We love it when Colorado’s ski season begins. And we love it when it ends. 

That’s because the season ends with a bash and a splash ー as one resort’s end-of-season party is described. It’s named for the common scene of pond skimming across ski areas, where more images of spring skiing come to mind: sunshine, T-shirts, costumes, corn-like snow and the festive parking lot that becomes “The Beach” this time of year. 

It’s an extended party there at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. But to properly close out the season, you might want to circle these dates: 

• Winter Park’s Spring Bash + Splash, Through April 12: Winter Park spreads the party out across three weekends with a fun-filled slate of events and attractions. Concerts, costume competitions, beach bashes and pond skims have joined the lineup over the years.

• Aspen Snowmass’ Elk Camp Surf & Snow Beach Party, April 11: Snowmass calls it “a high-energy apres party featuring live DJs and hot tubs.” Another soaking option: the pond skim, of course. The music and dancing continue into the evening down at Base Village.

• Steamboat’s Cardboard Classic, April 11: An end-of-season tradition like no other enters a 44th year. Cardboard transports race down the slopes, and their steering creators hope to hear their names called for awards later. Those include most creative, best costume and best engineering.

• Breckenridge’s Peaks & Beats, April 25-26: The two-day music series finds DJs taking the stage before a mass of costumed dancers. Others line a long runway that is the envy of Colorado pond skims. And the base of Peak 8 becomes a festive hub of giveaways and contests.

• Copper Mountain’s Sunsation, April 25-26: Breck will get some competition elsewhere in Summit County, with Copper’s annual two-day fest similarly built around live music, blue skies and splash landings. Sunsation encourages you to bring your tropical shirt, lei and grass hat.