7 reasons you can't miss closing day at Northstar

Life in the mountains is about seizing every moment.  In the summer you know your days at the beach are fleeting.  Soon that warm summer sun will be replaced by cool fall days perfect for hiking or biking.  And as much as you love to hike or to bike, you want to bask in the warm summer sun because in the back of your mind there’s a tinge of sadness knowing it can’t last.  In the winter you want to ski every powder day because you know that these days too are fleeting.

It’s what I love about life in the mountains.  It's a life of carpe diem.

And now here we are staring at the end of another season.  While we have the good news that Heavenly and Kirkwood have extended their seasons, there’s no getting around the fact that this season is coming to a close.  Closing day at Northstar is Sunday, April 15.  Here are 7 reasons you can’t miss it.

1. It's a party
   A great season is about more than vertical feet or number of powder days.  It's about the entire experience.  So join the party.  My fellow Snow Squader Kate Thomas has all you need to know about Northstar's closing day activities.
2. Last chance to ski that run
   Haven't yet skied down some of Northstar's new runs for the 2011-12 season?  Islands is an intermediate run new this season that features tree islands down the run.  It's one of my favorites and this Sunday is your last chance to check it out until next year.
3. Pond Skimming
   What could be more fun than watching someone try to cross a pond on powder skis only to end up in freezing cold water?
4. People are going to look ridiculous
   Right next to watching people fall in freezing cold water on my scale of fun things to do is just watching people look ridiculous.  Closing day at Northstar is sure to be full of tons of 80's garb, onesies, and bright florescent colors.
5. You can go mountain biking next month
   You've been tuning up your mountain bike and you're ready for a change.  You can go mountain biking next month but you can't go skiing next month.  Live in the moment.
6. EpicMix pins
   I'll admit that I put way to much stock in collecting EpicMix pins.  But having skied opening day at Northstar by being there on closing day I'll collect the Northstar Bookends pin.  What pins could you collect?  I bet there's one for skiing closing day.
7. POWDER
   That's right.  This season is not going out with a whimper.  My favorite source for snow forecasting in Tahoe -- Tahoe Weather Discussion -- says that by the weekend we could be looking at as much as 2-3 feet of fresh snow along the crest.  Get out those powder skis!

There's no moment like now.  Carpe diem!  See you at Northstar on Sunday.

-- Clark Vandeventer