Spring snow means deals for skiers, snowboarders in the West

This post has been updated, as indicated below.

Last weekend’s big storm in the Sierra gave the spring ski and snowboard season a huge boost. Mammoth Mountain received between 4 and 6 feet, bringing the total so far this year to 17 feet.

Closer to Los Angeles, Mountain High -- in the San Gabriel Mountains near Wrightwood -- received nearly 2 feet from the storm and will be open into April.

At Lake Tahoe, resorts are calling it “Miracle March,” with upward of 11 feet of new snow reported at Squaw Valley. Alpine Meadows got a similar amount. And Kirkwood, south of Tahoe, received a respectable 9 feet of snow.

“This is a big help for us,” said Joani Lynch, a spokeswoman for Mammoth. “We are committed to keeping the entire mountain open through April 22. After that, we think we can make it to Memorial Day at the Main Lodge.”

Last year, a record-setter with 616 inches or 51-plus feet of snowfall, Mammoth was open through July 5.

Lynch said a new storm on the horizon could drop 12-18 inches.

And April?

“The calendar says spring, but we often get big storms during that month, “ she said. “So you never know.”

To lure skiers and snowboarders to the resort, Mammoth is offering $89 adult lift tickets for $69, if they are purchased by Tuesday. In addition, two-for-one flight deals to Mammoth from Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego airports are on sale through Tuesday.

Die-hards who buy their Mammoth 2012-13 season passes early can start using them April 15. The cost is $659, which pays for itself in about seven days. For other Mammoth deals, go to www.mammothmountain.com.

Tahoe resorts say they should be open well into April and perhaps May, depending on the weather. Many are offering bargains. To celebrate spring, Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows are offering “Springback 4 packs” for $244 for adults and $99 for kids, the equivalent of $61 a day for adults and $25 a day for kids. [Updated 3:05 p.m. Tuesday, March 27: The “Springback 4 packs” are no longer available.]

Farther north, there will be skiing and snowboarding well into the summer on the Palmer Snowfield above Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon and on the Horstman Glacier on Blackcomb Mountain in British Columbia.