Admittedly spring skiing can be hit or miss, but we struck Colorado Gold – abundant dry light snow in late April at Vail Resort.

Simply put, April in Colorado is when the sun is high, the snowpack is midwinter deep and the deals are cheap. As skier visits to mega-resort Vail dwindle, you definitely get more acreage for your buck - lift tickets and lodging prices hit season lows. The ski conditions are typically excellent at high elevation areas, Vail’s base is 8,200’ and summit is 11,570’. It can be wintry at the mountaintop while its 60-degrees and sunny in the valleys below.

We attempted to conquer the immense inimitable Vail in a week, the king of Colorado skiing. Vail claims that on a busy day there are four skiers per acre amongst their 5,289-acres and 34 lifts (including a whopping 14 high-speed quads). In April, we found ourselves in Vail’s 3,000-acre Back Bowls without another skier in sight – more like 1,000-acres per person. It felt like they were running the lifts at the backside Blue Sky Basin just for us, a little eerie but something I could easily get used too – particularly the morning we scored seven-inches of fresh powder.

Surprisingly, Beaver Creek, Vail and sibling Breckenridge were all near full operation right up till closing, with all but a few lifts running, and trails blanketed in white, many groomed daily. Mind you, we lucked out with record snow, and we followed the daily grooming report (a must this time of year) and carved the cord trails first. It gets cold at night at 10,000’ so unless you like concrete crud, stick to the machine manicured until the sun softens the corn and the bumps on Prima and Pronto (around 11am). Vail is notorious for its size, but also for grooming up to1,600-acres each night with 29 groomers, more than any resort on the planet.

Another bonus of spring skiing in Colorado, since the tourists are decidedly absent –the locals come out to play. You know you’re in the zone when there is sun, snow and locals on the slopes. Share a chair with a native for a spot of sunscreen and tips on where to shop and dine, and of course, drink.

When the snow got squishy in the afternoons, we strolled the plentiful shops lining the European style Vail village. We discovered a few phenomenal end-of-season sales and happened upon several happy hour specials.

In the evening, we walked the ski village to the tune of live music of Vail’s Street Beat concert series, a free band plays in Vail Village on Wednesday nights. I liked that this “nightlife” was early enough (6pm) for families and tired skiers (me). I also loved the outdoor venue, Colorado sun shines strong in springtime and people turn out in shorts, sunglasses and t-shirts for an après ski block party. Its worth mention that Vail has undergone a billion dollar (yup, billion) facelift to its Vail Square and Lion’s Head base areas.

Staying in Vail, day trips are easy to Breckenridge, Beaver Creek,  Arapahoe Basin, and Loveland – the latter two are known for their late season skiing. We skied The Beav and loved the posh, perfectly groomed corduroy, we were in the lap of luxury with a complete lack of crowds.  We vowed to stay at Beaver Creek next time in one of the five star ski hotels, The Park Hyatt Beaver Creek The Pines or the Westin. Bachelor Gulch also got our nod for next trip, the Ritz Carlton lodge and condos here are impressive.

We also drove the 40-minutes to Breckenridge to ride the Imperial Express quad, the highest chairlift in North America, reaching 12,840 feet. The Imperial lift accesses 400-acres of expert terrain (over 900-vertical that extremists used to hike for). This high-speed quad brings Breck's lift total to 28 and bumps its otherwise tame terrain by 25 percent –giving it some needed edge and supreme views of the panoramic Ten Mile Range.

On our return to Denver airport, we made our season-concluding turns at Loveland. You can’t miss Loveland - since the I-70 skiers’ highway and Eisenhower Tunnel slice right through the ski area, so does the Continental Divide. Loveland’s facilities are retro, so are spring skiing tickets at $40 for adults and $20 for kids. But locals love Loveland for the 12,700’ high alpine terrain of 1,365-acres and the long season. Be sure to check out the skiers tunnel under the Interstate – a crazy contraption.

Traveling out west for April vacation could become your new family tradition. Admittedly, we scored with fresh snow, and 60-degree Colorado sunshine. Prolong your season, make your last tracks on big mountain snow, save serious dough over February fares, and soak up the sun - even if it is a turtleneck tan.

For Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone vacation lodging, lift ticket and event information, go to www.snow.com or 1-877-204-7881

Beaver Creek Photos l Vail Ski Images