Ski, Stay, Fly and Save Worldwide
Ski resorts all over are gearing up for the winter onslaught of snow and skiers. Whether you're into snowboarding, downhill and cross-country skiing, or catching a little air on a snow mobile, winter resorts from Vermont to California to Colorado to Europe are opening their trails for beginners to advanced winter enthusiasts. Hanging in the warmth of the lodge drinking hot chocolate or knocking around the colorful streets, shops and hearty restaurants of chic or homey ski towns is a fine way to pass the time as well.
For single skiers or couples looking to benefit from the same prices paid by skiers traveling in groups of five to ten, Club Ski (tel. 800/269-6686; http://club.ski.com) offers an average of ten trips per year for 24 to 40 skiers to top ski destination all over the world including Telluride, Colorado; Park City, Utah; Zermatt, Switzerland; and Innsbruck, Austria. The program also offers ancillary options such as heli-skiing, snow mobile rides, and theatre programs. Put together by the folks at www.ski.com, one of the leading ski package groups in the world, Club Ski offers great savings for skiers looking to meet other skiers. An example of an upcoming Club Ski trip includes a six-night vacation package to Innsbruck, Austria taking place from January 12 to 20, 2006. Prices for the trip run $1,355 for the single traveler, $1,115 for a tandem, and $1,085 for groups of three. The trip includes round-trip airfare to Munich from Washington, D.C., Boston, New York and Philadelphia, airport transfers from Munich to your Innsbruck hotel, six nights hotel accommodations, daily buffet breakfast and dinner, a Ski.com group leader, a welcoming party for all participating skiers, hotel and resort taxes, one night in a Munich hotel, and a Ski.com gift bag. Lift tickets are not included in the price of the Europe trips because of the many skiing options available at European ski resorts, giving the ski traveler their choice of skiing where they want and when they want. Domestic and international airport and departure taxes ranging from $145 to $185 are also not included. Other Club Ski destinations and dates include:
- Zermatt, Switzerland: January 27 to February 4, 2006
- Chamonix, France: February 3 to 11, 2006
- St. Moritz, Switzerland: February 24 to March 4, 2006
- Telluride, Colorado: March 4 to 11, 2006
- Sun Valley, Idaho: March 25 to April 1, 2006
Check the Club Ski Website for trip details, itineraries and prices. Lift tickets are included in the price of the American Club Ski trips.
For skiers looking for an east coast skiing experience, Ski Vermont (tel. 802/223-2439; www.skivermont.com) covers all the bases for ski travelers to the Green Mountain State. The Resort Packages page (www.skivermont.com/plansave/packages.php) offers information and sometimes links to deals with significant savings. You simply select the resort of your choice and read about savings and special deals offered by the resort. For Mount Snow (tel. 800/98-0479; www.mountsnow.com/packages.html), a Ski Free package where lift tickets and lodging start at $65 at several small hotels, inns and hotels, is available through December 23, 2005, midweek from January 1 to March 30, 2006 and from March 31 to April 16, 2006. A two-night minimum may apply.
If you're looking to ski over New Year's Eve, Vermont's Killington (tel. 800/621-MTNS; www.killington.com) is offering a Christmas/New Year's Stay and Ski holiday starting at $124 per person per night that includes a two-day lift ticket and two nights of lodging. A minimum stay is required and varies by date of arrival. This package represents a savings of 13 percent off normal ski and stay prices. In addition to the holiday packages, Killington also has two to seven day ski and stay packages good from November 18, 2005 to April 29, 2006 starting at $57 per night for accommodations and lift tickets. Prices increase to approximately $69 per person during midwinter excluding weekends and holidays. Some accoutrements come with the Killington ski deals. One, you get a free ski or snowboard lesson when you purchase an adult lift ticket of three days or more a package for longer than three days. If you have kids under 12, they ski for free for the same number of days as an adult who purchases a five-day or more lift ticket. Children five years or younger always ski for free when accompanied by an adult at Killington.
Talk with fellow skiers on our Winter Sport Message Boards today.
