Splish Splash - It's a Springtime Bash!

The 2008/2009 ski and snowboard season is approaching its end but we wouldn't let is slip away without our annual excuse for springtime zaniness. It's time for slushpond skimming, making a splash and cardboard box racing at Okemo. What was originally scheduled as an entire weekend of wackiness has been condensed into a single-day triathlon of tomfoolery tomorrow, April 5.

Registration for the 2nd annual Harpoon Cardboard Box Race, the Okemo Slush Cup and the Killarney Splash for Cash will take place from 8-10 a.m. in the main base lodge.

10:30 a.m. - The Harpoon Cardboard Box Race
Contestants must build a snow-sliding racing sled out of only corrugated cardboard and tape (plus decorative features) for a wild ride down the slope on the Bull Run “Cardboard Box Raceway.” Teams of three (must be 18 or older) must accompany their sleds across the finish line. Sleds will be judged in two categories: artistry and construction. Bonus points will be awarded for team costumes. There will be awards for the fastest sled and best self destruction of a sled while on course. Join Harpoon Brewery in the Sitting Bull after the race for a frosty brew and great prizes. Discounts on Harpoon drafts will be available all day long!

Noon - Okemo Slush Cup
The object in this rite of spring is to ski or snowboard down a trail and skim across an 80-foot-long slush pond without falling into it! It’s a chilly spring dip for those who don’t make it. Open to the first 125 participants. Entry fee is $20. Participants win fabulous prizes.

1:30 (or 30 minutes after completion of the Slush Cup) - The Killarney Splash for Cash
Go big and get wet! Three small kickers will be built at the edge of the slush-cup pond. Contestants will get one shot to splash big. Best freestyle tricks and biggest splashes will win top honors. Two age category winners will split the registration fees and go home with some soggy dollars in their pockets!

The Joeys have Jammed

It's been almost a week now since the Joey Jam at Okemo, but only 2 days since I've seen the Camaro. Our winner, a local from Ludlow, drove the car back to Okemo on Wednesday to pick up his new ski rack from Thule and to do some riding on the mountain. The car is running great and he couldn't be happier.

The event was memorable to say the least. A total of 58 competitors skied, snoboarded, monoskied, snow skated, and most of all, fell down the mountain. The tricks were amazing. The butter box moves were delightful. The costumes were unreal. The judges had their work cut out, but managed to find a winner. A Joey among Joeys. King Joey if you will. The keys were handed over and our famed Joey drove off into the sunset in his new (to him) 1992 Camaro RS.

A big thank you to all who particpated, and a shout out to those who watched and cheered. The 60 degree weather, the sunshine, the cold Sam Adams Lager just feet away, the smell of the BBQ all made the event stand out as a great day at Okemo.

Check out the video of the week at Okemo.com for a hilarious recap of the event, or head over to youtube and see what CederSports put together!

That's a lot of creamed corn and tuna!

Thank you to everyone who made Okemo's April Fool Food Drive such a tremendous success!We delivered way over 4,000 cans, boxes and packages of food to the Black River Good Neighbors Food Shelf yesterday afternoon. Those good folks provide assistance to the entire Okemo Valley region. In these difficult financial times, it's good to know that the pantry is well stocked. Thank you. Cheers!

Joey Jam - TOMORROW!

Wassup skias and ridas? Da slopes wuh wicked awesome out there and my board was goin’ mad fast down da hill, for realz. I hit a massive big kicker in Hawt Dawg Hill and got like fifteen or thirty feet of supah huge air over a snowmobilah and did da sickest nose grab. Then ma baby gurl came runnin’ over and wuz all like, "Joey, baby, you da best riddah on da whole mountain."

Awe yeah, the Joey Jam is on! Sign ups are form 8 – 10 a.m. in the Clock Tower Base Lodge Mezzanine and online. The action begins at 11 a.m. on Bull Run!

7 days until the Joey Jam

Just a quick note before I head back outside to enjoy the bountiful sunshine gracing Okemo today (and next week according to the forecast!):

We're 7 days away from the 1st annual Joey Jam at Okemo Mountain and I've got to tell you, with all the hype the odds of wining the car are surprisingly high. If you're 18 or over and in this thing to win the car your odds are 1 in 10. I'd say that's pretty good considering it's not just some cheesy old Camaro. No, it's a 25th anniversery edition of the Camaro RS. Yep, it's got 8 cylinders of raw power. It's got bucket seats for you and that special somone. And it's got a trunk big enough for all your ski gear.

Get on over to active.com and register!

Remember - even if you pre-register you still have to check in in the base lodge, but you'll be assured a spot in the Joey Jam and possibly a spot in the history books. This thing's gonna be big.

Okemo Ticket Deals Plentiful this Spring!

Plan ahead and don't pay full price.

Ladies' Day Tuesdays: March 17, 24 & 31 for $39.

VT/NH Wonderful Wednesdays: Mar 18 & 25 for $39. April 1, 8 & 15 just $29.

Thursday Skier & Rider Appreciation Days - March 19, 26th for $39. April 2, 9 & 16 for $29

Ski for FREE - no joke. Bring 3 non-perishables on April 1 and ski free.

Online Deal! Family Sunday Ticket: On select Sundays in March – a family of four can ski Okemo all day for just $198! That’s a total savings of up to $86! (Combination may include one or two adults.) Offer may not be combined with other discounts, special price days or promotions. Must be purchased online, 48 hours in advance. Available: March 15, 22 & 29th.

Online Deal! Kids Rock FREE Ticket Offer: Parents: buy a regular priced Adult lift ticket and get a ticket for your child FREE (Ages 7-18 years) valid the same day. Limited to either one Junior or one Young Adult free ticket per paying adult. Child receiving free ticket must be present. Remember that children 6 & under ski free every day with a child’s lift ticket. Offer may not be combined with other discounts, special price days or promotions. Must be purchased online, 48 hours in advance. Offer valid Monday through Friday only, March 16 through April 3, 2009.

Online Deal! BOGOHO Lift Tickets: Party of two? Perfect. Buy one regular price adult full-day lift ticket and get half-off your second adult lift ticket! Offer may not be combined with other discounts, special price days or promotions. Must be purchased online, 48 hours in advance. Offer valid Sunday through Friday (excluding Saturdays) March 15 through April 3, 2009.

Online Deal! 2-days for $99: Pre-buy your lift tickets online and get a 2-day Adult midweek rate of $99! Offer may not be combined with other discounts, special price days or promotions. Must be purchased online, 48 hours in advance. Offer valid for redemption Monday through Thursday only, from March 16 – 31, 2009. (In other words, you may redeem your two day ticket for Mon/Tues, Tues/Wed, Wed/Thurs or Thurs/Fri tickets. Last day to redeem is Monday, March 30th.)

Get ticket deals online today!

Text Deals: Finally, be sure to text 'okemo' to 67463 and don't miss out on weekly ticket deals texted directly to your phone! Standard text messaging rates apply.

A Few Really Good Reasons To Smile

As I sit and write these words, Okemo Mountain has just passed last year's total snowfall -- for the entire season. That's right: as great as last year was, and as much snow as Mother Nature dumped on Okemo last winter, we have now passed that number... by March 3.

We've got seven or eight more weeks in the season, people! We've just started what is typically the snowiest season of the month! We've got sunshine and longer, warmer days and barbecue on the decks and goggle tans to come! We've got soft spring snow and lighter jackets just around the corner and we've already gotten more snow than we got all last season! Things are still looking up, is what I'm saying! Why, you can tell how excited I am by my liberal use of exclamation points! I! Can't! Wait!

Toss in the fact that next year's Okemo Season Passes go on sale this Saturday, March 7 -- at the same rates as this season's early rates -- and I'm positively giddy. In fact, I may faint, so I'm just going to sit over here quietly for a few minutes with my head down between my knees.

[Sound of OkeDokey quietly hyperventilating]

OK, I'm back. Sun, snow, super savings... pretty good stuff, eh?