At the Cloudsplitter Gondola, the mountain’s flagship lift, the mid-morning lines ranged from zero to the upper single digits as ultra-hearty groups of skiers and riders streamed in every now and again.

For a time, one couldn’t be blamed for questioning if the day’s most important guest, Peter Cottontail, would make his scheduled showing at noon. As the clock ticked closer, it became readily apparent: the spirit of Easter was alive and well at Whiteface.

Not one, but two Easter bunnies made their way out of the main base lodge as upwards of 75 kids and their families braved the elements and began lining the courses for two egg hunts. One was for kids ages 6 and under and the other, just a bit further uphill, for kids ages 7 through 12.

In keeping with tradition, the prize haul was no joke. Between the two hunts, Whiteface staff had dutifully assisted the Easter Bunny to stuff 5,000 eggs. Most of which contained candy and other goodies of the like, although for two extra lucky kids, each hunt featured a coveted golden egg containing a free ski pass for next season.

The Raymond family smiles at the Whiteface Easter egg hunt on Sunday. From left, MJ, Amelia, Erin, Michael and Harvey. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)

It didn’t take long. Just minutes after being given the go-ahead, the two trails were cleared clean off plastic eggs that, fortunately for the hunters, were laid in plain sight upon the white snow. The Easter bunnies made their way around, as did the mountain’s Host Patrol and staff, helping to pick up eggs and providing extra bags for intrepid kids whose baskets were starting to overflow.

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Going forward

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Despite an abysmal past week of weather — featuring copious rainfall, downright dastardly visibility and successive nights that failed to dip below freezing — the enduring snow base at Whiteface continues to flex its muscles.

Allyssa Glaser, left, Emmie Lawrence and Joellie Lawrence, right, smile at the Whiteface Mountain easter egg hunt on Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)

While things have thinned considerably, Whiteface’s core trails continue to hang on. At the mountain’s summit area, Upper Skyward, Niagara and Victoria have what is probably the greatest remaining coverage as of press time Sunday, with few bare spots. Excelsior and Lower Northway remain viable, with some tricky areas exacerbated by steep above-trail slopes where melting and runoff tends to run into the trail.

On “the Face,” MacKenzie is beginning to thin in the middle, with a handful of narrow choke points developing between what continue to be relatively robust upper and lower portions. Wilderness continues to have strong coverage, as does Mountain Run for the most part, though its usual patches are beginning to show.

The Thruway and Parkway trails remain mostly in-tact, with some thinning on Lower Parkway. Unsurprisingly, the lower mountain coverage is thinning the fastest, though groomers should be able to strategically manage what remains to keep the main thoroughfares and terrain parks going throughout its daily operations, which are slated to go through April 12.

The Lookout Mountain area is now closed for the season and Whiteface has slightly reduced its hours of operation, pushing its daily lift openings back from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., while closing remains at 4 p.m.

This week’s weather looks to offer a bit of respite, with below-average temperatures expected through mid-week. With daytime highs around, if not slightly below, freezing and nighttime lows in the teens and single-digits, likely colder at upper-mountain elevations, the melt should substantially pause until the end of the week, when seasonable temperatures return.

Shannon and Cooper Nilan smile at the Whiteface easter egg hunt. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)

Whiteface’s signature year-end events are slated for this coming weekend, with the International Pondskimming Competition scheduled for noon on April 11. Costumes and flair are encouraged, with judged categories including the best/furthest pondskim, biggest splash or wreck, best costume, best style and crowd favorite.

To keep the action moving at this popular event, sign ups are limited to 100 participants, with entries needing to be made in-person that day at guest services between 8 and 11 a.m. There is no cost to participate.

On April 12, the annual Apple Butter Open is slated to make its return. The beginner-friendly amateur moguls event takes place on the bottom of the Brookside trail, with participating skiers and snowboarders vying for some sweet treats. There is no cost to participate and advanced sign-up is available online at tinyurl.com/4t72z7sp.

Whiteface has yet to announce its plans after April 12, which are heavily dependent on weather. As of press time Sunday, daily operations are expected through then. Last season’s closing day was April 20.

Kids and families partake in the Whiteface Mountain Easter egg hunt on Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)