This Weekend in Stoke: Yes, ski season is two weeks longer this year. Go big!

Rock out with your sunblock out! The Spring Back to Vail concert lineup kicks off tonight at 6 p.m. in Vail Village with Grace Potter & the Nocturnals and The Chain Gang of 1974 at Solaris Plaza (Train and Saint Motel play tomorrow night at Ford Park and The Greyboy...

By Colin Bane

April 15, 2011

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Rock out with your sunblock out! The Spring Back to Vail concert lineup kicks off tonight at 6 p.m. in Vail Village with Grace Potter & the Nocturnals and The Chain Gang of 1974 at Solaris Plaza (Train and Saint Motel play tomorrow night at Ford Park and The Greyboy Allstars and Jonn Mogambo Band play on Sunday). But the even better reason to head up this weekend is that Vail's still getting fresh snow, even as next week's closing day looms: They're just one or two big dumps away from breaking the 500" mark for the season, which makes for a nice time to point out that early-bird discounts on 2011/2012 season passes ($20 off the Epic Pass or Epic Local Pass) are in effect today through May 8. Good as Gold! Spring's in full swing at Copper Mountain, too, where the CBS Alt Games College Slopestyle Skiing & Snowboarding Championships get underway Saturday from 7:45 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the delightfully retro Red Bull 1976 Games Old School Air competition on Sunday will bring a Hot Tub Time Machine vibe and serve up steady reminders of the Winter Olympic Games that Colorado voters shot down thirty five years ago.

Leave it to Beaver! Speaking of time machines, pull those antique wooden skis off the wall and break them out for Beaver Creek's second annual Vintage SkiFest on Saturday, starting at 9 a.m., and don't miss the Jimmie Huega Memorial Vintage Ski Race at noon. Bust a move! There are shenanigans to be had at Winter Park on Saturday, including the Vans + Protec Hi Standard Double Big Air in the Rail Yard terrain park on Saturday and the 20th annual Tom's Terrific Cross Country "Mostly" Downhill on Saturday night at 5 p.m., benefiting Winter Park's junior ski team programs.

Other good reasons to put off your Spring cleaning this weekend include the 51st annual Loveland Derby (billed as "America's Largest Amateur Ski Race") on Saturday, Aspen Highlands' Big Air Saturday contest on Saturday at 3 p.m., followed by Sunset Skiing with lifts open until 6:30 p.m., and the free one-run lessons under the Black Mountain Express lift at Arapahoe Basin from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday (lift ticket not included).

If you've already switched sports for the season and need some new gear, make your way to the Aurora Bike Swap at Bicycle Village on Saturday or the Gear Swap at Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder, also on Saturday, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

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