Well, it sure was a great ski season everywhere. Near record snow accumulations and good cold weather for man-made snow bases carried us well into late April and early May all around, and a few areas are still going. However, I think, for most of, us it’s “dry land” for the summer months.

I know it feels good to dig your toes in some summer sand, but deep down, you're going to be feeling guilty if those belly muscles and quads start to get a little soft. So, before you get to where you can “pinch an inch” around your sides, head into the best gym in the world – the great outdoors.

There are many ways to stay in good physical condition year and still breathe in fresh air and hiking is one of best. Here's how hiking will keep your ski muscles fit in the summer.

Related Resources

• Hiking for Skiers
• Hiking Tips
• Off-Season Fitness and Training for Skiers

Photo © Mike Doyle

Snowbird, Utah has not only announced it is extending ski season at least into June, but is also reopening the Little Cloud chairlift, which was not scheduled to operate for the remainder of the spring schedule.

Snowbird lifts have run as late as July 4 in two previous seasons, but Snowbird's President Bob Bonar said it is too early to know if that’s a possibility this year.

Also open for skiing this weekend will be Arapahoe Basin, Colorado, Mammoth and Squaw Valley USA in California, Timberline and Mt Bachelor in Oregon and Brundage in Idaho.

_{Photo of Snowbird, Utah Copyright Mike Doyle}

Now that we're pretty much in mid-spring and heading toward the dog days of summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, you can be sure the weather is cooling and snow is in the air down below the equator. Where there is snow, there's skiing to some extent, and the developed ski areas of South America offer what some people consider some of the best snow and terrain in the world. The ski resorts of Argentina and Chile are all above the treeline, and offer great skiing and good value for anyone who wants the experience of skiing in a foreign country.

Aside from the fact that the dollar has not depressed as badly as in Europe, a South America ski vacation makes for a great family vacation, introducing children into a very different culture and language. Being able to pick any week in the summer, rather than being locked into winter vacations and having to figure around school, makes for much more flexible and relaxed planning.

New Zealand and Australia are also going into their winter season and each has a variety of resorts. While the culture is much closer to the U.S and the Australian resorts more like Eastern ski areas, New Zealand offers above treeline and even heliskiing. However, these two countries are a long way to travel and the dollar has not held a value as solidly as in south America but there is a definitely and opportunity for adventure down under.

I'll offer a more in-depth look at the Southern Hemispere ski countries as spring unfolds, but a trip to any of these summer ski destinations will require a passport. So, if anyone in the family needs one now is the time to apply. You will also need a passport for future travel into Canada, so obtaining one now will cover all north and south traveling.

South Hemisphere Skiing

• Argentina Ski Resorts
• Australia Ski Resorts
• Chile Ski Resorts
• New Zealand Ski Resorts

If you ski regularly at a specific ski resort, or two, now is the time to buy your season pass for next year. Discounted season passes are available at most resorts (online in many cases) and some passes enable you to ski at several resorts.

There's usually graduating cut-off dates for buying discounted passes - the later you wait, the more it cost, so don't wait too long. Also, season pass insurance is available to protect your investment.

Skiing Season Pass Information

• Choosing a Season Pass
• Season Pass Deals
• Ski Resorts

We are really pushing the envelope this ski season as evidenced in Maine where you can whitewater raft and ski on the same weekend. Sugarloaf Ski Resort has teamed up with Northern Outdoors adventure resort to offer skiers and paddlers a unique opportunity to partake in what are usually separate season sports.

So, if you are in the area, take your turns on the Dead River on Saturday and do them in the snow on Sunday at Sugarloaf. This is your only shot because Sugarloaf, where it snowed 8" this week, is closing Sunday.

Also around the country you can still ski at Jay Peak and Sugarbush, Vermont, Arapahoe Basin, Echo Mountain, and Loveland in Colorado, and Mt. Bachelor, Mt. Hood Meadows, and Timberline in Oregon. In California head to Heavenly, Mammoth Mountain or Squaw Valley USA. Also open is Brundage in Idaho and Snowbird in Utah where they got 18" of snow in the last two days.

For actual conditions and hours check Snocountry.com.

_{Photo of This Week's New Powder Copyright Sugarloaf Resort}

Just to wet everybody's whistle for the coming out of the 2009 line of skis, here's another look at the On-Snow Demo Days held back in February at Stratton Mountain Resort, in Vermont. Jointly sponsored by The Eastern Winter Sports Reps Association (EWSRA) and the New England Winter Sports Representatives, Inc. (NEWSR) this annual event brings retail buyers, shop owners, and staff together to see what the manufacturers will be offering for the coming season.

Impress was the operative word as all the major ski, board, and boot companies laid out their best 2009 offerings for a discerning audience. For example, Elan is introducing a new mogul ski called "Bloodline" which has major design input from Elan Team skier Glen Plake - Glen was on the scene to ski and answer questions - now, that's impressive.

Head was toting a new line of Ladies skis called the One series and the nice wide Sweet One was getting a lot of attention, along with another Head model, the Mojo 94, Head black with some white graphics - nice look and a nice ride. Right behind the Head booth was the Hart booth displaying some Hart Javelins, ah yes. Hart also has a mid-fat called the Twisted Twin, which should lead the Hart brand back into the big time.

Goode, with a home-base and factory in Ogden, UT, is showing a 95 mm that should float up some of that "Greatest Snow On Earth." I also think you'll be seeing a lot of the thinner Goode skis around the NASTAR circuit next season.

Volkl and K2 displayed some soon to be legendary fatties and K2 prettied up the Lotta Luv just so they would match my daughter's boots, which will be reason #2 that I have to buy them for her next season. Reason #1 being the way she says, "But, I'm your skiing buddy, Dad."

Check out my photos from the midway.

Photo © Mike Doyle

There's no doubt this past season was one for books for the U.S. Ski Team - including six victories by the disabled team. U.S. athletes scored 29 victories and stood on 92 podiums across all six ski sports. This is a good time of year to rest on some laurels, to look back at all the good times from the past season before the coming summer brings on the training for next year.

Overall, the most notable results include five alpine World Cup titles by three different Americans - Lindsey Vonn, Bode Miller and Ted Ligety. We also saw the first women's cross country World Cup win by Kikkan Randall and the best American nordic combined ranking by Bill Demong who ranked third in the World Cup standings.

Here's a review of the highlights in each discipline.

_{Image Copyright Getty Images Don Emmett}

World champion freestyle skier with the Professional Freestyle Association, Little Jack Taylor died on April 14th. Taylor was the recognized World Freestyle Mogul Champion for three consecutive years, 1975, 1976 and 1977 on the Midas Muffler Tour. Featured on the Wide World of Sports, competition was held in Italy, France, Germany and other world class venues.

Taylor set the standard for the aggressive mogul skiing style that developed during the 70's when events were held on free form moguls and he was a true forefather of Freestyle skiing.

Later in his life Jack took up ocean sailing and at the time of his death he lived and traveled on a 35-foot sloop.

Jack skied out of Steamboat Springs where a remembrance and celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Friends are invited to share his life story and leave tributes and words of comfort for his family at www.oxleyheard.com.

With the strange weather throughout ski country, some of us are seeing mid-winter conditions and some of us are seeing grass turn green. Sooner or later all of us will be putting up our skis until – hopefully - next fall. I’ve had quite a few inquiries asking how to ensure that those expensive skis will be in the same top shape six or seven months from now. So, even though we still have spring skiing available let’s talk about the inevitable.

I asked Lee Quaglia, owner of Aspen East Ski Shop in Killington, VT – Ski Magazine’s 2006 Shop of the Year for the Northeast – how and where to store our skis. I know it’s easy to put them out of sight for the summer, but they’re never really out of mind. However, follow Lees’s advice and you’ll have peace of mind that your skis will be ready and raring to go come next season’s first snow. Here's how to store your skis.

P.S. It’s ok to kiss them good night.

The six-stop Subaru US Freeskiing Series and three-stop Freeskiing World Tour wrapped up this past weekend at Alyeska Resort, Alaska. Winners were announced following the completion of the Subaru Freeskiing World Championships.

Brett Crabtree of Whistler, BC, won the men’s overall Freeskiing World Tour, beating out Dylan Crossman of Alta, Utah. Jennifer Ashton, of Whistler, BC, won her third overall title ahead of Crystal-Rose Lee, also of Whistler.

Josh Daiek of Kirkwood Mountain Resort, CA, claimed his first Subaru US Freeskiing Series overall title, with Brett Crabtree finishing second. Crystal Wright of Jackson Hole, WY, also won her first Subaru US Freeskiing title over Hannah Whitney of Crested Butte, CO.

Speaking of Kirkwood, The weekend's Subaru Freeskiing World Championships men's event was won by Kent Hyden of Alta, Utah and Craig Garbiel of Kirkwood was a very close second. Jon Mullins, who led me in some awesome powder skiing when I was at Kirkwood earlier this year, finished a respectable 32nd.

Jon's run is also one of the efforts that is shown on the mens' finals video at the U.S. Freeskiing website. If you want to see some great nature skiing - that's skiing whats there in the most technical, speed producing, tricks included run you can manage - you have to check out all the videos from the year's venues.

By the way Jon and Craig Garbeil both ski on Moment skis, the USA made and Reno based ski company I mentioned before and told you then you'd be hearing more about these skis.

Unfortunately, the weekend was marred by the death of John Nicoletta, a skier from Aspen, CO. John died while skiing Alyeska's Headwall area on the first day of the competition. Memorial services were held at Alyeska by the competitors who dedicated the continuance of the event to John's memory. Friends are collecting remembrances of Nicoletta by e-mail at wordsforjohnny@gmail.com.