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.
It's actually snowing in the Northeast as I write this -- how serendipitous. Those who ski have a surfeit of promotions to choose from right now, but the name of the game is flexibility. Many of these promotions favor those who can travel when it's not Valentine's Day, President's day or some other holiday periods.
Usually we can find a glut of ski specials to the western part of the United States and the western part of Canada, but Travelocity (tel. 800/TRAVELOCITY; www.travelocity.com) has a special for the Northeast starting from $347 for flight and four nights' hotel accommodations, or from $79 per night for just the hotel stay. The lowest advertised price reflects the Rivergreen Resort in Lincoln, New Hampshire, in the White Mountain area; the airfare was calculated based on Chicago departures. Other New England destinations in the special include Lake Placid, New York, and the Stowe, Killington, Stratton and Bolton Valley ski areas in Vermont. Rates are of course based on double occupancy.
The Iron Horse Resort in Winter Park, Colorado, is available at a reduced rate through Book It (tel. 888/782-9722; www.bookit.com) starting from $179 per night, with every third night free. There are quite a few ranges of dates that are excluded this special, so you have to read carefully. The resort is located in the Arapaho National Forest, near the Winter Park Colorado ski area. It's a ski in, ski out condo deal with a rate that includes free use of a town shuttle bus, an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, outdoor hot tubs, and more. The rate is valid now through April 15, although it's not valid during Valentine's day travel period (February 14-17) nor is it available February 28-March 1.
Crested Butte Mountain's Grand Lodge Hotel (tel. 877/326-1468; www.skicb.com) in Colorado has a sale for a savings of $100 with rates from $99 valid for stays February 1-15, February 25-March 6 and again March 30-April 13. Make sure you use promo STAY99 when you call but you must book by February 12. Crested Butte is a four-hour drive from Denver.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming (tel. 888/838-6606; www.jacksonholewy.com) is currently offering a special available from $309 per person that involves four nights and three days with a three-day lift ticket at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, accommodations, complimentary shuttle and all taxes and fees. The rate is available until February 15; some restrictions apply. You can also bundle in airfare; from $719 per person from Chicago you will receive five nights lodging in Jackson, a three-day lift ticket, roundtrip airport transfers, daily continental breakfast, all taxes and fees and complimentary skier shuttle. This rate is available through April 6, based on availability.
Park City, Utah (tel. 800/453-1360; www.parkcity.info) has an intriguing promotion. It's called the Park City Quick START -- Ski Today and Ride Today, designed to get you off the plane (take an early morning flight) and on the slopes on the same day. The package permits you to convert your boarding pass into a same-day lift ticket to one of t he three Park City Resorts -- Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley Resort or the Canyons Resort. There is some paperwork to fill out in order to receive the voucher at the ticket window at the resort, but Park City is close to the Salt Lake City airport. The promotion is valid through February 14 and then again March 24 through the closing of each resort. You need to register online beforehand.
Ski Canada (tel. 866/275-4765; www.ski-canada.com) features Mont-Sainte-Anne from $435 including five nights of accommodations and three-day tri-area lift pass. (Airfare is not included, nor are transfers, but discounted airfare is available through the company.) The accommodations will be at the Chateau Mont-St.-Anne, a midrange property that is about a half an hour from Quebec City and close to the gondola lift. The special does not include air taxes, local taxes, or equipment rental or meals -- it's strictly an accommodations and lift-pass promo.
Here's something clever. In celebration of the generous coating of snow that has fallen out west this winter, the Aspen-based Ski.com (tel. 800/916-9463; www.ski.com) has come up with special that centers around 12. More specifically, if you book within a specific 12-hour window after of 12-inch snowfall (or more) during a 24-hour period, you can get a vacation package that includes $12 lift tickets. The price is valid for Vail, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, and Keystone ski resorts. After the snow stops, you have between 9am-9pm EST the next day to book a vacation package that includes the special lift ticket price. Vail and Beaver Creek's regular lift ticket price is $92 and Breckenridge and Keystone go for $81, so the savings is significant. There are blackout dates February 15-24 and March 19-25 and it must include a four-night stay in a property the company manages. You can only receive one one-day $12 lift ticket per person but once you're there you're eligible for discounted rates for each extra day of skiing. What's nice about the promotion is that you don't have to play meteorologist yourself: you can go to their site and sign up to receive an alert when the area gets the appropriate, qualifying snowfall and the special takes effect.
The Village at Squaw Valley, near North Lake Tahoe in California, (tel. 866/818-6963; www.thevillageatsquaw.com) has a number of different packages available at the moment. Starting from $143 per night, you can book three nights and get the fourth night free at a one-bedroom condo. It's valid for a Sunday or Monday arrival only and it is not valid over holiday periods. You can also select from a flexible ski and ride package starting from $167.50 per night that includes two lift tickets for adults at Squaw Valley. Or if you are traveling with a non-skiing spouse or friend, the ticket vouchers are also redeemable at its Trilogy Spa. Suites and larger rooms are available for a higher price; rates quoted do not include taxes. The promotions are valid January 5-April 12 except for holiday periods; call for more information.
