ENDLESS SEASON: A skiers guide to Independence Day

It’s not very often that you can plan your 4th of July celebration around skiing.

Thanks to a particularly deep winter in the Sierras and the Western Rockies, several resorts still have snow packs measuring in at the 100-inch mark. Winter storms that crippled cities like Reno (where 81 inches fell in 12 days in January) have left resorts like Mammoth, Snowbird, and Squaw Valley choosing between getting their bike trails ready or grooming the upper mountain. The good news for skiers is that some resorts are choosing to fire up the snow cats.

If you spent your winter in the Northwest, chances are you purchased a season pass that went unused and any chance of powder shots was limited to the one or two late season storms. If you watched your local resort close in February and March, now is the chance. Put the golf clubs away and dig out the ski wax. Take those hard earned summer dollars and spend them on fuel and road trip supplies and get to higher ground. Here are a few places to declare your independence from Summer.

Mammoth Mountain

Mammoth is having their second best season on record. Their season total of 607 inches is only inches away from breaking the all-time record of 617 inches, set during the 1992/93 season. With three lifts currently operating (Broadway Express, Face Lift Express, and Chair 23), and a 5 foot base at the summit (2-3 feet at mid-mountain), summer skiing enthusiast can ride over a dozen of Mammoth’s intermediate and advanced runs. Tickets start at $50 and the Spring Park and Pipe are open until further notice. www.mammothmountain.com

Snowbird

A cool 633 inches covered the slopes of Snowbird this year and with 95 inches left at mid-mountain, Snowbird is offering summer skiing every Saturday and Sunday until the 4th of July. For $30 you can ride the Tram to the top and access the expert and advanced terrain in the Little Cloud Bowl. Though it’s unpatrolled and considered backcountry, the resort will also let you ski lines elsewhere on the mountain, including the Cirque and Baldy. www.snowbird.com

Whistler/Blackcomb

Whistler and Blackcomb were on the short end of the stick this year when it came to snowfall. Record rains in mid-January halted any hope of winter powder at Whistler, but April and May storms have deposited 85 centimeters on Blackcomb’s Horstman Glacier. Summer camps are in full swing and if you’re up for it you can purchase the Uber Pass ($50) – which will set you up to ride the Bike Park, check out Whistler Mountain’s new Peak Adventure, and ski Blackcomb’s Horstman Glacier. www.whistlerblackcomb

Timberline (Mt. Hood)

Home to more than 50 different ski and snowboard camps throughout the summer, Mt. Hood is normally the mother of summer skiing. This year there was a dirty rumor that the mountain might have to cancel summer skiing due to lack of snow, but thanks to cleaver snow farming techniques and some much needed late season storms Mt. Hood is once again the place to be for summer skiing. Tickets start at $41, and if you sign up for a camp you might even perfect that cork 7 you didn’t get a chance to work on this winter. www.timberlinelodge.com