Blue skies, stellar mountain views, sunshine, music, and plenty of swag.
Welcome to spring festival season at mountain resorts. At Copper Mountain Resort in Colorado, about 75 miles from Denver, on a recent Saturday, everyone was smiling and grooving to the music of the Lil Smokies—the adults, the kids, and even, it seemed, all the pooches in the audience.
Welcome to Subaru Winter Fest, which draws mountain lovers for the music, the swag (beanies and insulated mugs), free demos, the chance to meet avalanche dogs and snacks (s’mores! Kate’s Real Food, coffee, and hot chocolate!)
“It’s just super fun,” Melissa McAdams, enjoying her third WinterFest, said. “And I really like the swag.”
“A lot of energy,” Michael Bryan said.
“The mountains are so beautiful,” Loati Bullo added. “Everyone is so friendly ... and here for a good time!”
Subaru will host additional WinterFests in California (Sierra-at-Tahoe, March 23–24), Utah (Snowbird, April 5–7), and Oregon (Mt. Bachelor, April 12–14). They are among the many spring celebrations and festivals at snow resorts around the country.
Those here were given $5 tokens to designate a charity for Subaru to donate to as part of their “Share the Love” campaign, including Operation Warm, which connects underserved youth with community resources; SheJumps, which creates outdoor experiences for girls and women; and Wasatch Back Country Rescue, which provides rapid avalanche and winter-related mountain rescues.
Many think spring on the slopes is the best, with warmer temps, blue sky days, and this season, plenty of snow, as well as late-season deals with some resorts, including Breckenridge, open at least until mid-May—Arapahoe Basin into June.
There are also some of the best deals of the season. The Limelight Hotels in Aspen, Snowmass, and Ketchum, Idaho, for example, have deals up to 25 percent off four nights.
Skiers and snowboarders who own a valid 2023–2024 winter resort season pass anywhere can get a 50 percent discount on lift tickets in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, from March 18 to April 14. Receive up to $400 off your airfare per person when you book your round-trip flights, lodging, and a qualifying activity through Jackson Hole Resort Reservations by March 31, 2024.
Ski.com touts savings of more than 50 percent on spring packages, among them to Park City, Utah. You can also search by budget ski trips.
On the East Coast, Town Square Condos in Waterville Valley are offering a third night free, while The Green Mountain Inn in Stowe, Vermont, offers a 20 percent discount on midweek lodging.
Then there is all the fun off the slopes. From March 17 to April 22, there’s Breck Spring Fever, which boasts that it’s “the biggest spring party in the Rocky Mountains,” with daily events on the mountain and off.
Steamboat celebrates the end of the ski season (April 1 to 14) with Springalicious, complete with free music and the Cardboard Classic, in which participants race down a trail in homemade cardboard crafts made only from cardboard, glue, string, water-based paint, tape, and other decorations.
From March 2 to April 13 there’s a Canyons Village Spring Concert series at Park City Mountain in Utah. Also in Utah, celebrate Alta’s Snowflake Festival March 25 to March 31 (learn to make tie-dye in the snow).
In Vermont, celebrate 24 Hours of Stratton (March 16–17) and play on the slopes under lighted trails into sunrise. The proceeds benefit the Stratton Community Foundation. There will be a team costume contest, a vertical uphill challenge, an outdoor glow dance party, tubing, fireworks, music, and more.
Jackson Hole, with 308 inches of snow this season, celebrates spring with a free two-day music festival April 5–6, with free concerts in March on Saturdays on the Road to Rendezvous.
You don’t even need to head up the mountain. Many don’t at the Taste of Vail (April 3–6), one of the country’s top food and wine festivals, this year celebrating its 32nd season. There will be winemakers from 58 top wineries, tastings on the streets of Vail, mountaintop tastings with gourmet food, and much more. And like other spring mountain festivals, there is a charitable component: Taste of Vail has partnered with CHOW, an organization that supports wellness within the hospitality industry.
Copper Mountain, with 2,450 acres of varied terrain and a new upscale mid-mountain lodge, has $99 lift tickets if purchased online in advance, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit nonprofit organizations. Long popular with Denverites and those who live on the Front Range, Copper is attracting IKON passholders from around the country. At Copper, there are kids-free packages and those with the third night free.
“It’s our go-to mountain with the kids,” Tom Terrell, who has two young kids, said.
“I love the family vibe,” Christen Zuvka, who grew up skiing here but now lives in Chicago, said. “The mountain has a lot to offer.”
Never more than in spring.
