I don’t normally listen to the Beach Boys when I ski. For me, it’s usually a combination of the Grateful Dead, old-school hip hop and soul music. Even when warmer weather comes around on the slopes, I’m more of a yacht rock guy. For some, the song of a robin is the harbinger of spring. For me, it’s “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes.
But the other day, when I found myself on top of an open bowl with soft, slushy moguls below me and nothing but sunny skies above, it felt like I had no choice but to throw on “Kokomo” and make the most of a rapidly melting situation.
Some people on the mountain that day didn’t share my good spirits. They were spring break tourists who were probably wishing they’d gone to Bermuda, Bahama, Key Largo or Montego. With 40-degree temperatures that felt like 70 under all that Gore-Tex, it was hard to tell the difference. But while they were grumbling about the conditions, I was vibing out in the sunshine, enjoying the underrated joy of spring skiing in the Wasatch.
Don’t get me wrong; I can sympathize with the tourists. Ski vacations aren’t cheap, and when they clicked “Purchase” on that flight to Salt Lake City, they were probably imagining the waist-deep powder turns advertised on the airline’s website. They weren’t thinking of slow, sticky runs and an early lunch. (These unlucky visitors in particular would be upset to learn that waist-deep turns returned the next week.)
Maybe that’s what makes spring such a great time for locals. We’ve gotten our good days in. Now it’s time to bid a fond farewell to the season by heading up no matter the conditions. Spring turns are a way to tell our favorite mountain that we’ll be there in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, in powder and in slush, til closing day do us part. For now, we’re there dressed as stupidly as possible, suddenly remembering that sunburns exist.
There’s also something special about seeing a slope full of Utah snow chasers finally shedding off the weight of a winter full of powder panic. The knee-deep, Insta-worthy runs might be in the past, but the knee-exposed jorts runs are here, and they’re spectacular.
Beware, though: Just like cold January nights become long May sunsets, “Guy who only skis untouched powder” might quickly give way to “Guy who claims corn snow is just as good as powder.” They’re two sides of the same coin, and both should be left in the lodge.
Of course, the highlight of spring skiing for many is the parties. The glorious, glorious parties. Some people spend their winters chasing storms across the West, but I think it might be a better use of time and money to spend the spring chasing closing days.
If you want to see a 1980s ski movie come to life, head up to your local hill on the last day the lifts are spinning. You’ll see more denim than in an 1850s miner’s camp. You’ll see little rippers putting way more effort into their costumes than they did on Halloween. You’ll see people skiing lines you could only dream of on cross-country skis they got at the D.I. two days ago.
Depending on the mountain, you might also see people trying their luck at a pond skim. If you’re not familiar with the pond skim, it’s an event in which people in various stages of intoxication attempt to ski across about 100 feet of water. Some people show off with smooth runs and cool tricks (boring), but most people just fall in immediately (fun). Pro tips from a two-time failure: 1) You don’t need to lean back as far as you think, and 2) Wet ski boots can actually be refreshing on a warm day.
And yes, there’s a decent chance you’ll see naked people. But don’t be too scandalized. They won’t be naked in the X-rated sense. It’ll be more in the freewheeling “We all used to be apes” sense. And they’ll almost definitely fall trying to do a backflip, which, in my opinion, is just good clean fun.
So whether you’re rockin’ your birthday suit, a Jesus costume (Alta and Deer Valley close on Easter Sunday), your favorite neon jumpsuit, a pair of light-wash jorts or a pair of well-loved Gorts (aka Gore-Tex shorts, my own invention), don’t let the season pass you by without getting a few more sunny laps in. Because “The Greatest Snow on Earth” is just a state of mind.
Closing Days:
Alta: April 20. Brian Head: May 4. Brighton: May 18. Deer Valley: April 20. Park City: April 21. Powder Mountain: TBA. Snowbasin: TBA. Snowbird: May 26. Solitude: May 11. Woodward: TBA.
(Photo courtesy of Chad Hurst) Brian Higgins is a writer and comedian in Salt Lake City.
Brian Higgins is a writer and comedian in Salt Lake City.
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