Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The skin-tight leopard print outfit left too little to the imagination, so Ben Eilers went conservative Sunday.

He wore a pink dress instead.

Like many other skiers and snowboarders, Eilers celebrated Steamboat Ski Area's last day of the season Sunday with wild outfits, slushy turns and cold beverages.

"It's a melancholy celebration," Milton Slepkow said from his slope-side chair at Slopeside Grill. "I'm sad I just took my last run, but it was a hell of a season."

Eilers and Slepkow joined hundreds of end-of-season revelers at Slopeside Grill, where numerous toasts to the season were met with whoops and cheers.

"This is what Steamboat's all about," David Josfan said as he scanned the party. "You get all the locals out here having a good time. It pretty much sums up Steamboat."

"You just can't miss the last day," Patti Slepkow said, her knee in a brace to help her healing ACL. "I can't ski, but I wasn't going to miss the party."

Patti Zehner said her fourth season living in Steamboat Springs was by far her best.

"It was hard to come down today," Zehner said. "It was the greatest season I've had."

The 344 inches of snow Mother Nature dumped on the ski area from October through April were a big reason why Zehner's season was so good, not to mention the knee surgery she was able to bounce back from.

"I was able to ski like I used to," she said with a smile.

Steve Hall drove from Denver to take in the last weekend of the season and his first at Steamboat Ski Area.

"Heavy spring snow, but it was good turns," Hall said. "Couple good turns and a bunch of beers."

Sunday's weather could hardly have been more spring-ish, as temperatures hovered near 70 degrees much of the day.

But the sunny skies couldn't hold back not-so-distant memories of epic powder days.

A 22-inch February morning was the popular choice for best day of the season.

"I'd probably give (that day) a perfect 10," Josfan said. "It was an incredible season. Great powder days -- just awesome."

After a short-lived debate, Eilers, Slepkow and Mike Parker also settled on that February morning.

"Rocketing through Closets in waist deep snow," Eilers recalled. "It was the day I realized that when people said they need snorkels they aren't kidding."

And as mud season tightens its grip on Steamboat, it's days like those that will leave local skiers and snowboarders anticipating next winter.