Mount Southington Primed For A Good March

SOUTHINGTON, CT — After all the consternation associated with the early part of the season, it's been that good of a March at Mount Southington.

Right now, the snow sports area is expected to remain open at least through March 20, general manager Jay Dougherty said Tuesday. Nest week, it will be open Monday through Wednesday from 3 to 9 p.m., Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and then regular hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

"It does look pretty good out there," he said. "It's gong to be a good March, I think."

That was kind of an understatement, as evidenced by a trip there Saturday.

Let's start at the base. It was a party atmosphere with plenty of sun, a solid base and short life lines. It set the stage for an active day.

As usual, the trail that needs to be good was, well good. That's the green cruiser Don's Way that lets the novice skiers and riders get the summit experience. It was a smooth cruise in the morning and, despite increasing traffic after lunch, held up nicely.

Staying on that side of the mountain, the star of the show Saturday was clearly the blue trail Laurel, which was turned into a secondary terrain park last month and continues to be arguably the most fun run on the mountain. The halfpipe-quarterpipe hybrid element let's one dictate the amount of air — perfect for the beginning park rat or the adult who just can't resist a little frolicking.

The hump in the middle was both enticing and fun.

An argument for the most fun trail might go to the main park with the more accomplished crowd. There were several elements in terms of rails and boxes and air opportunities to go both big and medium. The park certainly kept those riding the lift entertained.

Up the middle, Avalanche was a cruiser's delight.

Looking to the left facing uphill, it was obvious that Thunderbolt had good cover and it did not disappoint both racer and cruiser.

A plethora of beginners was hitting the learning area, something Dougherty said has been a good pattern over the past few weeks.

Dougherty said, as with every March, he and the rest of the Mount Southington crew will be watching the weather.

But he added that, so far, March has been kind to the hill and he'll stay open as long as possible.

See some late-season bargains on the Mount Southington website.