Spring skiing unleashes the fun
In the ski world, we think of these coming weeks as the time of the season for crazy. The days get longer, the sun gets a bit stronger. The sky turns that deep blue you get when it’s still cold but not too cold. We move the clocks ahead, and with that comes the time of the ski season everyone waits all year for. And with that: We all go nuts. Spring season has almost always been about celebrating. If you happen to grab dinner at the Red Parka Pub in Mount Washington Valley, you’ll see old spring skiing films on loop. Bikini races, crazy jump contests, parties with ice bars that don’t end until the bar melts; the ski world has always been wildly creative about how to savor the spring ski season.
Pond skims, outdoor music events, huge cookouts and parties at just about every base area in the nation: that’s what spring is usually about.
Of course, as we shift into spring this pandemic season, most (if not all) of the annual events many look forward to won’t be happening.
But that doesn’t mean, with a little creativity, planning and a true embracing of your crazy spring skier spirit you cannot celebrate in some of the ways we all have for so many decades.
You may need to create your crazy fun yourself this season, but if you dig down, you’ll realize that your true skier soul demands you do something fun. Consider these ideas. And remember: the snow gods are watching. Show them your dedication with fun spring activities and they’ll reward us with piles and piles of snow next season. It’s the law of nature.
Ski in a bathing suit: I’m the proud winner of the 1977 Mount Washington Valley Bronze Bikini Race. (Gosh, why have I never put that on my resume).
You don’t have to find an event like that: just put that suit on under your ski wear on a perfect sunny spring ski day and take a couple of runs – preferably under the chair for maximum impact.
Pro tips: Don’t ride the chair up in your bathing suit. Rather, wear a long coat up and have an assistant carry it down as you ski your bathing suit run.
There’s something amazing about it – and it’s a memory that you will have forever. Want to up the fun? Carry leis (bonus points for getting them in the logo colors of the ski resort you choose) and give them out to skiers and riders as you carve along in your suit.
Shorts and a T-shirt are also totally acceptable crazy spring skiing attire, should you not want to wear a swimsuit.
Pack a picnic: Ski resorts are still serving some great food this season, and there should be some outdoor cooking here and there (as well as great food trucks bringing a new twist to a lot of places).
But for me, a strong memory of spring skiing is picnicking at the base and noshing on the traditional ski day foods my family brought for such days.
Cook up a big crock pot of your chili — or in my case, my hamburger soup that my mom called “Jotty’s Montana Chowder” after her friend who always made it for us on those spring ski days. Ask all your ski friends to head to the same resort and bring something along. Meet at picnic tables outside and host your own base area party.
True, you may have some rules on tables, but with a small group of truly enthusiastic pals, you can make it a special day.
Consider ordering long-sleeved T-shirts for the gang (in the resort colors of course) with a motto. Since you may get a day that you can take a few runs jacketless, you can share your spirit of spring with the entire resort, and give all your picnic pals a pandemic memory that may actually bring a smile.
Table decorations are encouraged. Take the plunge: The pond skim is perhaps the anchor of the wild spring season. My husband loves doing them; I love taking photos of all the people wiping out in the base area pond set-up.
This year, you’ll have to step away from your resort to do this, but you can do something almost the same as a skier or rider.
Join one of the many charity plunges going on across the state and don some older ski attire you don’t mind getting wet.
To tie it into your ski season, consider wearing something with your favorite resort’s logo easy to see while plunging, and tag them on social media. You could just become a star.
There are many plunges still going on this year, although not in mass groups. Rather, you choose a day and time and invite a few friends to watch or join you.
You can do a plunge for whatever char
ity you are passionate about. A few organized ones include one for the Special Olympics (www.specialolympicsma.org/events/fundraising-events/ polar-plunge-2021/) as well as one for the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth (www.jordanhospitalclub.org/ events/event-two-x33ff). Or, ask your favorite ski resort what charity they support (most do many things for quite a few charities) and create your own.
Marathon day: With the longer days and warmer nights, you want to stay out there. Why not challenge a group of friends to do as many runs as possible in a day. Order a trophy and plan some fun prizes. Then pick a sunny spring skiing day and go from first chair to last. Tis the season for it.
Spring is about celebrating in a crazy way. We skiers and riders won’t let a pandemic stop us from that.