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Mountain Creek closes after long ski season

| 08 Apr 2015 | 01:04
    Buffy and John Whiting are shown with Mountain Creek Lift Supervisor Matt Millard, center, Lifts Manager Charlie Lauren, right, Lift Supervisor Sean Keane (kneeling) and friends on the first chair of the last day of the ski season.
    Buffy and John Whiting are shown with Mountain Creek Lift Supervisor Matt Millard, center, Lifts Manager Charlie Lauren, right, Lift Supervisor Sean Keane (kneeling) and friends on the first chair of the last day of the ski season.
    Mountain Creek regulars attending Easter Service at the top of the mountain with leader Sabina Kroeger.
    Mountain Creek regulars attending Easter Service at the top of the mountain with leader Sabina Kroeger.
    Past members of the NorsemanþÄôs Club celebrate more than 50 years of skiing at Mountain Creek on Wednesday, April 1.
    Past members of the NorsemanþÄôs Club celebrate more than 50 years of skiing at Mountain Creek on Wednesday, April 1.
    Local skiers and riders hold a premature end of season tailgate party on Sunday March 29.
    Local skiers and riders hold a premature end of season tailgate party on Sunday March 29.

VERNON — Mountain Creek was scheduled to close on Sunday, March 29th and many local skiers celebrated with a tail gate party at Mountain Creek South hosted by Jim Byron, the owner of Northwood Mechanical Contracting.

However, due to favorable conditions, the ski season was extended until Sunday, April 5.

Among the visitors on Wednesday were many of the area’s die-hard skiers including past members of the Great Gorge Norseman’s Club who had been enjoying skiing at the resort for more than 50 years and acknowledged that the 2015 ski season at Mountain Creek was one of the best.

"March has just been absolutely extraordinary," resort President Bill Benneyan said. "We've had better conditions and more visits than in any time in my 20 years here. We always try to do a little something on April 1."

The success of April Fool’s Day caused Benneyan to extend closing a third time, bringinging the resort season to 105 days, the longest the resort had been open in recent memory.

The Mountain Creek Ski season did end on Easter Sunday, just as it had begun, with the Vernon die-hard skiers Buffy and John Whiting given the honor of riding the first chair on the last day of the season just as they had ridden the first chair on opening day on Nov. 29, 2014.

The Mountain Creek last day of skiing was highlighted by a non-denominational Easter Service at the top of the North Slope, which was attended by many of the regular visitors and friends, as well as newcomers to the mountain. The service was led by long time ski patroller at Mountain Creek, Sabina Kroeger.

— Photos courtesy John Whiting