Montana Resorts End Season With Bang

Most of Montana's resorts are gearing up for closing weekend celebrations Apr. 5-6. Topping the hilarity charts is Showdown's mannequin jump, sponsored by the Great Falls Ski Club. The object? See how high and how far the decorated mannequin can fly off a ski jump before it falls apart. Several resorts end the season with pond skimming events. Lookout Pass sends skiers and riders over an icy pond Mar. 29-30 while Whitefish Mountain Resort fills up an 80-foot trough with ice water for its pond skimming contest on Apr. 6. Both Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin plan to stay open through Apr. 13. Big Sky's Spring Runoff closing weekend event watches skiers and snowboarders splat in a 100-foot slush pond.