Breckenridge To Extend Season To End Of April

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4) - The ski areas got some much needed snow on Sunday evening, but they admit this hasn't been the best of seasons.

Colorado Ski Country says skier visits are down nearly 7.5 percent from last year.

"One thing you can't control is the weather," Kristen Stewart with Breckenridge Ski Resort said.

The Vail Resorts CEO said recently this has been one of the hardest winters in recent memory. Significant dry spells from December into January and now most of March has made snow conditions less than stellar. But for the people who have been going, it's hard to find an un-happy customer.

"It's pretty good. It's a lot better this morning; getting a little icy now, but it's fun," skier Grant Smith said. "It's been a tough year for skiing, but I'm glad it's not blistering cold and the snow is not bad."

With skier visits down, Breckenridge has decided to extend its season until the end of April.

"We really think our April snowpack is going to be good and it's something we believe in, and so we thought this was the year to give a few extra days," Stewart said.

Which seems hard to believe when the weather hasn't helped.

"To stay open is always a business decision, but for us it's about adding value for our guests and giving them a few extra days to use their pass this season," Stewart said. "So this was kind of a no-brainer for us."

"We've got 10 days in so far … and we're going to keep coming until the snow's not here," Scott Alexander from Broomfield said.