The specific promotions described in this article have now passed, but it remains online so that the resources named will be of future use to travelers.
Cranmore Hosts Schneider Celebration
North Conway, NH, honors the arrival in 1939 of Hannes Schneider, arguably the most innovative ski technique guru of the 20th century, from Austria with winter rides on the Conway Scenic Railroad (tel. 800/232-5251; www.conwayscenic.com) on the weekend of January 9-11. On Friday, January 9, Cranmore (tel. 800/SUN-N-SKI; www.cranmore.com) rolls back its lift ticket to $3.30, the price when Schneider showed up to take over the ski school and bring his Arlberg Technique to the United States.
Mount Snow Builds Gigantic Terrain Park
Mount Snow (tel. 800-245-SNOW; www.mountsnow.com) has converted an entire mountain face into a giant terrain park. Southern Vermont's mega-mountain incorporates the long-shuttered Carinthia ski area and has converted it entirely into freestyle terrain with an astonishing 12 runs with 125 features. These include rails, jumps, superpipe with 18-foot walls, mini-pipe with 8-foot walls, snowskate playground, beginners' learning park, and a skate ramp. The super-cool day lodge has been renovated with kick-back lounge areas, expanded outdoor deck, counter-style seating along the windows, free WiFi, flat-screen televisions, and outdoor fire pits. A high-speed quad and a double chairlift serve this area but there is also one hikable park for purists.
Affordable Restaurant Opens at Squaw Valley
The new Vertical Tasting Lounge (tel. 530-583-9900; www.verticaltastinglounge.com) located slopeside in the historic Olympic House at Squaw Valley, California (tel. 800-545-4350; www.squaw.com), believes in "small plates, small price, big taste" with international comfort food specialties at $3-$13. The après-ski lounge menu is available from 2:30 to 5pm, and food is served until 10pm on weeknights and 11pm on weekends.
Over-the-Top Lift/Lodging/Luxury Package
Nearby Northstar-at-Tahoe, California (tel. 800/GO-NORTH; www.northstarattahoe.com) has created the Diamond Ski Package for the few big spenders still around these days. Geared for families, it includes seven nights in a three-bedroom residence in One Village Place (tel. 866/ 320-1342; www.tahoemountainlodging.com) -- which has a gondola that rotates through the lobby -- and six-day lift tickets for two adults and two children. And that's just the start. Also included are premium equipment rentals, four days of private ski or snowboard lessons and on- mountain guide service, a five-day Balance Spa package with two daily services per adult, one family yoga or tai-chi session, and unlimited ice skating for all. But wait! There's more. Part of the deal are $300 dining credits at the new Baxter's Bistro & Lounge, at Mikuni Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar and at Moody's Bistro & Lounge in Truckee, a $225 credit the new Chocolate Bar, $100 credit at Starbucks and two S'mores kits for roasting marshmallows over one of the resort's outdoor firepits.
Sugar Bowl Expands Terrain Park
Elsewhere in the North Lake Tahoe area, Sugar Bowl (tel. 530-426-9000; www.sugarbowl.com) has expanded and upgraded its Switching Yard to incorporate the halfpipe into the popular terrain park and relocating some features to improve ski-through. The resort has also added a boardercross training park.
Learn to Drive a Snowmobile
Lawyers for U.S. ski resorts would never permit this, but visitors to the resort of Serre Chevalier (tel. + (33) (0)4 92 24 98 98; www.serrechevalier.com/-english) in southern France can learn how to operate a snowcat for €50. Beginning drivers do not learn to operate these powerful machines on the resort's slopes but on a special laid-out course with, bumps, corners and banks. Just hope for an English-speaking driving teacher.
