Winter Park ski resort in Colorado has decided to extend its ski season to May 6th following big snowfalls in Colorado.
In total the region’s mountains are reported to have received 4-5 feet (1.2 – 1.5m) of new snowfall so far this month, with more in the forecast this weekend.
However only Arapahoe Basin (open to at least June); Breckenridge, Eldora and Purgatory (all closing this weekend); Loveland (open to May 6th) and Winter Park – which had been due to close this weekend, remain open.
Winter Park has so far received 51 inches (128cm) of snowfall this month, about 50% more than the April average already, and another major storm is expected to drop up to half a metre more snow over the weekend. It is the only Colorado resort still open to be posting a 2m+ base.
All the snowfall comes after Colorado suffered a prolonged dry spell from November to February making it difficult for the state’s ski areas to open much terrain in the main winter months.
The late snow has affected other areas of North America with resorts in the Midwest re-opening after an unprecedented snowy week there brought up to 80cm, of April snow. Snowbird in Utah reported a foot of snow in 24 hours and Mont Sutton in Quebec has announced it aims to stay open to May 6th too.
(Top image credit: Winter Park/Carl Frey)