Pond skimming events are taking place at ski resorts across the country this month to celebrate the end of the skiing season. This wacky spring tradition involves costumed skiers racing down a slope, hitting a pond, and trying to hydroplane across. The events are often held on the last day of the skiing season before the chairlifts close until the following winter. Resorts like Snowbasin in Utah and Winter Park in Colorado are hosting pond skimming events this weekend, with others in New England and California also participating. The tradition dates back decades and was popularized by filmmaker Warren Miller, who documented the annual Mt. Baker Slush Cup in the 1950s.
At these pond skimming events, resorts typically create artificial ponds with plastic sheeting and water about 3 feet deep. Skiers and snowboarders try to gain enough downhill momentum to skim across the pond without falling in. Participants often dress in costumes like pajamas, movie characters, or even go shirtless. During the pond skimming event at Gunstock Mountain Resort in New Hampshire this month, skier Dan Nutton made a spectacular splash by hitting the water with his arms outstretched like Superman after skiing in a little too fast and losing control. The resort made the pond longer and more challenging this year to ensure more skiers would get wet after too many stayed dry at the previous year’s event.
Many skiers at the Gunstock event showcased their skills by successfully zipping across the pond, but others, like Edward Murphy in a bright green costume, ended up taking a plunge. Murphy admitted that about halfway across the pond, he knew he wouldn’t make it and decided to reach out and grab some water before falling in. Despite getting wet, he seemed to enjoy the experience, describing it as “diving into spring.” The Pond skimming events provide entertainment for both participants and spectators, with the crowd getting more excited when skiers fail to make it across, adding an element of fun and excitement to the festivities.
Gunstock Mountain Resort’s general manager, Tom Day, who is retiring after over four decades in the ski business, described the pond skimming event as a way to go out with a bang. The resort had music playing, a barbecue with burgers, and a festive atmosphere for participants and onlookers to enjoy. The event offered a fun and unique way to close out the skiing season while welcoming the arrival of spring. The tradition of pond skimming continues to be a popular and festive way for skiers and snowboarders to showcase their skills, creativity, and sense of humor, making it a highlight of the spring season at ski resorts across the country.
