Red Lodge Mountain concluded its final day of ski season Sunday afternoon after massive spring snowstorms helped keep the mountain open for an extra weekend.
After what had been a slow start to the year in terms of snowfall, Red Lodge got dumped on this spring and according to General Manager Jeff Schmidt, doubled it's snowfall in just a few weeks.
"In the last month, things have really turned on," Schmidt said Sunday morning. "We've doubled our snowfall at least and really improved the conditions."
Those improved conditions allowed the mountain to stay open for one extra weekend, which wrapped up on Sunday afternoon. Schmidt said the record breaking snowfallmade the decision to offer extra days a no brainer.
"Given the amount of snow, it seemed like we had to give at least a few more days," Schmidt said. "Like anything, it's nice to leave people happy, so we're ending on a beautiful day today with the sun and good spring snow."
And there were plenty of people hitting the slopes on Sunday. Billings resident Sam Grondin was among the many making the most of the extra weekend.
"It was awesome," Grondin said. "Especially getting the bonus weekend. It's just great to get up here, and any snow is still snow."
Grondin was snowboarding with a group of friends on Sunday. She said she visits Red Lodge Mountain as often as she can during the season and that the snow on the last weekend held up pretty well.
"I try to get up here every week and as much as I can," Grondin said. "It was really great to just be able to get some more snow over here. The more there is, the more there is to enjoy."
One of Grondin's friends, Tannar Steigeneier, said that even though the mountain had a slow start to the year, the great snow in the second half made up for it.
"Especially during like March and April that was probably some of the best skiing I've ever had up here," Stiegeneier said.
According to Red Lodge Mountain marketing manager Jack Moore, the mountain needed to have a strong second half of the season to make up for the disappointing start.
"It's one of those things where we all know we are a late season mountain, but it really only hits when you see it and can believe it," Moore said. "We were able to make up a lot of ground with these crowds and business and snow overall."
And Moore said that he was happy the mountain had recovered from the quiet beginning of the year, but even more happy that they were able to wrap up the season on a positive note.
"The bonus weekend is always up to the conditions and the conditions have been more than great today," Moore said. "So, all things considered, we finished really strong and we can't be happier about it."
