As temperatures continue below normal the spring season could be extended and certainly mid winter base depths have held up later than usual. Although March can be the biggest snow month it’s often a swap of gaining cover one day while losing it the next. By mid week we hadn’t lost any and even though the product is as good as it gets, ski areas are putting out the sale signs.

The first big one hit a week or so back when all ASC resorts offered an end of season pass for $199. That price which is less than the cost of four weekend day tickets will get you skiing at Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Attitash, Mount Snow and Killington for the rest of the season, and with Killington planning its usual June 1 skiing there’s plenty of skiing left. If that move wasn’t aggressive enough an email came along Tuesday announcing skiing for $1 March 14. Of course, that’s gone by, but it tells us all to keep an eye out for deals in the spring.

Another email came from Cranmore announcing the kids’ lift ticket for everyone the rest of the season. From now until closing tickets are $19 for anyone, any age, any day. Shawnee Peak is offering its lowest price on next year’s season tickets with skiing included for the rest of the season. The price will jump 10 percent April 7. Like all season passes there will be series of dates for early season pricing before the final jump late next fall. Wildcat also has the buy for next year and ski now deal on season passes and a super deal on April Fool’s Day when they will celebrate the sixth anniversary of the top to bottom quad with $6 lift tickets. Everyone, at least those with a winter birthday, can get one free day at Wildcat. Just show a valid picture ID on your day and get a free ticket.

Mt. Abram is already one of the lower priced areas at $35 but they do have an evening special combining tubing and skiing from 4-8 Friday and Saturday nights for $12.

There will surely be other specials as the spring season progresses. This is also the time to watch for equipment deals. We heard from Jackson Touring Center that their rental equipment is now on sale and as ski areas get closer to closing we can expect to see a lot of demos on sale at areas and ski shops. You might even be able to try them first.

Time for links?

Our vow to ski as much as possible in March suffered an interruption last weekend when we had to travel to Boston for the annual golf show. As Maine editor for the New England Journal of Golf I had the pleasant task of presenting the magazine’s Junior Boys’ Player of the Year Award to Jesse Speirs. This young man is anxious for the snow to melt so he can get back to his game and defending his 2002 titles.

The good news for ski areas at the show was the lack of golf on Cape Cod. Usually courses on the Cape have signs on their booths proclaiming they’re open and ready for business. This year, none were open and from the amount of snow we saw on the way down, the ski areas won’t have much in the way of competition from other outdoor activities at least until the end of the month.

The Maine Golf Show will be next weekend at the Holiday Inn By the Bay in Portland.

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.

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