 20 for the season, giving skiers and riders a way to partake of the snow and swimming at 8,200 feet in elevation.
Sugar Bowl turns up the heat with hard-to-beat specials, including free lessons and rentals with the purchase of a general admission lift ticket. The Bay Area Ski Bus heads to Sugar Bowl both April 3 and 4, which allows skiers and boarders to combine two of the best deals under the sun!

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

March 21, 2010 - Posted by skitripper | Ski Resorts | Alpine, Bay Area Ski Bus, Kirkwood, Lake Tahoe, Northstar, Squaw, Sugar Bowl

No comments yet.

About

My name is Jodi Engle. I first put on skis as a kid at a place in Minnesota called Andes Tower Hills, where the vertical drop is a whopping 290 feet. I hadn’t touched downhill skis in ages until last year, when a friend urged me to give the sport another try. Now, thoroughly hooked, I head to Lake Tahoe nearly every weekend (usually on the Bay Area Ski Bus), skiing the blue and black runs. As a newcomer to the slopes, I started this blog so you can follow me on my adventures and I can share with you whatever tips I learn along the way.