Thursday, March 20 was the first official day of spring. We’ve all noticed it. The sun stays out later. The air is a bit warmer. And, the snow, at least when there aren’t midnight flurries, is starting to melt off the ground.
Yet the start of spring does not mean that ski season has entirely come to an end. (Phew.) In fact, with our epic snowfall this year, we can expect to have wonderful spring ski conditions. Plum sat down with
Travis Will, Training Director of the Sun Valley Ski School, to get the scoop on mountain conditions and how we can all enjoy spring skiing to the fullest.
Will contends we have ample coverage on the mountain with soft spring snow already on the southern slopes. The northern slopes have not had as much sun and therefore the snow is much harder and more winter-like. That being said, one can’t really go wrong; the snow is good just about everywhere.
According to Will, what matters is the time you choose to go skiing on a given day. With last week’s light snow and rain, there is good spring skiing just about every hour of the day. “From when the lifts open at 9am until they close at 4pm, it is just great skiing. You can’t go wrong,” says Will. “As we move into the freeze/thaw cycle, where the cold temperatures at night cause the softening snow to harden, good skiing will shift to later in the day when the sun has had some time to warm up the mountain.” Will suggests heading to Baldy around 10:30am and heading off for a good après ski around 3pm.
With regard to spring ski equipment, anything goes. (Though maybe not your big fatties for powder.) Will also suggests people wear layers. While the base of Baldy can feel almost balmy at 40 degrees, the top can be a brisk and windy 30 degrees. And, of course, make sure to always wear sun block, applying liberally at least twice a day.
If all goes well, Bald Mountain will stay open until
April 13. If we are lucky, maybe even April 20th. It all depends on the condition of the snow and the activity on the hill. For more information, make sure to check the daily
grooming report for the Groomer’s Special as well as the
webcams on Plum.
