10 great trails for spring skiing in New England

Stein's Run is a hearty challenge for spring skiers at Sugarbush in Vermont. (Sandy Macys/Sugarbush Resort)

For many of us, it took until well into March for the type of snow to arrive in New England that we were hoping for all season.

Until recently, there had been a lot more rain than we are accustomed to seeing during the winter.

But the final weeks of March have done a lot to make up for the snow we wanted to see earlier in the season. In recent years, that’s been a trend. More snow has been arriving as we switch back to Daylight Savings Time.

So let’s look at some of those great places to enjoy the final weeks of the season, work on our goggle tans and squeeze every last dollar out of our season pass.

10. The Dippers, Burke Mountain

The sun gets to it nice and early, giving it the edge over Willoughby on the other side of the quad. You can sink your edges into the corduroy on the wide Upper Dipper. Just remember while you are opening the throttle to carve your best GS turns, over on Warren’s Way, Burke Mountain Academy students are fine-tuning their turns and most will be skiing collegiately. The best will be skiing on the World Cup in the near future.

If Ullr was more cooperative this year, the all-natural East Bowl would be in this slot, even if the runout is going to leave you sweating up a storm.

9. Wingding, Mount Sunapee

Head for the aptly named Sunbowl Express during the spring for solid cruising and sink those edges into the soft snow while enjoying the view looking across Lake Sunapee.

Seek out one of the better tailgating spots, with people getting there early for a parking spot on the beach, between the Spruce and Sunapee lodges.

If you are looking to stay within a sniff of the grills, take some laps on the North Peak Triple and enjoy Lynx, Flying Goose and Goosebumps.

8. Flume, Loon, Mountain

Lapping the North Peak Quad is one of the joys of warmer weather. Flume, coming straight down the lift line, or Walking Boss on the eastern edge of the mountain are both a blast.

Skier’s right on Upper Flume seems to hold the snow perfectly, while the left side feels steeper. Below Haulback, which separates Upper and Lower, the right side is untouched by groomers throughout the season.

Camp III Lodge is one of the best mid-mountain hangouts in New England.

7. Stein’s Run, Sugarbush

Before spending four years in the 1960s as the ski school director at Sugarbush, Stein Eriksen was one of the sport’s best racers, winning a gold and a silver in the 1952 Olympics in Oslo, Norway, and then three golds at 1954 World Championships in Are, Sweden.

But the trail he laid out that now bears his name is sure to be full of thigh-burning bumps deep into the spring.

6. Vista Way, Cannon

It’s hard to go wrong when coming off the top of Cannon — I’m looking at you, Profile — but there’s something about looking across Franconia Notch on an early spring day and seeing Mount Lafayette and Lincoln staring down over you. When there’s a bit of a breeze and you can see the wisps of snow blowing around on the ridge, it can be downright intimidating and a stark reminder that the weather at 5,000 feet is much more intense than it is at 4,000 feet.

If you need to wait for the upper half to soften up a bit, go lap the Front Five off the Zoomer Triple until your heart’s content.

The Peabody Lodge deck is a great place to unwind after getting your fill of every twist and turn Cannon has to offer.

5. Nosedive, Stowe

Grab a bite to eat at the Octagon Cafe and then let the skis run a bit while enjoying every drop, twist and turn Nosedive has to offer.

There is a ruggedness to the view into Smugglers’ Notch and it is easy to see why there is a large group of skiers and riders who enjoy sidecountry skiing here.

For those who like to start the day by bashing bumps, National will be right up your alley.

4. Shockwave, Sunday River

Sure, White Heat gets all the notoriety, but Shockwave is a workout and a half. It also doesn’t see a groomer nearly as often as its more famous neighbor.

For those who tend to be a bit gun shy about taking runs down the lift line out of fear of what the peanut gallery might have to say, you can sweat this one out in solitude and not worry about everyone seeing you slide halfway down White Cap.

3. Timbuktu, Jay Peak

Pick a glade, any glade, and you are sure to pick out a winner up at Jay. But the Jet is traditionally the last chair to spin, and it has a bit of everything — tight pockets through trees and open spaces — including a late-season snowpack.

If the Flyer is still spinning, Beaver Pond is a solid choice, while Buckaroo Bonzai and Buck Woods are a couple of my personal favorites in the middle of the mountain.

Again, you can’t go wrong in the trees up there — even in seasons that most places would consider a lean snow year.

The poutine or wings and a beverage from the Tower Bar (tramside) is a great way to cap off the day.

2. Gondi Line, Sugarloaf

Sure, we really wish the natural stuff was in abundance this year so that we could enjoy a sunny trip through the Snowfields, but the King of Spring still provides plenty of options.

As one can probably guess, Gondi Line follows the upper half of the path of the former gondola that went from the base to the summit in two stages. It’s wide, steep and straight, and hopefully not too wind scoured.

If you prefer to start your day already in bumps, Winter’s Way or Bubblecuffer on either side of Gondi Line are sure to fit your needs.

1. Superstar, Killington

More often than not, it’s the last trail standing in New England. And for that, it deserves the top spot. The bumps can get big quickly when it gets deep into May.

When Superstar is the only lift still spinning, it becomes the Mecca of the East with diehards coming far and wide trying to squeeze out every last turn, even if it eventually means having to skim over grass and dirt at times to bridge some breaks in the coverage.

It’s great when you can get a groomed Superstar in the morning and progress from small bumps to big bumps over the course of the day. If you can do it in shorts and a T-shirt, even better!