This time of year we watch the ski reports and see the number of areas shrink as the snow melts. But it isn’t melting snow that will end the season. It will be disappearing skiers.

Warren Miller said it best. He could never understand why hundreds of skiers would show up in November to ski one or two trails on thin cover, but the slopes would be empty in the spring when the snow is still deep, the sun is high and warm, and the light is good until the lifts close.

Apparently, the anticipation of a coming season is the more powerful attraction, which explains why skiers will turn to golf when they have to play winter rules or go to work on the boat before the ice is out. For those of us who would rather ski in light clothing, the lifts will run for the rest of April, and there won’t be any lines.

The majority of areas have already closed. Shawnee Peak wrapped things up last weekend after what Melissa Rock told me was a good season, better than expected with the economy.

She attributed the strong business to the sunny weekend weather. Rock added that the previous season we had a number of Saturday snowstorms which slowed business. Most think any snow is good, but snowy weekends mean local skiers will be out having a ball, but many more will avoid driving to the mountain on snowy roads. This year, most of the snow came mid week, and weekends were busy.

Mt. Abram winds thing up today after a season that saw a number of new ideas. The ski area introduced boundary-to-boundary skiing, giving the tree and glade skiers a lot more room to play. They also offered back country skiing tours as an option for those who want to explore on skis and had an outstanding race program with three of Maine’s top coaches, Tim LaVallee, Tom Reynolds and Bob Harkins.

Those areas still in operation will celebrate the climax of spring skiing next weekend with various Easter observances. Saddleback’s weekend is anti-climatic after a press conference in Gov. Baldacci’s office March 26. GM Warren Cook told us that paid visits were up 22 percent, season passes, 23 percent and real estate sales topped $4 million.

That was this year. Cook also announced the purchase of the 60 slip Oquossuc Cove Marina on Rangeley Lake, a major step in expanding the resort’s year-round vacation attraction. On the mountain, a two-year plan includes a 1,000-seat expansion of the base lodge, replacement of the Rangeley double chair with a fixed grip quad, along with more trails and real estate development. For next Sunday, there will be an egg hunt and costume parade along with plenty of great skiing.

Sunday River has a big weekend planned starting Saturday with the inaugural Dumont Cup. This pro-am event will bring local free skier Simon Dumont and a number of his fellow pro skiers to show off big-air off-jumps and half pipe, and amateurs are invited to try their stuff as well. Check www.sundayriver.com for details. The competition will take place on Lower Rocking Chair, so it will be easy to get to and even watch from the upper deck of the Barker Base Lodge. Sunday will have a sunrise service at the top to North Peak. The Chondola will open at 6:30 a.m. for 7 o’clock service. The Easter Bunny will be on hand for an egg hunt at South Ridge at 9 a.m. Sunday River’s tentative closing date is April 26.

At Sugarloaf, the annual season pass holders BBQ is scheduled for April 26, so plan on skiing there for the rest of the month. Next weekend, the Super Quad will open from 5:30 to 5:35 a.m. to carry skiers up for the sun rise service with a special breakfast at Bullwinkle’s from 6:45 to 8:30. Cost of the breakfast, which will include Belgian Waffles with strawberries or maple syrup, is $10. Later, the annual Easter Festivities will feature the Easter Bunny, parade, scavenger hunt, egg coloring and more.

In New Hampshire, Bretton Woods, Loon, Waterville Valley and Wildcat are all operating through Easter. I did learn Wednesday while testing some new skis there, that Bretton Woods will close following Easter Weekend.

I got to take a few runs with Rik Dow, the Norway native who has run the ski schools at Mt. Abram and Sunday River and now is an assistant director at Bretton Woods. I chose the area because I could easily carry two pairs of skis to the base and conveniently switch as conditions changed. I wanted to try both skis on the firm snow early and as the snow softened. It worked fine, and I even got on some ungroomed new snow for another condition. Detailed results will have to wait until next fall, but I can say the Volkl Unlimited AC 30 with its 76 mm waist handled all conditions just fine. Details of New Hampshire area plans can be found on ww.skinh.com and linking onto the various areas.

Wildcat, with its 2,000-base elevation, is always a great place for late spring skiing. A day there will also let you take a look at how much snow there is on the other side of the highway on Mt. Washington. You can also stop at the AMC headquarters and see an actual ski report, which will include all the great runs, the Gulf of Slides, Hillman Highway, and in Tuckerman Ravine, the Right and left Gullies, the Chute and the Headwall along with the East Snowfields.

Of course, that’s for those who will hike for the runs after the lifts close. My last run will be off a lift. This week’s offering will be the last until fall, but I’ll look for you on the slopes.

Dave Irons is freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.