BigLife Magazine - Spring 2015
words by Sheridan Brett
The end of the ski season at many mountain resorts provides the perfect intersection of warmth, fun, and winter revelry. Some resorts celebrate the end of the season for weeks and some go out with a bang over a weekend. Strangely, these jubilations can resemble a tropical vacation—a day at the beach, you might say, but with snow of course. And with vertical feet rather than surf. Goggle tans abound, bikinis and outrageous costumes are prevalent, and you might even see a few people relaxing on lounge chairs complete with leis and coconut drinks. Spring in the Mountain West—it’s just another reason to celebrate the big life. At these end-of-the-ski-season parties, snow worshippers and adrenaline addicts toast the winter behind us and the summer up ahead. Here’s the BigLife look at the parties, the costumes, and the mischief of last-day (or weekend or week) madness.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
‘Pole, Pedal, Paddle’ — March 26
Hill Climb — March 26-29
Gaper Day — April 1
Official Closing Day — April 5
The end of the ski season at Jackson Hole cannot be celebrated in just one day. In reality, it’s more like one of those ultra marathons, where people run for days and pee in their shorts to avoid time-consuming pit stops—just less painful and more glamorous. But endurance is a key factor. Jackson does the end-of-the-ski-season right—with parties, concerts, and fundraisers galore celebrating the epic days logged on the hill. There’s also a little self-congratulatory pat-on-the-collective-back for making such a wise decision to move to (or visit) a place like Jackson.
Stay for all of the fun if you can, or choose one weekend, but beware the risk of contracting a case of FOMO (fear of missing out). First and foremost, the annual “Pole, Pedal, Paddle” fundraiser is a all-ages and all-personality-types event to raise money for the Ski and Snowboard Club, an organization which aims to provide affordable local ski programs for the area’s youth. Individually or in teams, it begins with a Super-G course at Jackson Resort, followed by a 10K cross-country skiing leg, a 19.8- mile bike, and finally a boating leg, finishing at the Astoria boat ramp; an event for serious athletes and day-drinking recreationalists alike.
Head back to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort on April 1 to be a part of the best April Fool’s Day event ever: Gaper Day. In true Jackson style, locals come out in droves to celebrate1 the ill-equipped tourists who are the stuff of ski town lore with costumes, libations, and some serious shredding, because after all, this is Jackson.
Four days later, Jackson Resort celebrates the Last Day with a low-brow/high-brow mix. Think big-time headliners, a little mayhem, and a lot of mischief, especially under the tram where backpacker BBQ set-ups pepper the sides of runs. The whole town gets in on the fun and concerts and parties are also held each year at the Teton Art Lab, the National Museum of Wildlife Art, the Center for the Arts (Ani DiFranco this year), and the Pink Garter Theatre.
1.with all the love and grace of a sadistic older sibling
Park City
Closing April 19
Debauchery, gorilla suits, and a signature joie de vivre make Park City Mountain Resort’s end of the ski season something to behold. And as the home to the USSA (United States Ski and Snowboard Association), you can count on spotting some Olympic hopefuls and U.S. Ski Team athletes strutting their stuff. Start the day early, before 9am, to find a spot in First Time Parking Lot, where an ambitious crowd starts right after coffee with corn-hole, extreme tailgate set-ups, and an array of games.
Throughout the day, the name of the game is to log as many vertical feet as you can while catching up with friends. The on-hill party ends semi-promptly at four, at which time revelers take their last run and the party resumes with bands, dancing, a community potluck, and more tailgating at the base of the mountain. Don’t forget to check out the PayDay Deck for a free concert from 3-5pm.
Sun Valley
Bald Mountain
Closing Day: April 19
Dollar Mountain
Closing Day: April 12
As the first destination ski resort in the United States, Sun Valley has perfected the art of toasting good times in the sun. In fact, with its Union Pacific ride that transported the glamorous and the adventurous to ski vacations, Sun Valley might have invented the ‘booze cruise,’ and stories about the all-night party train are still told. Today, party-goers don’t disappoint—the costumes at this famed resort rival those of Rio’s Carnival and the tailgating is fierce.
If you have kids (or even if you don’t), Dollar Mountain—home to an epic terrain park and 22-foot superpipe—ends its season with a bang at the yearly Pond Skim, where all ages are welcome to risk getting a little wet and show off their speed and flare.
For the Baldy send-off, park at the Warm Springs lot for a weekend of tailgating. If you feel organized, grab some friends and drop a car there Friday night, or just bus it and mooch for some truckbed space. Instead of planning entire meals, focus on one dish and barter your way to a full plate. This party is a true community event, with DJs rocking, homemade truckbed hot tubs, and food and cocktails to share.
Join the 3:30 club and meet at the top of Bald Mountain at Lookout Lodge to celebrate before your last run of the day, then head back to the bottom of Warm Springs to experience a truly unique event, Scorpion Nationals. Come 4:30pm, look to the top of Scorpion (an off-piste run) to watch some daredevils on Scorpion skis (which end at the back of the binding) face rocks, mud, grass, and snow patches all the way down to Warm Springs Lodge. Then, the participants sprint to Apple’s Bar and Grill to chug a beer. The winner is basically a legend (in his or her own mind, of course). After the lifts close and the race is over, the street, the= Lodge, Apple’s Bar and Grill, and the parking lot will be rocking with bands and jubilant alpine enthusiasts.
