Cover photo courtesy Jeremy Clark
Don’t let the lure of greening grass in the lower elevations distract from the fun events happening at area resorts during the transition period of spring skiing. After a slow start to the ski season in the region, these end-of-season events provide maximum fun to enjoy what’s often some of the best snow of the season before it melts.
49° North Mountain Resort (Chewelah, Wash.)
- March 3: It’s not all skiing and snowboarding—come try Fat Tire Bike Day with demos, rentals, and a fat tire race.
- March 23: It’s Hawaiian Daze, the biggest and best event of the season with proceeds benefiting the ski patrol. Enjoy live music, a pond skim, costume contest, silent auction, scavenger hunt, and so much more!
- March 23-24: Telebration Weekend time for celebrating all things tele! Register for a telemark ski clinic or private lesson and try some demo equipment and watch a tele ski movie.
- March 30: Jaeger’s Park Party is an anti-competition fundraiser event, honoring the legacy of local pro snowboarder Jaeger Bailey, gone too soon. Event registration benefits suicide awareness and prevention. Prizes throughout the day.
Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park (Spokane, Wash.)
- Every Wednesday through Saturday, ending on March 16: Night skiing under the lights until 9 p.m., with live music each Friday.
- March 30: Family-friendly Easter egg hunt, free for kids (lift ticket required). Who knew the Easter bunny was a snowshoe hare?
- April 3-7: Kids ski for free during spring break, with discounted group lessons available for $25.
- April 6: As the season draws to a close, celebrate with Aloha Day on the mountain, concluding with the pond skim (weather dependent).
Schweitzer Mountain Resort (Sandpoint, Idaho)
- Every Sunday through April 14: What’s more fun than mountain safety? Join ski patrol for weekly Transceiver Sundays. Bring your beacon and meet at the clock tower at 10 a.m. to go through a tutorial and do some beacon practice.
- March 2: It’s Mega Demo Day during daylight hours, plus the rescheduled fireworks show after dark! Demo day requires pre-registration. The torchlight parade and fireworks show is free to watch, with festivities beginning at 5 p.m. and the main fireworks display at 6:15 p.m.
- April 6-7: The Schpring Finale weekend will feature a Cardboard Box Derby and a fundraiser for the Ponderay Rotary Club. Additional events will be added as the date draws near.
Silver Mountain Resort (Kellogg, Idaho)
- March 2: Ski the night away at Ski Bum Prom Night! Be sure to dig through the back of the closet (or the nearest thrift store rack) to find the best retro ski gear and enjoy a night of skiing under the lights until 6 p.m., with live music in Moguls from 6-8 p.m. A raffle prize fundraiser will conclude the event.
- March 16: Celebrate Mardi Gras with bead necklaces and a New Orleans-inspired menu in the lodge, along with live music from 1-4 p.m.
- April 20: Don’t miss the Leadman Triathlon fundraiser to mark the transition from ski season to summer! Compete solo or as part of a team in this exciting ski/snowboard, mountain bike, and run from the ski area to gondola village.
Lookout Pass Ski Area (Mullan, Idaho)
- March 2: Come to compete or watch the “Sorta Natural SnowSkate Banked Slalom” in the Rolling Thunder Terrain Park. A SnowSkate is a snowboard-meets-skateboard with no bindings.
- March 17: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the mountain by wearing green and stopping by the Summit Shack where chocolate chip ice cream will be the daily special!
- March 24: Girls on Shred is offering a friendly and supportive group experience for youth and marginalized genders to enjoy snow sports! Demo equipment will be available to participants, along with a donation box ready to accept community support! //
Holly Weiler is a longtime contributor and writes The Trailhead column in each issue of Out There.
