Spring Skiing and the Long Goodbye to Winter

Winter doesn't so much end in Vermont as slowly melt away, and its final weeks bring some of the best skiing of the year. Spring skiing — warm sun, soft snow, and a loose, celebratory mood — is a beloved season unto itself for those who stick around for it.

The conditions demand a different rhythm. The snow freezes hard overnight and softens through the morning, so the trick is timing your runs for that sweet, forgiving corn snow before it turns to slush. Skiers shed their heavy layers, and the base area takes on the feel of a party, with barbecues, music, and lawn chairs replacing the grim bundling of January.

There is a bittersweet edge to it all. Everyone on the mountain knows the season is nearly over, that each warm day brings the snow closer to gone, and that lends the final weeks a relaxed, savor-it-while-it-lasts spirit. The die-hards chase the last patches of white into May on the highest trails. When the final run is finally skied and the lifts fall silent, winter's long goodbye is complete — and the countdown to next season quietly begins.