Beaver Creek closes 2024-25 winter season with springtime slush and gratitude
Sean Naylor/Vail Daily
The sunshine came and went, but the smiles and springtime slush were consistently satisfying on Closing Day at Beaver Creek, as skiers gathered to celebrate and reminisce on a fun 45th season.
“We’ve had a great winter here at Beaver Creek, starting out with a powdery Opening Day, to a historic women’s race on the Birds of Prey Course. We saw tons of snow in February, and beautiful sunny days this spring,” said Beaver Creek Resort Chief Operating Officer Bobby Murphy. “While Closing Day is always bittersweet to say goodbye to another season, I am incredibly proud of our entire team who offered amazing guest service and worked hard all winter to make the season successful.”
While the season got off to a strong start with an 18-inch powder day on Opening Day, and while several large storms made for prime powder days throughout the season, warm spells and a lack of consistent snowfall led to lower end-of-season accumulation numbers. The resort reported 250 inches of cumulative snow throughout the season, a trend that has gone down from 287 inches in 2024 and 328 inches in 2023. Regardless, the resort was still holding a 57-inch base on Closing Day.
Snowboarder Corey Rudrud, of Eagle said Closing Day, for him, is all about “a little celebration, park laps. Just a good party up there.” Rudrud, who got over 50 days of riding this year, said his main highlight was catching rope drops in Stone Creek Chutes.
Adding to the party was an eclectic assortment of fun costumes and spring skiing outfits. Skier Margaret Geyer, of Glenwood Springs, was dressed in full nun attire and said the Closing Day conditions were “a blessing.” “Nice, fun, mashed potatoes…any day on skis is a blessing,” she added.
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With most operations on the western end of the resort already shut down, the Haymeadow Express Gondola (No. 1), Rose Bowl Express Lift (No. 4), Centennial Express Lift (No. 6), Cinch Express Lift (No. 8), Birds of Prey Express Lift (No. 9) and the Wagon Train Carpet remained spinning through the final weekend, offering skiers of all levels a way to enjoy the mountain before closing for the offseason.
Snowskater Bob Masters, of Edwards, summed up his 23rd season at Beaver Creek as “radical.” Masters, who claims 131 days on the season, was on the hill with a crew of snowskaters all weekend, some of whom gained notoriety for skating barefoot. For Masters, Closing Day is all about “just hanging out with friends, getting some laps and drinking a few beers.”
With Beaver Creek now closed, Vail will be the last resort to carry out ski season in Eagle County with its Closing Day on April 20 and the popular “4 at 4” party atop chair 4 (Mountaintop Express) at 4 p.m. Sunday.
