By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-03-17 01:46:36 | Updated at 2025-03-17 06:12:51
4 hours ago
Snow-sport fanatics can hit the slopes well into summer at select resorts across the country, despite warmer weather typically putting an end to ski season.
While America's ski season generally runs from November to early April - just weeks away - those who favor winter activities can enjoy scenic mountains and snowy terrain until as late as August.
A list compiled by National Geographic revealed seven ski resorts for skiers and snowboarders who are not ready to give up their beloved hobbies just yet.
Of course, season length may vary due to several factors including snowfall frequency, temperatures, resort location, altitude and ability of make snow artificially, according to Snow Skool.
The resort's popularity also plays a part, as they must also decide if it is even profitable for them to stay open longer than they anticipated.
Going to ski resorts late in the season has several perks, including less crowded slopes and facilities, as well cheaper tickets.
While these seven resorts offer skiers runs well into the summers, there are already a few resorts that have shut down and brought an early end to the season, Ski Southeast reported.
However, the following resorts boast lengthy ski seasons for snow-lovers to bask in the cold while everyone else braces the heat.
Snow-sport fanatics can hit the slopes well into summer at select resorts across the country, despite warmer weather typically putting an end ski season
Timberline Lodge, located at the bottom of Mount Hood, is known for having the longest snow season in North America
Timberline Lodge, Oregon
Timberline Lodge, located on Mount Hood, is celebrated for having the longest snow season in North America.
Last year's season was of record-breaking length, lasting from December 2, 2023 to August 18, 2024. The resort received 611 inches of recorded snowfall.
The lodge even offers summer-specific snow activities, including summer snow camps and other training opportunities, according to the resort's website.
Olympic athletes and professional races have been known to flock here to continue their training in the summer, according to National Geographic.
Timberline also boasts about its snow-sport opportunities outside of skiing and snowboarding, which include snowshoeing, which is essentially hiking through the snow, to rides through the stunning trails on a vehicle called a snowcat.
According to the lodge, their snow season is set to last at least until the end of May.
This year, it is projected that Mammoth resort will close on Memorial Day, which is May 26
Mammoth Mountain, California
Mammoth Mountain is a spectacular West Coast option for prolonged skiing, National Geographic reported.
The massive peak has an altitude of 11,053 feet above sea level and receives an average of 400 inches of snow each year.
Windstorms over the winter actually help the resort stay open for longer, as they form deep layers of snow that stay intact as temperatures rise.
This year, it is projected that Mammoth resort will close on Memorial Day, which is May 26, according to On the Snow.
But it has persisted passed the holiday in previous years. its longest recorded snow season was from 1994 to 1995, when the resort stayed open from October 8 to August 13.
Mammoth mountain is the 'highest lift-served four-season resort and playground' in California, according to its website.
The resort also includes June Mountain, which is a more family and beginner-friendly ski option. It offers gorgeous views of the Sierra Nevada and tends to be less crowded than Mammoth Mountain.
Mount Bohemia has a breathtaking Nordic spa that features hot tubs, saunas and pools
Mount Bohemia, Michigan
Mount Bohemia is a go-to spot for seasoned snow athletes, as it is best known for its rugged terrain and ungroomed runs, according to its website.
'It's a throwback to old European ski resorts were you skied and you skied hard,' Bohemia President Lonie Glieberman told the DailyMail.com.
One of the resort's most unique feature is the breathtaking Nordic spa that has hot tubs, saunas and pools.
'Bohemia in the spring and late-season turns into usually skiing and snowboarding in the morning and then by two o'clock, people are jumping into the Nordic spa,' Glieberman explained.
'So, basically the afternoon becomes a big apres ski party that we think is one of the coolest ski resorts on the planet.'
Last year, the Midwestern ski season was cut short. Mount Bohemia closed their doors on March 3 - much earlier than usual - due to mild temperatures and less than ideal amounts of snow.
'It was a record low snow year in the Midwest last year. The lowest in Bohemia history and record warm weather, Glieberman said.
Generally, the season runs from November to late April. They have extended their season into May a number of times.
Arapahoe Basin is located within the Rocky Mountains and offers 1,400 skiable acres to visitors
Arapahoe Basin, Colorado
Arapahoe Basin, also know as A-Basin, is known to be the highest ski resort in North America, reaching an altitude of 13,050 feet.
The slope's height gives the resort an advantage and allows it to stay snowy long after other Colorado resorts have to shutter for the season.
'On top of our world-class mountain, we firmly value quality over quantity and work towards keeping this a beautiful, laid-back ski area with room on the slopes and a seat at the bar. That’s just a little bit of why we’re Legendary for a reason,' Arapahoe Basin's Communications Manager Shayna Silverman told DailyMail.com
Arapahoe Basin is located within the Rocky Mountains and offers 1,400 skiable acres to visitors.
This resorts season often extends into June and sometimes until early July. This year, the resort is expected to close on June 8.
After a day of skiing under the sun, patrons can head to The Beach, a gathering spot at the base of the mountain.
'The Beach is where you want to be whether you are racking up Pali laps all day or you don't ski at all and just want to hang out where the fun is,' the website reads.
Located within the Chugach Mountains of south-central Alaska, Alyeska often sees fresh snowfall in April, helping to elongate the season
Alyeska Resort, Alaska
This iconic resort is the only one in the continent where guests can see snowy mountains, glaciers and the ocean all in one place, according to National Geographic.
Located within the Chugach Mountains of south-central Alaska, Alyeska often sees fresh snowfall in April, helping to elongate the season.
The areas sees roughly 669 inches of snow each year and has more than 1,610 skiable acres.
Alaska gets 15 hours of daylight in the Spring, meaning skiers can stay out on the trails until roughly 8 pm in mid-March to early April.
This year, its anticipating closing date is April 27, according to SnowPak.
'From its reputation of "steep and deep" for experts to its range of easy runs for beginners and wealth of intermediate trails in between, you can find the ski experience you want at Alyeska,' the resort wrote on its website.
Regardless of ski conditions, Sugarloaf the lifts stay open until early May of the resort's annual Reggae Festival that draws in thousands from across the globe
Sugarloaf, Maine
While East Coast spring skiing can be a gamble, this Maine resort has proven it can withstand the heat.
Sugarloaf keeps an estimated 70 percent of its land open until April or early May - mostly untouched.
It is also the only East Coast resort with above-tree line skiing, meaning people can ski at an altitude high enough that trees no longer grow there.
The mountain also has the highest skiable peak in the state, measuring 4,237-feet high, according to its website.
Regardless of ski conditions, the lifts stay open until early May of the resort's annual Reggae Festival that draws in thousands from across the globe.
The lively event includes four days of non-stop parties at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain.
Snowbird sees 500 inches of annual snowfall, has 2,500 acres of skiable terrain and is open to skiers until May every year
Snowbird, Utah
Snowbird sees 500 inches of annual snowfall, has 2,500 acres of skiable terrain and is open to skiers until May every year.
Last season, the Utah getaway spot closed its slopes on May 27, according to SnowPac.
May storms have even been known to bring fresh snow to the mountain, allowing it to stay open until later in the season.
In that same breath, one of the upsides about visiting Snowbird in April or May is that skiers can enjoy the snow covered terrain without heavy flurries in their face like they would see in the middle of winter.
Snowbird's website outlines outdoors options suitable for people of all ages and skill sets, making it a great family vacation spot.
Out of the 2,041 locations studied, two-thirds of them got less snow than in the 1970s
Late-season skiing is rarer than ever
While late-season skiing has its evident perks, and several resorts have been able to pull of essentially year-long seasons, climate change has put the ski industry at risk.
Warming in US mountain regions has 'outpaced the global rate' hitting the the snow-sport tourism industry hard, according to a 2024 study.
By the 2050s, it is anticipated that snow seasons will be shortened anywhere from 14 to 62 days, depending on carbon emission rates.
Other research suggests that climate change has impacted regions inconsistently.
Winter is the fastest-warming season in the US, resulting in decreased snowfall in most places, according to Climate Central data from 2023.
Out of the 2,041 locations studied, two-thirds of them got less snow than in the 1970s. The remaining regions actually saw an increase in snowfall.
The study reads: 'Climate change affects the timing, location, and amount of snowfall - as well as spring snowmelt patterns - in complex ways.'
