By Bob Williams

NORTH CREEK, N.Y. – Days are becoming longer, temperatures are milder and skiers here in the northeast are gearing up for what is usually the season’s best skiing.

Referred to as spring skiing, March and April offer slope conditions that usually bring skiers to the slopes -- and definitely bring smiles to their faces.

“Skiers are usually more comfortable out on the slopes when temperatures get a bit warmer,” explains Emily Stanton, a spokesperson for Gore Mountain located here in the Lake George Region. “Snow becomes softer, especially if you are learning to ski, so it’s easier to ski on.”

Gore Mountain, which is operated by New York’s Olympic Regional Development Authority, this year again placed in SKI Magazine’s reader survey as a “Top 10 Mountain in the East” for value, lifts, snow and weather. It’s the seventh consecutive year that Gore made the list.

Emily points out other benefits to spring skiing.

“Fewer people are skiing, so you encounter smaller lift lines and fewer cars in the parking lot, which means more skiing time for you,” she says. “And here at Gore we have good Southern exposure, so a few days of spring skiing gives you a great start on your summer tan.”

What’s more, she explains, spring skiing offers a safety factor because families who decide to spend a day at the slopes can drive home in daylight.

Gore, and other ski resorts here in the Northeast, have scheduled a list of zany on-slope events to lure skiers to their slopes. Gore hosts a Cardboard Derby for March 11, in which unmanned sleds constructed of cardboard slide down the slope; a bump contest March 25, designed for what the area calls mogul maniacs; a pond skimming contest April 7, in which participants are judged on splash, costume, creativity, zaniness and overall performance; and an Easter Egg hunt March 25 for more than 1000 hidden eggs. 518-251-2411. www.goremountain.com.

Nearby, Hunter Mountain and Windham Mountain have announced a March Mountain Madness program – 20 percent discount off normal rates for lift tickets, lodging, dining and shopping. 800-355-2287. www.marchmountainmadness.com.
Vermont offers a variety of spring skiing activities, too.

“Since March is typically the snowiest month for Vermont resorts, skiers can usually get the best value for their money,” says Heather Atwell of Ski Vermont, the association of Vermont’s ski resorts. 802-223-2439. www.skivermont.com.

Okemo Mountain Resort, in Ludlow, Vt., for instance, offers Skier and Rider Appreciation days in March and April. Okemo enjoyed its best day ever on Sunday, Feb. 18, after receiving three feet of snow a few days earlier.
Skiers and snowboarders at Okemo can enjoy a day on the slopes on select Thursdays in March and April for just $39.

An Okemo St. Patrick’s Day party March 17 offers more than $10,000 in cash and prizes for a scavenger hunt. The season rounds out with the whacky Slush/Huck weekend April 7.

“The longer hours of daylight bring some great lift ticket savings, ski-and-stay packages and zany events,” says Bonnie MacPherson of Okemo.