Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) resorts are kicking off spring ski season with cost saving specials and entertainment to lure skiers and snowboarders to the slopes.

 
 

Here are some highlighted events offered throughout Colorado Ski Country.=:

 

Events

March 2

From March 2 – 4, Winter Park is hosting the 37th Annual Wells Fargo Cup. This event brings together world-class disabled ski racers, Denver celebrities, Broncos alumni along with amateur skiers and snowboarders of all abilities for a weekend of activities to benefit the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD). The highlight of the weekend is the World Disabled Invitational, when disabled skiers compete head-to-head on parallel courses.

 
 

March 3

Powderhorn is offering a one-day Telefest downhill extravaganza which features guest clinicians, equipment demos, fun events and an Apres-Nord Party with a live band on the Sunset Deck. The lift ticket and clinic is $60.00, clinics are $25.00, the party is $10.00 and a t-shirt is $15.00.

 
 

March 10

Bud Light Rocks the Boat Free Concert Series kicks off in Steamboat for the 13^th season, and offers a great mixture of musical genres. All concerts start at 3 p.m. on the Steamboat Stage in Gondola Square, except for closing day, April 15, when there will be two bands and the concert will begin at 2:30 p.m.

 
 

2012 Music Line-up:

Saturday, March 10th – Band of Heathens

Saturday, March 17th – See-I

Saturday, March 24th – ALO

Saturday, March 31st – New Monsoon

Saturday, April 7th – Keller Williams

Sunday, April 15th – TBD @ 2:30pm & JJ Grey & Mofro @ 4pm

 
 

March 11

Butterfly Roundup is one of the feature events at Monarch this year. Teams of two hunt around the mountain collecting colored butterfly stickers worth various points, and the top three teams win prize packages. There are extra points awarded for costumes, and the event is open to all ages. The cost is $10 per team. For more information, call (719) 530-5081.

 
 

March 17

Crested Butte Mountain Resort is once again hosting FestEVOL on March 17 and 18, bringing the unique lifestyle experience that combines mountain sports, live music, innovative natural brands and a sustainably focused “eco-village.”  The headline bands for 2012 include Barenaked Ladies on Saturday, March 17, and Guster/Big Head Todd and the Monsters on Sunday, March 18. Additional musical artists playing at FestEVOL will be announced soon.

 
 

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort is featuring the annual Steamworks Brewing Company Clambake on Purgatory Beach. Guests can enjoy steamed clams, corn on the cob and potatoes and pair it with Steamworks’ award winning beers. A portion of the proceeds benefit La Plata County Search and Rescue. Clam-tastic tunes round out this fun après ski event, which runs from 2 – 4 p.m.

 
 

Eldora Mountain Resort is hosting its Retro Day, where guest can dig out their favorite retro ski gear and party all day on the mountain. There will be live music, costume party, prizes and drink specials throughout the day. For more information, contact the mountain at (303) 440-8700.

 
 

Copper Mountain presents O’Fuego, for a St. Patrick’s Day family fete. Guests are invited to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day Copper Style, where En Fuego meets the luck of the Irish. This year’s O’Fuego will feature DJ Leprechaun Landry, fire pits, green beer and green fireworks over West Lake at 7pm. It’s a free street party the whole family can enjoy.

 
 

March 19

Sol Vista Basin will hold a Beach Bash and invites guests to chill out. The resort will serve island drinks from a tiki snow bar and play reggae music. There will be fun for the whole family with snow games, an outdoor BBQ, an all-natural log jam, and night skiing and tubing from 5 – 8 p.m.

 
 

March 31

New Belgium is back with their infamous on-mountain Scavenger Hunt at Loveland Ski Resort. Guests don their best costume, chase chickens, search for Bigfoot and answer ridiculous riddles all while skiing, raising money for The Alliance For Sustainable Colorado, and bonding with friends. Guests are invited to grab a buddy or four, bring $10 per person and a lift ticket or season pass, and join the fleet of New Belgium characters on the slopes of Loveland Ski Area for a Scavenger Hunt.

 
 

Echo Mountain is calling all cowboys and cowgirls as that resort hosts the Echo Mountain Round Up, Echo’s version of the Wild West. Guests are invited to don boots, hats and western garb as Denver’s closest ski and snowboard area transforms into the ‘Ol West with Lil’ Wranglers (ages 12 & under) Rail Jam for kids (skiers and snowboarders), evening adult racing, costume contests, BBQ, Rocky Mountain Chili Bowl snowboard giveaway, eating competition, stick horse races, prizes and much more.

 

April 8

The Beach’N Egg Hunt is on once again this year at Arapahoe Basin. The Easter Bunny and Chicken visit A-Basin for an Easter Egg Hunt on skis. Both skiing and non-skiing children can participate. The Easter Bunny arrives at noon – just outside the Snowsports Center. The free egg hunts take place on Molly Hogan for guests who do not ski and on Wrangler for those that do ski.

 
 

Deals

This spring, Sunlight invites skiers and riders to “Learn to Shine” with a three day lesson, rental and lift ticket package. Skiers and snowboarders that participate in the “Learn to Shine” program are matched with top instructors from Sunlight Mountain Resort. The three lessons can be taken on the dates of the student’s choice and participants get a free 5-Day ski pass to practice upon completion of the lessons. Skiers can take advantage of this package for $280 and snowboarders for $295.

Kids ski free, rent free and eat free with Telluride Resort Lodging. When guests book five nights of lodging and a four day lift ticket and ski rental package with Telluride Resort Lodging, they receive one comparable child lift ticket per adult lift ticket purchase and one child equipment rental per adult equipment rental. Guests will also receive a $50 Mountain Dining Card to put towards lunch at one of their resort’s on-mountain restaurants. Call 1-800-778-8581 for more information.

 

Skiers and riders can bring a season pass from any ski area in Colorado to Ski Cooper and buy two full day adult lift tickets for the price of one. This offer runs through March 6. No more than one transaction per season pass holder per day can be used, the deal is not valid with any other offers and has no cash value.

On March 25 and again on March 31, Wolf Creek is offering lift ticket specials for college students. On these two days, students can purchase a ticket for $33.00 with a current student photo ID. On March 28, locals can take advantage of Locals Appreciation Day to hit the slopes for only $33.00 adult lift tickets, and $19.00 senior and child lift tickets. No ID is required.

Photo by Sherri Harkin, sharkinphoto.com

 

Ever since your kids learned to ski you’ve been all about building their lifelong memories through winter day trips and vacations. But a ski vacay ain’t the same as spending a week on Maui. It’s like you’re planning for a wedding. What to pack? Where to go? How to get kids to their ski/snowboard lessons on time? The questions are endless.

Usually you turn to friends who’ve been to the place you’re going; then the Web for resources, insight, best places to dine, cheapest ski rentals and more. You research the heck out of the place you plan to visit because you don’t want to waste a minute once you’re there. Or maybe you’re the one who always gets asked for advice.

Park City Mountain Resort figured out three years ago when they started their online Snowmama program that there was a community of snow parents itching to chat. It’s a page where real parents provide tips, tricks and deals that make planning winter vacations fun and easy(er). It’s the best of both worlds- friends and fellow moms connecting with an online community. “The biggest reason people apply (to be one of our Snowmamas) is that they’re passionate about skiing, snowboarding and kids. They want to share that passion with others. It’s amazing to see that connection take place,” said PCMR’s Krista Parry.

 

The Contest Is On

PCMR selects new bloggers each season, and the contest to choose this season’s crew starts today. Those chosen few will receive a free family winter vacation to Park City Mountain Resort, season passes, special perks plus a cash bonus. All for two blogs a month. They’re looking for people from around the country who are jazzed about family winter vacations and who want to share their experience and insider tips. Utah, New York, even London. Anyone can apply and everyone has a shot. The Resort’s Advisory Committee is selecting a few people from each of five regions. Last year, Parry says they received 1000 applications for 10 spots. You don’t need previous writing experience but you do need family and ski experience. In fact, one of last season’s Snowmamas submitted an eight-page email she had previously written to a friend who had asked what she should do on her family vacation to Park City.

If sharing is in your blood, you’re a good candidate. Of course, your personality has to show through. No one wants to read a boring blog. An advisory committee comprised of 175 of your peers decides who’s going to write the most entertaining, informative and personality driven tales. “It’s not a popularity contest or about who has the most followers,” said Parry. “It’s who are the right people for the job.”

The right parents also have to be able to meet deadlines. That’s where the cash bonus comes in. Get your stories in on time all season and you will be well compensated.

What It Takes To Apply

Show your personality by submitting 200 words or a 60-second video on why you want to be a Snowmama or Papa. You’ll also be asked to give a tip to a family planning a winter vacation to the slopes and discuss a favorite ski memory.

Entries must be submitted at http://bit.ly/Basapp by 11:59 pm MST on September 21, 2011.

 

If You Don’t Enter Or Don’t Win

Snowmamas and papas isn’t just about the online connection. Every Friday post New Year’s any parent can gather offline for the weekly PCMR Meetups. People from all over the country ski together for a few hours. “They didn’t expect to have friends to ski with but that’s what we’ve seen,” said Parry. “They go with their family on vacation, put their kids in ski school and have a couple hours to themselves. That’s where the meet ups come in. You can ski with someone who knows the mountain.”

For more details or to read past blogs, visit www.snowmamas.com

Only two more days to cash in on the hottest pass deal in Utah. Altas Silver and Powder cards sale ends September 30. With the revolutionary changes to Altas renown holdout on modernization, youll want to ski there this season. Theyve yanked out the old Collins and Germania lifts and installed a 6,300 foot detachable quad lift that goes from Wildcat base to the current Germania bottom, then banks 30 degrees to the left and continues on to the current Germania top.

Now you can go from bottom to top in nine minutes. Thats the same amount it time it took to ride just the old Germania lift. Plus, the Lower Wildcat base area parking lot has been raised. No more hill to climb to get started! When you think about it, the cards would make an excellent gift for a Utah friend. Log onto www.alta.com for more information.

Alta Powder Card- 10 days for $370. Can be reloaded during the operatingseason at the same rate. Unused Powder Card values can be applied towardspurchase of season pass or preseason discount ticket products next seasononly. Open to all Utah residents, purchase before Sept. 30, 2004.

*NEW*Alta Silver Card- $99 gets you $20 off an adult all area day pass each time you present your card throughout the season. Plus, the card is TRANSFERABLE. Open to all Utah residents, purchase before Sept. 30, 2004. (801) 359-1078. http://alta.com