1. Powder Dumps: Sometimes the best powder days happen in spring, making us wish the season would go longer. After a long season of making turns, your legs will be strong enough to ride powder all day long. While a lot of people move on to other sports, some of the best powder days of the season can be in March.  

2. Bluebird Days: I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love mountain bluebird days. Everyone is in a better mood. Visibility is awesome. Get them when you can and don’t forget the sunscreen. 

3. Fewer Layers: Warming temps means you can ditch a mid-layer and slim down your usual skiwear ensemble, making it faster to get ready and easier to move. And without the need to wear a gaiter or buff, everyone can see each other’s big smiles.  

4. Softer Snow: Springtime’s warmth transforms the skiing experience, akin to poetry. “I love skiing on a deep snowpack that is slowly giving itself back to the earth. I especially like the way corduroy softens each morning,” says Matt Sawyer, marketing director at Lookout Pass. As sunshine and warming air temperatures gently change the snow’s composition, he says, “This transition allows for smooth—you might even call them greasy smooth—turns before things get too slushy.”  

5. Skill Mastery: Now that you have a few months of skiing or snowboarding fitness, spring is primetime for skill advancement. Try a new black diamond. Seek out harder lines. Carpe diem all spring long before your gear goes back into storage.  

6. Softer Landings: When a bluebird day inspires you to try new tricks or send it higher, soft snow is a more forgiving cushion if you fall. Dig into those edges and tear it up. 

7. Smaller Crowds: As people transition to lower-altitude recreation, alpine runs as well as Nordic trails and backcountry slopes experience less traffic. Enjoy the extra elbow room out there.  

8. Better Photos: On cold, snowy days, rarely do you want to get out your phone, take off your gloves, and record the action. Your hands freeze, your phone gets wet, and the light is flat. And on powder days, who wants to spend time futzing with a screen when you could spend more minutes skiing? But on a bluebird day, it’s more convenient to capture that family photo on the summit, video friends doing tricks in the terrain park, and take a chairlift selfie with your ski buddies. 

9. Afternoon & Evening Light: With waning sunlight, rich hues of pink and purple overtake the blue sky and it can be pretty magical.   

10. Fair-weather Friends: A bluebird day is a compelling reason for finicky friends to get back on the mountain or for the beginning skier or snowboarder who may not appreciate the cold temps of deep winter to hit the slopes. 

11. Good Vibes: Spring takes après-ski happy hour to a higher level. “The warming rays allow our posse to relax, beer in hand, outside on a picnic table or sitting on a snowbank, under a slowly setting sun, listening to the group members relive their day’s highlight reels,” Sawyer says. “Contemplating deep thoughts helps to usher in a soft close on another perfect spring day and long winter season.”  

12. Multi-sports: Ski powder in the morning and bike in the afternoon. Or cross-country ski for a few hours before heading to the downhill slopes. The days are longer, in-town trail are dryer, and opportunities abound. There are no good reasons to sit at home this spring.

Content sponsored by Ski the NW Rockies.

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Between both the main terrain park under Chair 2 and the Noah’s progression park on the front-side of the mountain, Gosline and his ten-person crew put out upwards of 40 different features throughout the season. 

At the beginning of every season, those features need to be re-installed or rebuilt from the ground up; every day the wind, water, and wear and tear from users conspire to erase or bury them. 

On dry days, Gosline and his crew spend at least an hour and a half getting the park open, shaping jumps shredded out from the day prior. 

On storm days it might take Gosline’s crew the entire day of heavy labor—digging out drifts, reshaping lips—to get the park up and running. It’s a Sisyphean task getting the park unburied only for it to potentially get dumped on again that night. 

But, says Gosline, who spends his summers running heavy equipment on the Silver Valley superfund cleanup, “There are a lot of people who, even on powder days, can’t wait until the park gets open!” 

Now in his 20th season at Silver, the last dozen as terrain park manager, Gosline has seen terrain parks get both bigger and broader—both in terms of scale and in terms of appeal. 

“When we first started building terrain parks, most of them were known as ‘snowboard parks,’” says Gosline, and it was not unheard of for the parks to have “no skis” signs posted at the entrance. 

That was due in large part to ski designs being incompatible with terrain park features such as half-pipes. But, like many things in the winter-sports industry, the evolution of ski design brought two-plankers into terrain parks. 

That parity exists on Gosline’s crew, too, with the proportion of skiers to snowboarders fluctuating year over year. 

The individual features have kept pace with ski and board technology. In the early days of the park, Gosline and his crew had only a handful of rails in addition to the jumps. Now, wood and metal stunts—jibs, rails, barrels, boxes—comprise a large part of the parks. 

Gosline says the progression park in particular has been a boon to new riders. Part of a broader movement over the past decade in the mountain-sports industry to ease beginner and intermediate riders into the sport, the Noah’s progression park sits on a mellow slope adjacent to the primary first-timer green runs under the gondola. 

Now, if patrollers or park crew see someone struggling in the Chair 2 park, they can direct them toward the progression park. 

“You have kids coming through with parents who grew up hitting features here at Silver,” says Gosline. That multi-generational evolution, from grom to grownup, personifies the park’s own growth. 

“It’s pretty cool to see the progression of our mountain,” says Gosline. 

And that’s why the sand castle gets rebuilt every day. // 

More Chances to Shred 

Both advanced and aspiring riders will find terrain parks to suit their skills at the region’s ski areas. Here’s what the other three Ski the NW Rockies Association resort terrain parks offer up. 

49 Degrees North  

Located near the bottom of Bonanza Chair 1—although safely screened by trees if your tricks are not ready for an audience—the terrain park at 49 Degrees North features good top-to-bottom progression, from simple jumps to big boxes and booters. Beginner riders can also find smaller hits in a terrain park off Silver Ridge at the top of the mountain. 

Lookout Pass Ski Area 

Comprising nearly 40 features between them, the two terrain parks at Lookout Pass offer a nice progression from beginner to expert. Halfway down the Idaho side, Huckleberry Jam Progression Park consists of beginner-friendly features—smaller jumps, simple and short boxes and rails—tucked away from the main traffic of the mountain to allow riders to practice with confidence. Accessed from Chair 2, Rolling Thunder is an all-natural terrain park constructed from trees felled for forest health. The highlight of the park is a nearly quarter-mile-long quarter pipe.  

Mount Spokane  

The ‘Kan offers three places to jam, all easily accessed off Chair 3. Left of the unload station, the Progression Park features low-consequence tabletops and small boxes and rails. Right of the unload station, at the top of the Half Hitch run, Half Hitch boasts bigger features; its location allows for hot laps in transit to other parts of the mountain. Located off Crash and Burn, Gnarwood Forest is the mountain’s natural terrain park, with a mix of natural features and timber-constructed hits. //

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January is national “Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month,” with resorts in over 30 states participating in the effort. For Washington and Idaho locals and visitors, January is a great time to try a new winter activity or get back on the mountain. All four of Ski the NW Rockies’ resorts (Silver Mountain, 49 Degrees North, Mt. Spokane and Lookout Pass) are offering a variety of programs during January 2011 for children and adults who want to learn to ski or snowboard, or simply improve their skills.

Ski the NW Rockies offers an “EZ Ski or Ride 1-2-3” package at each member resort, which includes three lift tickets, three rentals, and three lessons. Prices range from $89 – $139, depending on the mountain. For more information, visit http://www.skinwrockies.com/ez-ski-ride-1-2-3.

Following are Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month offerings from each Ski the NW Rockies resorts during the month of January. Complete information on lessons and other programs is available on www.skinwrockies.com.

• Lookout Pass: Lookout’s nationally recognized Free Ski School for Kids, ages 6-17, is offered every Saturday morning beginning January 8th. Beginner sessions start at 10 a.m. and intermediate through expert lessons begin at 11:30 a.m. Lookout’s Snow Bus for adults and children will operate Saturdays from January 8th through March 12th. Check Lookout’s website for departure times and locations.

• 49º North: Try the “Learn to” package for $59. The package includes a 1 ½ hour group lesson, rental equipment, and a Chair 3 lift ticket that will access beginner and novice terrain. Group lessons are offered at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays. A special on Private Lesson Sessions is available during the month of January – purchase four of the same private lesson products and get the fifth for free.

• Silver Mountain Resort: Silver’s “Never Ever” Package is $70 and includes rental equipment, 1 ½ hour group lesson and a beginner area lift ticket. Lesson begins daily at 10:30 a.m. and at 1:00 p.m. on weekends.

• Mt. Spokane: Mt. Spokane’s “Never Ever” Package includes an all-day lift ticket for Chair 5 (beginner hill), a 2-hour group lesson and all-day rentals for $69. Lessons being daily at 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Packages purchased Wednesday through Saturday also include a night skiing session. Purchase a Never Ever Package in January and receive a Mt. Spokane collector’s pin.

Ski the NW Rockies includes four of the nation’s best resorts within 100 miles of Spokane, offering all ages the best in skiing, snowboarding, and winter activities.
“Snow sports like skiing and snowboarding are a terrific way to stay fit and active during the winter,” said Jeff Colburn, President, Ski the NW Rockies. “All our member resorts offer ski and snowboard instruction taught by certified professionals for families and winter enthusiasts of all skill levels. We invite all local residents and out of town guests to learn to ski or snowboard this January!”

About Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month
Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month is a national initiative organized by industry associations throughout the month of January to encourage children and adults to learn alpine skiing, snowboarding, and other human propelled snow sports by taking lessons from a professional instructor. To learn more, visit www.learnasnowsport.org.
About Ski the NW Rockies
Ski the NW Rockies is a non-profit association representing the Inland Northwest snow sports industry, including four ski areas and industry retailers. Ski the NW Rockies is comprised of four local, accessible mountains, all within 100 miles of Spokane. Silver Mountain, 49° North, Lookout Pass, and Mt. Spokane all offer affordable winter fun for the whole family. To learn more, visit www.skinwrockies.com.

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Ski the Northwest Rockies has jumped on board with nation-wide “Learn A Snow Sport Month”. They’ve compiled a list of snow sports lessons available through its five member resorts:

– Lookout Pass: Lookout’s famous free ski school is in its 70th year. This 10-week program helps 6-17-year-olds develop the skills to ski or board.

– Schweitzer Mountain Resort: Lessons with certified instructors are available for children of all ages. Lessons are divided by age group and experience to maximize learning potential.

* 49º North: Mommy/Daddy & Me ski lessons offer a lesson for beginning skiers with helpful tips for parents so that proper technique can be coached when the lesson is over.

* Silver Mountain Resort: Silver Mountain offers a full suite of lessons for beginning skiers. Visit the ski school for details.

– Mt. Spokane: In the “Never Ever” package, beginning skiers or snowboarders are invited to take a lesson with a certified instructor. Participants also receive a bonus lift ticket for another day on the mountain.

Check out skinwrockies.com for more information on lessons.

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This morning OTM chatted with representatives each of the member resorts from Ski the NW Rockies to get the latest news and updates on ski conditions.

WHAT’S NEW
Haley Sorbel from Schweitzer: Right now we just have our 4 lifts we first opened. This weekend we’re opening our Triple to the Top, which will open up some more advanced terrain.

John Williams from Silver Mountain: We still operate on three lifts. Lifts one and two and our surface lift, which services lifts one and two and the tubing park.

Kristen Whittaker from Mt. Spokane: We opened last Friday with our out of our five lifts and we’ve been running with those ever since.

Silver Mountain: We have a news flash: we just opened up four more runs. The ski patroller just announced it. We now have 11 runs open. 62 more to go.

HOT DEALS
Schweitzer, Mt. Spokane & 49 Degrees North: We have all the same deals that we’ve been offering.

Silver Mountain: Yesterday we announced a new deal that those who come stay in the Morning Star Lodge will ski for free between now and the Tuesday right before Christmas. For two people, it’s $159 on the weekends; for four people, it’s $199.

Michelle Carver at Loookout Pass: We do have reduced rate tickets still, and you can still use your vouchers and your two-for-ones.

NEWS
Mt. Spokane on the status of their expansion: Our master development plan includes expansion — I should say replacement — of the main lodge. They’re both in progress. We’re revising our lodge plan to accommodate for the current economic climate. As far as the runs on the backside, we’re in the process of plotting them out, and we’re in the process of an environmental study.

Brad Northrup at 49 Degrees Northon the new runs on Angel Peak: They’re open. We’re waiting for a little more snow. The lifts that access that area are open, the terrain is open, it just hasn’t been groomed yet.

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