7 Reasons to Ski Closing Week

Resorts with areas of extremely steep, challenging terrain wait until late season to open the gnarliest of runs. This is because the snowpack has stabilized and hazardous rock areas have been covered enough for patrollers to deem the runs as skiable. A lesser-known fact is that patrollers often wait until the last days of the season to open such areas because they know there will be fewer crowds and tourists. The chutes at Mt. Rose in Tahoe are known for getting clear to open late season. The upper east wall at Arapahoe Basin is prime by early April.

You'll find lift tickets for 30-40% discounts off their original prices. At this point in the season, resorts are trying to get as many people to the area as they can. Their main tactic is discounted lift tickets. All-inclusive deals that include rental equipment and even lunch vouchers are also common.

Back in the day, nearly all the restaurants in Vail Village offered half price food for all of closing week; some of them still do. Especially at destination resorts, where the two-month off-season lull begins the day after lifts stop spinning, restaurants are getting ready to close their doors, and therefore getting as many customers as possible to walk in the doors. Resort-run and local gear shops slash prices by 40-60%. This is the time to buy that down jacket for January that will be bumped up to full price by next October.

Spring skiing offers a crowd-free experience with locals and weekenders, as it falls outside school vacations and holidays. By this time in the season, slopes feel empty, lift lines are short, and you'll slip seamlessly into the laid-back vibes reserved exclusively for a closing week.

My first closing weekend at Vail was unforgettable. Dozens of skiers made their way down from the après ski party at the mid-mountain lodge. Some had ditched their poles in favor of double-fisting PBRs or shouldering an old-school boombox through their wobbly turns. This party, like most closing weekends everywhere, started in the morning and lasted long into the night. These are the social events of the season at ski resorts, and not to be missed.

It's true: long, sunny days, corn snow, and the awareness that another season is coming to a close make for happy locals, happy tourists, and most importantly, happy staff. While resort employees are encouraged to offer excellent customer service throughout the season, their ear-to-ear grins and offers to help you with whatever you possibly need are absolutely genuine during the closing week – and the attitude is contagious.

As a professional ski instructor for several years, I say with confidence that the best time for kids to learn to ski is late in the season. They'll enjoy the slopes when the sun is out, they'll get more specialized attention in group lessons because ski schools are more or less empty, and you'll get the best deals for learn-to-ski packages during the last week of the season.

Enjoy all those closing week deals, folks, wherever you may be. Happy trails!