Some skiers lament the end of February, and if your thought is that the ski season is past the halfway mark, it’s understandable. But, if you think about the actual skiing, there is a lot left and it can be the best of the season. March is our snowiest month, and it won’t take a whole lot of snow for that to be the case this year.

The first half of the month we usually have mid winter conditions, but not the deep cold of mid winter. The sun is high and we can count on good light until the lifts close, unlike late December when last runs are made in fading light. These conditions are ideal for après ski on the deck, and ski areas do everything to accommodate these parties that for some start with lunch and continue well after the lifts close.

Swap the heavy ski wear for sunscreen and sun glasses and head out for some of the best skiing of the season.

Celebrating March

Special events and season-ending competitions fill the days and live music can be heard weekend evenings. One of my favorite events is the annual Hannes Schneider Meister Cup next weekend at Mount Cranmore in New Hampshire.

This is a celebration of the arrival of the great Ski Meister by train in 1939 and the role skiers played in World War II. Although their numbers are dwindling, members of the original 10th Mountain Division, including Hannes’ son, Herbert, will be on hand — some actually racing. Active duty 10th Mountain soldiers from Fort Drum in New York will provide a color guard. Things get underway with a torchlight parade Friday night. Saturday, there will be opening ceremonies at the base judging of vintage ski wear and equipment, ice sculpture and a silent auction. Team racing with classes from 13 to 90-plus will come next, followed by an après ski party and awards. This is always a lot of fun whether you take part — go skiing and watch the goings-on. For complete details, go to www.cranmore.com.

Closer to home there is plenty happening here in Maine. Today is the final day of the Black Mountain’s second annual Winterfest.

This week at Sunday River skiers and rides will compete in the United States Collegiate Ski & Snowboarding National Championships, and the J2 Alpine Nationals will take place at Sugarloaf.

Thursday, Lost Valley’s final Bud Race will take place with an Awards Party to wind up a season of team racing, and the annual Beach Party is set for Friday. Skiers will compete Saturday in the annual Magno race.

Up at Saddleback, the Ski Patrol Reunion and Live Auction is slated for next Saturday, and Sunday is Maine Day and Nevado demos. The Hear Me Now race is at Shawnee Peak and the New England Telemark Festival at Mount Abram.

Good times roll on

As the month progresses, there will be many more events. Naturally, the official start of spring skiing, St. Patrick’s Day, will be celebrated in some way at most areas, some starting the weekend before. Lost Valley usually winds up the season on or about the 15th, and their Snodeo is scheduled for the 14th. Shawnee Peak, always a great spot for celebrating spring with their sunny deck and patio, will have their 25th Annual Spring Fling Beach Party on the 20th, the same day as Mt Abram’s Kidz Night, Saddleback’s 6th Annual Telemark Invasion, and Sugarloaf’s Ski Club Snowball.

Sunday River has a huge weekend March 26-28. It starts Friday and Saturday with the second Annual Simon Dumont Cup, an event that let’s amateurs challenge Dumont and his fellow pros in getting big air. Also on Saturday, a small army of skiers will see how many runs they can rack up in the 25th Annual Ski-A-Thon for Maine Handicapped Skiing. This event has raised as much as $300,000 for this program. The big weekend will windup Sunday when firefighters gather for the 20th Annual Eat the Heat Chili Cook Off and Firefighters Race.

Through the month, there are as many other attractions at the various ski areas. You can check them all out by going to www.skimaine.com and clicking onto your favorite place to ski.

Olympic views

Watching the Olympics in hopes of seeing some ski action brought the usual frustrations. The night of Seth Wescott’s victory in Snowboard Cross was painfully dragged out. The fact that I had heard on the car radio about his successful defense of the crown he won four years ago in Italy didn’t help. I knew he had won, but I wanted to see that final run. While bemoaning the fact that I couldn’t watch the ski events live, I was delighted with the results of our skiers.

Lindsey Vonn’s and Bode Miller’s medals along with Julia Mancusco’s were a great boost for the U.S. Ski Team. Add Seth’s gold and the team had an impressive performance, but the stunner was the silver medal won by our Nordic combined team. This was a true first and they were nipped at the end by the gold medal team. It was a poignant moment in another way for those on the team and many of us who have covered skiing for many years.

Two years ago to the day, Paul Robbins suffered a fatal heart attack at his home in Vermont, ending a career as a press correspondent for the U.S. Ski Team. For more than two decades, Paul was more than a reporter. He was a friend of every member of the team and every writer who ever shared a press room with him. He was especially appreciative of the Nordic skiers who toiled mostly in anonymity.

Wednesday, after the combined team won that medal on the anniversary of Paul’s death, his son, DC, who works for NBC along with a few others, carried Paul’s ashes, which had sat in the press room in a Dunkin Donuts coffee cup, out along the cross country trails and scattered those ashes under a tree along side the trail. Billy Demong one of the team members wrote under a team picture, “Paul Robbins is proud.” Those of us who knew Paul, can second that. Paul would have been proud of all his kids on the team. It was a fitting tribute.