As the West moves beyond one of its best early seasons in years, ski country in eastern North America and Europe is starting to spread its wings. Thanks to hearty holiday-season snows, more terrain is opening up at many of the resorts, and terrific deals abound from the Laurentians to the Alps.
Ski Deals in Vermont and Maine
Okemo Mountain Resort, Vermont
Okemo is offering a Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday special on a three-day lift ticket (Jan. 15-17, 2011) for $120-$175 per person.
Killington, Vermont
The 5-Day Killington Ski Week package is one of the best deals in the East. Starting at $82 per person per night on non-peak days (and just $58 in late season), the Killington deal includes five days of lift tickets and five nights of lodging from Sunday to Friday. Kids ages 6 to 12 ski free on non-peak days, and everyone skis free after they arrive on Sunday afternoon.
Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont
Stowe is offering a midweek special with slopeside lodging from $135 per night for an inn room or $229 for a condominium and $63 full-day lift tickets Sunday though Friday. For weekend warriors, the resort's Three Night Weekend Special includes three nights of lodging and lift tickets from $155 per person per night, based on double occupancy. Both deals exclude holiday periods. For more information on these deals and others, check out www.stowe.com.
Sugarloaf, Maine
Sugarloaf's annual White White World Week (Jan. 23-27, 2011) combines nightlife and skiing into one wacky package with activities during daylight hours (silly slalom, dummy jump, and more) and after dark (theme parties and concerts). Ski-and-stay packages start at $75 per person per night and include complimentary clinics as well as lift tickets.
Ski Deals in Canada
Le Massif de Charlevoix, Québec
Hebergement Mont-Saint-Anne is offering three-night ski-and-stay packages at slopeside condos and nearby row homes for rates starting at C$109 per person per night. Hotel Baie-Saint-Paul has a three-day ski-and-stay package starting at C$237 per person. There are numerous other ski-and-stay packages detailed at www.lemassif.com.
Mont-Tremblant and Mont-Blanc, Québec
In Mont-Tremblant village, the Auberge La Porte Rouge is offering winter getaway packages -- with three nights' lodging and three-day lift tickets -- starting at C$126 per person per night, including breakfast and dinner. For those on a budget, skiing Quebec doesn't get much more reasonable than a ski-and-stay package at Comfort Inn & Suites Mont-Tremblant, starting at C$64 per person per night for lodging and lifts at Mont-Blanc (late season) and C$119 at Tremblant. For additional ski-and-stay packages at Mont-Tremblant and other Quebec resorts, visit Ski Québec (www.bonjourquebec.com).
Ski Deals in Europe
Innsbruck, Austria
Ski Europe is offering a six-night package including lodging, lifts, and round-trip airfare from New York for $1,098 per person, based on double occupancy. Breakfast is included, but airline taxes and surcharges are not (around $150-$250).
Chamonix, France
Euro Lloyd Travel has a seven-night package that includes lift tickets, lodging, airfare (from Boston, New York, Newark, or Philadelphia), and transfers to the best freeride resort in the French Alps starting at $1,329 per person. Airfare from other cities is available for an upcharge.
Grindelwald, Interlaken, and Wengen, Switzerland
Accessed via Geneva, the resorts of the Bernese Oberland are known for the striking presence of Eiger and surrounding peaks and uncrowded slopes. Euro Lloyd Travel has a seven-night package that includes lift tickets, lodging, airfare (from Boston, New York, Newark, or Philadelphia), and transfers starting at $1,349 per person. Airfare from other cities is available for an upcharge.
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