We're still leading our charmed life here as the sun came out for Sunday, closing day, and is out again today. It is actually "hot" compared to what we've been shouldering through this chilly spring. It was a balmy 52 degrees yesterday in Aspen and should hit 63 (!) today.

Today on Aspen Mountain, it is "rich guy buys the mountain day" as the mountain is rented out for a private party (surely you can find a way to talk yourself up the hill). Tomorrow is the employee day for Aspen Mountain so there are still chances to sneak up and make turns if you are in the know.

And then there are the next two weekends at Highlands to continue to get your skiing fix in. We'll be now turning our attention to how the rivers are coming up and how locals are coping with the fact that the the powder machine has been turned off the for the season. It is hard this not to want to thank all the front line employees of the SkiCo for working through so much snow this winter and making it possible for us to romp around day after day.

The bonus weekends at Highlands are Saturday and Sunday, April 19 and 20 and April 26 and 27. In a nod to off-season realities, the lifts will be running from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets will be $39 a day for adults and season passes will be honored. Also, in a nod to other ski industry employees, anyone who with an employee pass from another ski area from this season can get a ticket for $12.

Wolf Creek is also going to open for the same two weekends as Highlands. And if you gotta go before then, A-Basin, Breckenridge, Loveland, Silverton and Echo Mountain are still open this week. The sunshine should be enough of a motivating factor to get a gang together to road trip to Breck.