After a quiet early season, Lutsen Mountains Ski Area is hoping to ride the wave of winter sports enthusiasm generated by February’s Vancouver Olympic Winter Games to a strong season finish this April.

“The Olympics get people excited,” said Jim Vick, Lutsen Mountains marketing director. “People watch the events and then want their own chance to have those experiences. We can say, ‘you watched it, now come do it.’”

With the Winter Games’ conclusion coinciding with Lutsen’s typical peak season from the end of February through early March, Vick expects the Olympic energy as well as normally scheduled spring breaks will boost a season he described in early February as “okay.”

“We lost our Thanksgiving business because there was no snow and because of weather conditions, we were unable to make snow,” said Vick. “However, in the first part of December, the weather turned well to our favor and in the first 23 days of December, we were able to make just as much snow as we would have made over a 40-day period beginning in November.”

While Vick called both the weekends in January and the amount of families on the slopes “softer” than in years past, he says ski hill demographics are “still across the board.” One crowd the Ski Area has had particular success with is younger skiers in their mid-20s through 30s who come to Lutsen for both skiing and entertainment.

Those looking for entertainment will find plenty of it at Lutsen during the final month and a half of the winter season.

Over the weekend of March 18, 19, and 20, Lutsen Mountains will host the Riot of Spring music festival featuring eight electronica and funk bands. The following weekend of March 26-28, Lutsen holds its annual Spring Carnival. In addition, to a beach-themed DJ dance party and costume contest, the Carnival includes races and fireworks and Vick called the event “one of those silly days of the year.” The first weekend in April hosts the Sweetwater Shakedown, another three-day music festival focused on Americana and roots music.

Skiers will notice some changes at Lutsen Mountains this year. A road project Lutsen Mountains undertook with the Cook County Highway Department has “completely changed how you come into the ski area,” said Vick. The road improvements include curbs, gutters, sidewalks and a pedestrian bridge as well as street lights and better parking access.

“It’s a significant change from a safety standpoint and an appearance and presentation standpoint,” said Vick.

In addition, a new triple-chair lift accessing Eagle Mountain opened in December. Called the Tenth Mountain Lift, Vick said the lift distributes more traffic to previously under-skied areas.

“The new lift spreads the crowd out and there’s not much for lift lines,” Vick said.

Lutsen Mountains ceased their snow making operations in the middle of February, but Vick said the amount of snow stockpiled is more than enough to last until the Mountain Melt-Down event on April 10 and 11 which closes out the winter season.

“The snow will easily make it until April,” said Vick. “There are plenty of events until then to keep the energy going.”