Ski resorts reopening in June

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Jeff
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By Ryan Stuart
ESPN Action Sports
Archive

Thanks to lingering record snowpacks, several resorts around North America are reopening for summertime skiing and snowboarding.

BC’s Mount Washington Alpine Resort, on Vancouver Island, is reopening three runs this weekend for Father’s Day for the second year in a row. The ski area had its deepest winter on record this year with 750 inches of accumulated snow, one of the highest snowfalls anywhere this season.

“Opening on Father’s Day last year was a novelty,” says Mount Washington spokesman Brent Curtain. “We had the snow so we tried it and it was a success. This year we have even more snow, so we have to do it again. Skiers and boarders want the bragging rights of skiing in June.”

Snowbasin, Utah, reopened on June 11 and will be open weekends as long as conditions permit. This is the first year Snowbasin has opened in June.

On Thursday, Mt. Bachelor, Ore., announced that it would be reopening the Summit Express Quad July 2-4 after a record-breaking snowfall season that brought 665 inches.

Other resorts that remain open in North America include Crystal Mountain, Wash. (open weekends through June), Snowbird, Utah (open until July 4), Mammoth, Calif. (open until July 4), Arapahoe Basin, Colo. (open at least through June 19). In California, Squaw Valley, Sugar Bowl and Alpine Meadows plan to reopen for July 4 weekend.

At BC’s Mount Washington, the resort finished daily operations April 10 and shut down for good April 25 with snow still falling. “It wasn’t just quantity this year,” says Mount Washington local Chris Baikie. “What made the season even better is that the snow was quality. I had some of the best days of my life this season.”

Snow coverage remains with a 160-inch base in some spots. “If we had the staff we could probably open half the resort,” Curtain says. He added that Mount Washington is also pondering a July 1 opening to celebrate Canada Day. “It depends on the weather, but it’s looking pretty good,” says Curtain. “That would be a first for us.”

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