Skiing in short sleeves

(Photo from Breck's Bump Buffet, 2007, snagged from Colorado Ski Country USA.)

Ready to hit fresh snow under sunny skies? Luckily, Colorado's the place. Seven ski areas are still open, but Breck, our largest, is closing Sunday.

Here are the closing dates for resorts that remain open:
Arapahoe Basin - June 8
Aspen Highlands - this weekend and next; closing day April 27
Breckenridge - Sunday
Echo Mountain - May 4
Loveland - May 4
Silverton - April 27
Wolf Creek -this weekend and next: closing day April 27

Here are some reasons - other than snow - to make the drive to the mountains:

A-Basin: The Beach

Aspen Highlands: Been working at a ski resort that has already closed for the season? Head to the Highlands and show a current season picture pass and pay just $12 for a lift ticket.

Breckenridge: Sunday's closing day brings the annual Spring Massive party and the 29th Bump Buffet, in which telemark skiers shred the bumps dressed in all sorts of crazy costumes.

Echo Mountain: This is college weekend, and you can get lift tickets for $20, there'll be trick contests, a live DJ, free food, demo tents, bar specials and prizes.
Next weekend is Last Park Standing, a finale season party with $12,000 in cash and $4,000 in prizes, an amateur rail jam and pro slopestyle competition, live music, a sponsor village and more. To register for the competition, go here.

Loveland: April 26 is the Corn Harvest Benefit Ski Party, which helps raise cash for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

Silverton: What more do you need? It's Silverton.



Wolf Creek: Lift tickets will be $27 for adults and $16 for children and seniors, no ID required! Lifts will be operating from 9am-4pm.

Another new ski area proposed

We mentioned this plan some time ago. Here's an update from the AP:

The Minturn Town Council has given preliminary approval to a private ski resort and 1,700 homes near the former railroad town.

The proposal includes annexing more than 4,300 acres owned by the Ginn Development Co. The proposed development also includes a golf course on and around Battle Mountain south of Minturn.

Left unresolved is how residents of the development would be taxed and how that money would be used to make improvements inMinturn, such as a recreation center and a bike path. The action came after 2½ years of planning and faces a second vote next week.

Read more here in the Vail Daily.