If one of skiing and riding's biggest draws is its inherent sense of community, there's no better way to further the power of coming together than raising a collective glass after the lifts close. That could be a cold beer, a Dram sparkling water, or a craft cocktail. What's in the glass hardly matters, what's memorable is being together on the slopes and celebrating the conquests.

Of course, the key to après lies in its very definition: "after." Imbibing after putting your skis or board up for the day still allows you to be in compliance with #9 of the Your Responsibility Code: "Do not use lifts or terrain when impaired by alcohol or drugs." In addition, you'll still want to be mindful of the altitude and getting home safely.

In this series we're exploring the many ways one can après, and here, we're looking at festivities that are what we consider a medium splurge-they offer big fun without a big financial dent.

We can only guess, but we think après has been a thing at Winter Park's Mary Jane for a looooong time-since 1976 to be exact! Which is why WP is throwing MJ a 50th birthday bash all season long with live music and food and drink specials every Saturday from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at Club Car. If you're lucky, you might score some free swag to go along with the refreshments. Bonus: Real die-hards might even spring for a pair of Mary Jane 50th 4Front skis!

One of Steamboat's most brilliant ideas to date is the Taco Beast. This snowcat-turned-taco-truck (maybe a more apt name would have been the Taco Cat?) roams the mountain 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. dispensing tacos and esquites, plus Mexican beer and sodas. OK, so maybe those aren't typical après hours, but we won't tell if you don't tell! For a true end-of-day celebration, don't miss Sunset Happy Hours on Thursdays and Sundays from 5-9 p.m. Ride the gondola to Thunderhead Lodge for live music), drinks and apps for purchase, and picture-perfect views of the sun going down over Yampa Valley.

There's nothing like a DJ spinning tracks to up the fun factor. And that's exactly the point at Eldora, where you can make laps in the a.m. and jam in the p.m. at the Timbers Tap House on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from noon to 3 p.m. There are, of course, drinks and snacks for purchase.

If you haven't been to Granby Ranch lately (or ever!) put it on your to-do list for a) the skiing and b) the vibe. Make some turns and then head up the Quickdraw Lift to The Outpost, a newly debuted snack hut and deck on the top of East Mountain. There, you can pair your panoramic views with mac and cheese (upgrade to lobster, bacon cheeseburger, buffalo chicken, or chili mac and cheese), cream-stuffed churros, or funnel cake fries. Back at the base, sip on a well-earned signature gin and tonic with bruised rosemary and lemon peel. Bonus: We love how this gem thinks outside of the box and offers craft workshops.

If you think the fare at Purgatory is just staples like chicken tenders and fries, it's time to take another spin through chef de cuisine John Feely's on-mountain menus. Of course the ever-popular burgers and tendies are always available, but you can also expect Provençal-style honey-dijon duck wings served with arugula at Backside Bistro, hearty bibimbap rice and gochujang bowls at Dante's Cafeteria, and bacon burnt ends-available in a rice bowl, sandwich, or mac and cheese bowl-at Powderhouse. It's enough to make you want to set up a culinary scavenger hunt, ending at Purgy's Slopeside for its après menu of fried polenta cakes topped with sautéed wild mushrooms and shaved manchego and bite-size tacos with shredded brisket, pickled red onions, Cotija cheese, and cilantro-lime crema.

Powderhorn was built for families and so, you could say, is its après scene. Low on pretense but big on vibe, check out Sunset Grill for pints of beer and end-of-the-day cheese curds. Also, major props to the resort for its Tiny Home Village at the base. Rent one of the six available properties for night and après right on your mini front porch or at the shared fire pit.

The thing about sweet little Sunlight is that it reminds you of the way skiing should be-fun, low-key, and accessible. Whether you're crushing a sammie on the sunny slopeside deck or riding Segundo to the Cassanova Glades (more snow please!), there's something uniquely homey about this place. New this season is an extended après with twilight skiing until 6:30 p.m. on March 13, 20, and 27. There will be live music and, of course, Todd's Tavern will be slinging drinks.

You can't count yourself a fan of Echo Mountain if you don't also count yourself a fan of The Cafe's waffle fries. Hot, crispy, waffly, salty perfection-they are the way to fuel up at this tiny resort. (Some would say it's worth the 30-ish minute drive from Denver just for the snack, especially if you order them loaded.) Bonus: Get yourself up to Echo on Valentine's Day for chairlift speed dating and drink specials. If all goes well on the lift, you might be sharing those fries!