Vail to offer 2,500 acres during bonus week as major storm targets state

It’s bonus skiing all week in Vail, which was originally supposed to close on Sunday but extended the season until April 17, and forecasters say closing weekend may be a very powdery one.

Vail will keep most of the front side of the mountain open this week, as well as both Sun Up and Sun Down in the Back Bowls. A total of 2,500 acres of skiable terrain will be open during closing week.

“Our snow conditions have just continued to get better and better throughout the month and we’ve had some of the best skiing and snowboarding of the year in the past couple of weeks,” Chris Jarnot, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Vail Mountain, said in late March. “It’s too good right now not to stay open and give our pass-holders the gift of another week to get out and enjoy what has been an amazing season at Vail.”

After a warm and somewhat rainy weekend that saw Beaver Creek close on Sunday, April 10, a major spring storm that could feel a lot more like winter is headed into the state.

“We’ll see afternoon and evening showers across Colorado on Monday and Tuesday, but most mountains won’t receive much precipitation,” Opensnow.com meteorologist Joel Gratz wrote Monday morning. “Then Wednesday will be dry, Thursday will be windy, and a strong and slow-moving storm should bring snow to Colorado from Friday through next Monday.”

Go to Vail.com for all the latest updates on terrain and on-mountain facilities at Vail.