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Big April Snow Brings Extra Weekend For Skiers & Boarders

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4) - The April snow to hit Colorado this week brings a bonus weekend for skiers and snowboarders. Both Vail and Breckenridge will reopen Friday for the weekend.

Breckenridge has received five feet of new snow this month with a foot since closing on Sunday.

The ski resorts had to talk with the U.S. Forest Service to get permission to reopen for the weekend. The ski terrain is on federal land and each year the resorts and the Forest Service agree on an opening and closing date, but it's a non-binding contract.

The Forest Service easily signed off on the plan for to reopen for the weekend.

"After skiing some amazing powder turns on closing day and more heavy snow in the forecast this week, we just don't have the heart to shut down Breck's lifts just yet," Pat Campbell, senior vice president and COO at Breckenridge Ski Resort said in a news release.

"We can't deny how great the conditions are, so this is a great opportunity for all of our guests to take advantage of a few extra days and enjoy more of the spring skiing and riding we all love here in Breck."

"This is a great way to end our 50th anniversary season," added Chris Jarnot, senior vice president and COO at Vail Mountain in the same release.

"This is an opportunity for our season pass holders and skiers from around the region to take advantage of a few extra days, and enjoy more of the spring skiing we all love here in Colorado."

But the terrain will be limited because the resorts will be working a reduced staff because of the high number of seasonal workers who have already gone home or to other jobs.

Breckenridge will open Peak 8. Vail is still deciding on how much terrain it will open but it will not be the full mountain.

Winter Park is also still open through this weekend as is Aspen Highlands. Loveland and Arapahoe Basin are open as well. Loveland has a target closing date of May 5 an A-Basin's is June 2. Both of those dates could change depending on the snow.

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