Where Did Everybody Go?
If I could only ski one month of the year, it would be March. The crowds thin, the weather improves, and my two favorite snow conditions, powder and spring corn, can dominate the slopes. There are also some excellent deals, like free skiing and snowboarding for the rest of the season with the purchase of next year’s season pass (several local resorts), or truly amazing things like Toyota Free Ski Week at 49 Degrees North April 2-8 where anyone can ski for free all week.
There are also a ton of pretty sweet events, many of which involve crazy costumes, deck-grilled meats, sunburnt noses and goggle tan lines, adult beverages, loud music, and contests that demonstrate impressive athletic feats or put humbling spectacles on display.
March also means, when the weather is right, that you can drive up to the mountain with ease, make some turns, tailgate in the sun, and still be home with enough daylight to squeeze in an evening mountain bike ride, hike, or gardening session in your sandals.
If there are no friends on a powder day, as seasoned powder hounds are fond of saying, then those euphoric, bluebird-spring days like the kind March delivers are the opposite: Every smiling, chilled-out soul on the slopes feels like your new best friend. //
Originally published in the March 2017 print edition of Out There Outdoors under the title “FIRST TRACKS: Where Did Everybody Go?.“
Feature photo: Aaron Theisen
