Skiers are still having a blast at Snowbird

The story of this, one of the most unusual ski seasons in the record books, isn't over just yet.

It's still snowing and they're still skiing at Snowbird.

Typically, come April, the snow on ski runs begins to soften and patches of dirt start to show through. And, about this time, skiers and snowboarders start looking for that narrow window of opportunity to ski "corn snow."

This year has been different.

It is, for example, a rare sight to look up at the slopes at Park City Mountain Resort and see snow-covered slopes without a brown spot on any of the runs and not see a single skier. It closed three weeks ago.

The only resort open is Snowbird. It will remain open on a daily basis through Sunday, then open only on weekends through the rest of the month until the Memorial Day weekend when it will finish the season with a three-day opening — May 28-30.

The resort will have the Tram, Little Cloud and Gadzoom open through Sunday. When it moves to weekends only, it will run the Tram and Little Cloud.

Hours will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Sunday, then move to 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. through closing. A lift ticket from now until closing is $30.

Laura Schaffer, public relations director, said Snowbird has received 65 inches of snow in April. The long-term average is 66 inches.

"We had a storm back in mid-April that dropped 21 inches of snow," she said. "Skiers told us they rated that day as one of the top five of the season. It wasn't the heavy snow we usually get in April, but it was that light, fluffy snow we get in February.

"The last storms over the weekend were the same. Here it was, April 29, and skiers were up here getting 'face shots.' "

(Face shots are a reference to light powder snow flying up from under the skis and covering the face.)

The storms over this past weekend took Snowbird's season total snowfall to 600 inches, which is 100 inches over the long-term average.

Skiers are finding good conditions mid-morning. After noon, they are moving to higher elevations where they are finding good mid-winter skiing conditions. Lower runs are starting to soften up in the afternoon.

In a more typical year, skiers at this time of year are having to follow the sun to find good skiing conditions.