Colorado Ski Resorts Offer Spring Break Deals, Special Events, Statewide

Still mulling over where to spend spring break, be it solo, or with friends or family? Colorado Ski Country USA resorts make it easy, with a handy online guide promoting special deals and events statewide throughout March and part of April.

In addition to loads of concerts and fun and endurance ski races at most resorts, there’s also the famed Elk Mountain Grand Traverse backcountry race from Aspen to Crested Butte, and Battle in the Bowls in Aspen Highlands. Crested Butte is also celebrating Colorado Passholder Appreciation Month through March 6; anyone holding a season pass, regardless of resort, can ski CB for $59.

Copper Mountain hosts the Copper Uncorked “working man’s wine festival” on March 10; think affordable vintages, and nontraditional pairings a la pizza, wings, and breakfast burritos. Aspen and Telluride are offering variations on “kids ski and stay free” programs, and Wolf Creek has Local Appreciation Days March 6 and 13, and April 3 and 7. Lift tickets are just $35/adult or student, $29/child/seniors. Get those plane tickets booked now!

[Photo credit: Flickr user Ben Moscona l Photography]

Plenty Of Campsites Available In Yellowstone This Spring

Unlike last year when late season snows hampered travel, visitors to Yellowstone this spring will find plenty of campsites open and available. The park has 12 campgrounds sprinkled across its 2.2 million acres of wilderness and each of them offers a unique and affordable way to visit one of the most spectacular wildernesses in all of North America.

Spring is the perfect time to visit Yellowstone for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the lack of crowds. By summer the park begins to fill up and during the peak months of July and August it can get quite crowded at times. But book your visit before June 15 and you’ll avoid the high season altogether, giving you peaceful solitude across most of the park.

The return of spring also means that Yellowstone’s trees and flowers are in bloom and its plentiful wildlife is on the move once again. Not only have the bears left their winter dens, cubs in tow, but the elk and bison are also birthing their calves throughout the region. Sharp-eyed visitors might even catch a glimpse of a moose or an elusive wolf as they explore the park’s landscapes.

If you would like to experience spring in Yellowstone for yourself then book a campsite online by clicking here. Reservations can be made at five of the 12 sites online and at a cost of just $20.50 per night it is a real bargain.

Spring Capri Pants For Women From Aventura

Capri length cargo pants are a must pack for every trip I take in the shoulder seasons – spring and fall. I like lots of pockets. I like having something that’s lighter than a pair of jeans but is not a pair of shorts. I like being comfortable and casual without looking like I’m in my jammies. And I like the length, as my travel wardrobe leans towards the modest side for most destinations.

Aventura’s Arden Organic Cotton Capris
almost fit the bill. I wanted those cargo pockets on the side – that’s where I like to put my phone. That’s the ONLY thing I want. Beyond the additional pockets, I really like these pants.

I won’t wear the zip off convertible trousers that some travelers favor. They’re just too dorky for me, and that’s saying something given my level of dorkiness. But I do like roll ups with tabs or ties to hold the cuffs in place. They’re great for beach combing or sunny days. Aventura’s capris have roll up cuffs and button-in-place tabs. The buttons are sewn on to ribbon detailing that runs down the leg. I like both the look and the fact that they’re reinforced.

The fit on these is just about perfect, and that’s a thrill for someone who’s short but hardly skinny. They’re low rise and there’s a wide flat waist that sits just right. The pants are a good cut – flat front, straight in the leg but not too narrow for a person who like cookies. There are button-flap pockets in back and flat pockets in front. On me, they’re a little long, but again, they roll up so they can be adjusted to the right length.

Fashion mavens are not going to make any bold trendsetting statements in these pants, but my travel wardrobe tends towards practical and comfortable. The pants come in six colors including white (is it after Labor Day yet?) and they feel soft and wearable right out of the box. They hold their size after washing, too.

I don’t know about you, ladies, but I have a terrible time finding pants that fit. Because the cut is so great, I’m tempted to throw a bunch of their other styles into my virtual shopping cart. Your mileage may vary, of course, as fit is purely subjective (plus, I tried on one of their dresses and oh, it did not work at all on me). That said, the Arden Capris totally fill my need for casual, lightweight, and versatile clothing for spring travel and I’ll likely be packing them well into fall. They’re $72 directly from Aventura.

Photo Of The Day: Turkish Tulips

April showers bring May flowers, as the saying goes. We’re getting plenty of rain this month in Turkey, but we’ve had flowers. April is the big month for tulips in Istanbul, and you can see them planted all over town as 11.5 million were planted for this year’s season. I took today’s photo at Emirgan Park, one of the prime viewing spots of the Istanbul Tulip Festival. There are over 100 varieties planted in Emirgan Park alone, many in interesting patterns like the nazar evil eye, a major symbol of Turkish superstition.

You probably associate tulips with Holland, but it was Ottoman Turks who first cultivated them and introduced them to the Dutch in the 17th century. Today, Turkey is trying to reclaim the flower, growing millions of tulips with a goal of becoming an exporter again by 2014. Along with fresh flowers, you can see the influence of the tulip in the shape of the Turkish tea glasses, and as legend has it, the shape of the sultan’s turbans.

Have a springtime photo to share with us? Add it to the Gadling Flickr pool for our next Photo of the Day.

5 great spring ski destinations

Winter may now be officially over but that doesn’t mean we have to hang up our skies and snowboards just yet. After all, spring usually brings warmer weather, shorter lift lines and discounted passes. For those still hoping to hit the slopes a few more times this year, here are five great spring ski destinations that will leave you wishing it was winter all year round.

Arapahoe Basin, Colorado
Traditionally one of the first mountains to open in North America each year, A-Basin is a popular destination all season long. While many resorts have already started preparing for closure, Arapahoe still boasts 56 open trails and up to seven lifts still in operation. The mountain has a consistent base of 44 inches of snow as well, which means there is still plenty of powder to shred. They’re even running some great spring specials on lift tickets, which you can find here.

Heavenly, Lake Tahoe
Located along Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border, Heavenly more than lives up to its name. The expansive ski area currently has a snow base that spans from 48-85 inches depending on where you are located on its more than 4500 skiable acres. As of this writing, the resort still has 88 trails and 25 lifts in operation and late season storms continue to blanket the area with fresh powder on a regular basis. The resort is now offering a BOGO deal on lodging and lifts as well.

Snowbird, Utah
With a vertical drop of more than 3240 feet and 85 spectacular runs, Snowbird is one of the most popular ski and snowboarding destinations in the U.S. The resort still has an impressive 94-inch base and regular snow falls continue to add to that total. Better yet, Snowbird has a full schedule of events slated for spring, including live music, ski competitions and discounted passes. Checkout the entire line-up here.Jackson Hole Mountain, Wyoming
One resort that hasn’t lacked for snow this year is Jackson Hole Mountain. Following a season that saw more than eight feet of snow dumped on the hill, Jackson Hole still has a base of 95 inches for skiers and riders to enjoy. As a result, nearly all the lifts are still in operation and every one of the 116 trails, 40 of which are groomed, remain open for business. It wouldn’t be spring at Jackson Hole without a little party and on March 31 and April 1 the resort will hold its seventh annual Mountain Festival featuring plenty of live music and skiing.

Mammoth Mountain, California
Wyoming isn’t the only place to enjoy heavy snow this winter, however, as Mammoth Mountain has had its fair share as well. The resort currently lists its base as between 6 and 8 feet, which means all 150 trails and 28 lifts remain open to skiers. Mammoth also features one of he best terrain parks in North America and a season that generally stretches into June. Currently, the resort is running a 2-for-1 special on airfare which makes getting there easier and cheaper than ever.

Just because it’s spring doesn’t mean we have to give up on our favorite winter sports. There will be plenty of time for mountain biking, hiking and kayaking in the months ahead. For now, hit the slopes and enjoy it while you can.

[Photo courtesy Arapahoe Basin]