ALTA, Utah-
Ski or golf? That's the delightful decision some die-hard skiers must make in the Mountain West these days, with near-record snowfall this winter meaning that skiable snow likely will remain on high-elevation slopes well into summer.
Mike Szczesny and Camaeron Gray recently decided they didn't need to choose between the two sports–they skied nine Utah ski resorts and then golfed nine holes in a single day.
For the next several weeks, those who love summer and winter sports can do both, often in the same day and just a few miles apart.
"There's not that many places where you can do that," said Hilary Reiter, spokeswoman for Ski Utah in Salt Lake City, which represents 13 downhill ski resorts. "It's one of the great things about living here. You have so many options."
Though most skiers wrapped up the season weeks ago, ski industry officials say many die-hard skiers and snowboarders are refusing to give up. Many will continue hitting the slopes–even hiking up once the lifts close–well into June, and beyond.
"There's still an astounding amount of snow out there, especially in Utah, Colorado and California," said Michael Berry, president of the National Ski Areas Association, of Lakewood, Colo., which represents 332 Alpine resorts nationwide.
Most Utah ski resorts closed in April, and Snowbird is the last running its lifts. The resort, about 20 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, will be open daily through May 14 and weekends at least through May 29.
Last year, Snowbird's last day was July 4. There's still about 11 feet of snow on the ground there–about the same as this time last year. Total snowfall was nearly 600 inches, or 50 feet.
Mammoth Mountain, in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., still has an 11- to 15-foot base and plans to stay open until July 4. In Colorado, Silverton plans to stay open until June 15, longer if the snow holds up.
Laura Schaffer, Snowbird's spokeswoman, said the area can afford to stay open because it cuts operating costs dramatically as the season winds down. During midwinter, the resort employs 2,000 people and operates its tram and 10 lifts. Come May, it employs about 1,000 workers, and runs just its tram and one lift.
Because it is the only Utah resort still operating, Snowbird also continues to attract a core group of mostly local skiers, Schaffer said. Still, a typical April weekend sees about two-thirds fewer skiers than the busiest days of winter, she said. Like most resorts, Snowbird does not release its total skier numbers to the public.
Spring skiers at Snowbird outperform their midwinter counterparts in one area–beer drinking. The resort sells more beer on April weekends than on midwinter weekends, Schaffer said. She credits that to warm, sunny days when skiers linger on outside decks for live music, food and sun long after their last run.
Szczesny, 37, and Gray, 29, accomplished their feat on April 12, when the nine areas they visited–Deer Valley, Park City, The Canyons, Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, Brighton, Solitude, Snowbird and Alta–still were open. But even with lifts closing, they'll hike to the top of the resorts and into the backcountry to find snow.
"I just love being in the mountains, I love skiing and I love the different faces the mountain puts on this time of year … and the spring face would definitely be a warm, open, friendly and suntanned one," said Szczesny, who works as a waiter.
One recent day at Alta, Alex Wellen and Bob Lamm hiked to the top of the resort. With the lifts closed, they stood on a ridge at 10,500 feet elevation and virtually had the slopes to themselves. The only other people in sight were about a mile away. And without any wind or a cloud in the sky, their only concern was sunburn.
Resorts don't stop people from skiing their slopes after they've closed for the season, and don't charge for access, officials said. But they don't encourage it, either, noting that ski patrols and other safety precautions aren't in place.
"It takes the phrase 'ski at your own risk' to a whole different level," Reiter said.
Even in midwinter, Wellen and Lamm said they often trek into the backcountry to ski and snowboard untracked snow. So hiking, even up 2,000 vertical feet of soft snow, wasn't an unusual challenge for them. In fact, they said spring and summer skiing can be some of the best, when the sun creates ideal snow conditions in the morning as it hits the slopes.
"You're not really a die-hard until you're out here in May and June, and sometimes even July," said the 40-year-old Wellen, sweating in a long-sleeve shirt and lightweight pants.
Molly Cuffe of Colorado Ski Country USA, which represents 25 major resorts in Colorado, said it's hard to tell if more people are skiing after the slopes close. But she and other industry officials said more people have taken up backcountry skiing and snowboarding in recent years, and they're more willing to go to extremes to find good snow.
"Colorado is famous for its backcountry skiing, and I know people who will ski every month of the year," she said.
Kent Hyden said he'll keep skiing until the last drop of snow has vanished from the steep, north-facing slopes that are protected from the sun. With luck, he may top his record from 2005, when his last day was Aug. 18.
"I just love skiing," said Hyden, a 27-year-old cab driver. "And I'd rather be doing that than mountain biking."
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