Monday, as I was clearing another foot of global warming out of my driveway, the e-mails were coming in from ski areas. Shawnee Peak reported another foot of new snow, running their total from recent storms to four feet. It was a great start to what is often the snowiest month of the winter. It’s all part of the best month of the ski season.

Here in Maine we know that no matter what happens to that groundhog in Pennsylvania, there will be at least six more weeks of winter following Feb. 2 and more than likely, 10 weeks will follow, which means skiing until mid April and possibly beyond.

Think about it.

The sun is higher now and we have good light until the lifts close. While temperatures are still cold enough to maintain mid winter conditions, the extreme cold is past. As temperatures climb through the month, we will see a transition to more spring like conditions, but for now it’s mid winter in the mountains.

With the sun this high, skiers will gather on the decks of base and mid mountain lodges. There will be barbecues and bands and the celebration of winter and skiing that is now under way will continue until Easter, which falls on April 12 this year. Plan on skiing for at least six more weeks A check of the Ski Maine Web site turned up special events through the entire month and into April.

What a month

Sunday River which wrapped up February with the Snowboard World Cup, has a bunch of high-level competitions this month as well. As expected, the World Cup was a great spectator event, and the final day of Snowboardcross drew a crowd that filled the area around the finish, and the upper deck on the Barker Lodge was filled with watchers as well. While many of these watchers had lift tickets, the event certainly didn’t bring in anywhere near the amount invested in building the course and running the event. I couldn’t get an amount, but it’s well into six figures and could approach seven.

According to marketing vice president Jim Costello, the TV exposure will justify the expense, and from the action I saw, it will be even better on TV. We watched the upper parts of the course on the Jumbotron, switching our attention to the live action as they hit the final two jumps before the finish. This is an event made for TV. With four riders on the course, fighting for position and trying to pass, the action is non-stop.

The parallel GS was also a good spectator event reminiscent of the old pro races, head-to-head, but without the bumps that added so much excitement. It was all fun to watch.

No rest for the weary

For Sunday River, there isn’t much let up. Wednesday, the top ski colleges in the country will be there for the NCAA championships, which run through Saturday with the cross country portion at Black Mountain in Rumford. March 18-20, the resort will host a Noreaster Disabled NorAm, and the 23 through the 28, the Alpine Master’s National Championship will be contested there.

On the 21, Sunday River has the Maine Handicapped Skiing Ski-A-Thon. This is the 24th annual rendition of this huge fundraiser, and it’s expected to raise $300,000. You can get details at www.sundayriver.com. If you would like to donate without participating, here’s a skier you can support. Terri Messer sent me an e-mail with her Web site as she looks for sponsors – www.firstgiving.com/terrimesser.

There are lots more events and specials around the state. Shawnee has 2-for-1 Tuesdays and Mt. Abram has some two for one days. Wednesday, Mt. Abram is offering a Backcountry Touring Experience. On the 14, Saddleback will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a bit early. Of course, St. Patrick’s Day is the official start of the spring skiing celebration even if we have mid winter conditions. Sugarloaf’s annual Snowball is also on the 14, as is Shawnee Peak’s sixth Annual Mary’s Firemen for a Cure. On the 15, Spruce Mountain in Jay has one of their Maine ski Challenges and Lost Valley has the Snodeo. Lost Valley will go weekend only operation after next weekend.

The following weekend has a full schedule with a Junk Jam at Sugarloaf, the 24th Annual Spring Fling Beach Party and Slush Cup at Shawnee Peak, the 19th Annual Eat the Heat Chili Cookoff and Firemen’s Race at Sunday River.

The week of the 23-27 is Kids and Teens Ski Free week at Sugarloaf. The final weekend of the month will see a Kidz Night Out at Mt. Abram the 28, along with Saddleback’s fifth Annual Cardboard Box Race with a movie theme. Shawnee Peak’s race that Saturday will be the second Annual America’s Mattress Race. Black Mountain will wrap up the season with their Family Weekend and Pond Skimming.

Go wild

If you check the Ski Maine (www.skimaine.com) Web site and link onto the various area Web sites, you can get one e-mail worth mentioning came from Wildcat. Last year, they celebrated the anniversary of the opening of the gondola (Since replaced by a high speed quad) with lift tickets the same price as they were all those years ago, $9, and they are bringing it back. The next two Fridays, 3/13 and 3/20, you can ski Wildcat for just $9. That’s a good reason to ski a mountain that is great this time of year.

Actually we don’t need any excuse to ski in March. All we need is to dress in layers so we can peel off as things warm up. Don’t forget the sunscreen and the sun glasses, and remember you may need to change the wax as things warm up.

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Maine