September 20, 2008 E-MAIL PRINT

Season for savings

by Heather Burke/

Why does spring signify the packing away of skis for some? Must I remind you of last ski season? The best snow of the year came in April. Families who booked late ski trips were better off than those stuck at Boston’s Logan Airport waiting for their planes to de-ice so they could fly to Florida.

Our family hit the slopes during the kids’ mid-April break to find every trail open at Sugarloaf and Sunday River. The only thing missing was the skiers. While the snow often is soft and deep, the lodging and lift tickets can be cheap. Resorts also give you reason to celebrate with fun events, even freebies, on these late-season ski days.

Easter is early this year, March 23, and ski resorts such as Ascutney, Okemo, Bretton Woods, Waterville Valley and Pats Peak will host free egg hunts on the slopes. If you are an early bird — Killington, Stowe, Smuggs, Waterville Valley and Sugarloaf open their lifts before dawn for Easter Sunrise service. Your reward for getting out of bed is first tracks at the conclusion of the non-denominational service. Many resorts also host Easter costume parades with prizes.

Freebies pop up

Bretton Woods’ Learning Center quad is always free, and a sunny spring day is ideal to start your child skiing for the first time vs. freezing in February. Bretton Wood also sells an interchangeable family ticket; mom and dad can share one full-priced lift ticket — taking turns while the other gets base lodge babysitting duty.

Smugglers’ Notch offers free family fun races every Saturday and Sunday. You’ll need a lift ticket, however. The dual race course is free from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and every racer gets a prize. Whiz the course on March 16, and you can enjoy free Cabot cheese samples, too.

Downhill deals

Cranapalooza is a financially feasible ski deal. For $22, you can ski, ride and tube at Cranmore from 2 p.m. until 9 p. m. on Saturdays. The terrain park is lit up, and activities include a fire pit for s’more roasting, magic shows, games with mascot C-More the Penguin and live music in Zip’s Pub for parents.

Jiminy Peak hosts Retro Day on March 16. Wear vintage outfits from the ’60s, ’70s or ’80s and pay ticket prices from those decades. Groovy!

Show your kids the awesome ’80s hairstyle March 29 at Attitash’s Mullet Mogul Jam. Watch the dual-format mogul competition and dance to ’80s tunes performed on an outdoor stage. The winning Mullet wins drum sticks, an autographed air guitar and a $25 gift certificate to Kentucky Fried Chicken (not bad for a bad hair day).

Wildcat is a spring sensation due to its high elevation. Check out its “wild deals,” like the $20 ticket for skiing from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays, or ski free on your birthday.

April Fools day is two-for-one at Bromley, no fooling. On April 13, Sunapee offers $25 lift tickets with a donation of five cans of food to the local pantry.

Lodging for less

Okemo offers “March Midweek Madness” lodging prices followed by “Spring Fever” deals until its April closing. With Okemo’s stockpile of snowmaking and some of the best prices of the season ($29 tickets on April 9), this family-friendly resort is a good pick for a spring ski trip.

One of the most animated alpine weekends at Sunday River is Parrothead weekend, April 4-5, now in its 21st year. Kids will get a kick out of watching the pond-skimming and the Bust ’n’ Burn mogul competition, while parents will like the slopeside margarita samples and beach music.

Sugarloaf is prime in spring. Often, the snowfields are soaked with snow and sun, while they were bitter and blustery for bigger bucks in February. While Sugarloaf’s perennial Reggaefest weekend (April 11-13) sells out, during the rest of April you’ll find few lines and plenty of lodging in the slopeside condominiums or the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel.

Killington, historically hailed as the king of spring, is under new ownership. It’s too soon to say if the new bosses will see the point in staying open until May — since they passed the “first to open” torch to Sunday River. But as sure as the sunrise, Killington will host Sunshine Daydream Festival on April 12, with free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for sugar-hyper kids and Grateful Dead tunes for latent hippy parents. April 13 is Killington’s pond-skimming event.

Most New England resorts host ski suit-soaking pond-skimming in late March and early April. The joy of observing pond-skimming seems to span all ages, so don’t discount the cheap thrill of watching spring skiers spill in icy water. Similarly, Downhill Dummies and cardboard box races are a rite of spring that families should take in at resorts such as Okemo, Sugarbush, Sunapee, Jiminy Peak and Mt. Abram.

If you have teens that love terrain parks, you will be a very cool parent by taking them to Loon’s ninth annual Hike and Huck. Last year, this event was in May, long after the lifts stopped, and the mayhem included huge jumps constructed from the season’s leftover snow. Needless to say, lodging deals in Lincoln during May, aka mud season, will be at their best, and your kids can launch higher than ever at this spring event.

Deals pop up like daisies in spring, so keep a watch on resorts’ websites for last-minute lodging and lift ticket specials.

Heather Burke is a skiing mother of two teens and a travel journalist who  selects ski resorts for their alpine offerings and age-spanning amusements.

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