For some ski resorts in the D.C. area, the end of the season is near. Last week’s mild temperatures, coupled with a steady rain on Sunday, have left many casualties in the form of trail closures and bare spots. Several resorts, including Whitetail and Ski Roundtop, have set Sunday, March 28 as their closing date. But there is still a lot of life left in the ski season. Snow has continued to fall as recently as this morning at resorts such as Wisp and Seven Springs. In West Virginia, Snowshoe Mountain Resort shows no signs of slowing down with a base depth of 70-104 inches. Ironically, March has offered the best conditions of the season for local resorts, and several resorts will last well into April, as long as visit rates stay high. Traditionally, local resorts turn to slush by early March.

So don’t hang those skis and boards up yet. As a bonus, local ski areas are offering reduced lift ticket prices for the remainder of the season. For example, you can slice $5 off lift tickets at Whitetail, or grab a $15 lift ticket at Wisp on weekdays. Starting March 29, lift tickets at Snowshoe will drop down to $12. Hidden Valley will be closed midweek but will re-open for the weekend with $20 lift tickets.

Even if temperatures in your area are high, remember that temperatures at resorts can be much lower, and it takes awhile for snow to melt. At this point, a lot of resorts will be setting their closing dates based on skier or snowboarder visit rates - not on snow conditions. So now’s a great time to get in a last trip or two. Be sure to check with the resort you plan to visit prior to the trip to make sure they are open and operating under normal hours.

Enjoy the spring skiing!