Last winter, the accumulation of snow allowed some Colorado resorts to stay open as late as July 4.  This accumulation over the season amounted to over 200 inches, burying equipment like snow gauges.

Colorado hosted roughly one in every five skier visits in the nation last winter, with over 12 million visits.

As the economy slowly recovers, resorts across the United States are still offering travelers discounts.  Locations like Breckenridge Vacation Resort have deals with up to 50% off resort packages. Combining these offers with some Duty Free goods would make these trips even more affordable (and fun in the chalet).

Nationwide, resorts have also upgraded the quality of the ski experience, investing millions in faster lifts, new terrain park features and better trail grooming.

You can read more about “Colorado resorts opening ski season with momentum” on CBS News.