SAM Magazine-April 9, 2008--With many resorts across the nation shuttering for the season, some ski area operators just can't quit. Idaho's Brundage Mountain Resort has announced that they will extend their winter with weekend operations on April 19-20 and April 26-27. With the news, the resort joins Colorado's Monarch Mountain and Okemo, Vermont, which has just announced that they will also remain open through April 20.

The moves come after a record winter snowfall for those and other resorts. Wyoming's Jackson Hole experienced a record snowfall of 605 inches, laying the foundation for the ski area's most successful season ever, with more than 480,000 skier visits. "Our business volumes, like the snowfall, grew every month, continuing to set new records as well," says Jerry Blann, Jackson Hole President. Blann adds that January was the ski resort's second best snow month in over 40 years and a total of 150 inches for the month of March broke all records.

In Colorado, many resorts also set monthly records for snowfall as they experienced one of the best winters in recent memory, including Steamboat, which saw over 500 inches fall on the summit of the ski area. And spring storms pummeled Crested Butte, pushing the resort past the previous record of 415 inches set in the winter of 1979-1980, with 418 inches on the season.

Further north, skiing and riding on Whistler Mountain will take place until April 20. Spring skiing continues on Blackcomb Mountain from Monday, April 21 through Sunday, June 8. With a current snow base of 265cm and 3,000 to 2,500 acres remaining open for May and the first week of June, spring is shaping up to be as epic as the rest of the season.

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