ON THE MOVE : SKI PACKAGES AND BARGAINS SKIING VACATIONS DON'T HAVE TO COST ARM AND A LEG.Byline: Daily News and Wire Services You don't have to spend a mountain of moola moo·la or moo·lah n. Slang Money. [Origin unknown.] for a ski or snowboard vacation. Even the toniest resorts cut deals for folks who are flexible and do their homework. Ski areas, hotels and even airlines have their own version of the white sale. It's just a matter of finding the vacation package that best suits your needs. A few questions to consider first: How much vacation can you afford? And what are you willing to skimp skimp v. skimped, skimp·ing, skimps v.tr. 1. To deal with hastily, carelessly, or with poor material: concentrated on reelection, skimping other matters. 2. on? Aspen's $59-a-day lift ticket is steep, but that doesn't mean it's out of reach for the budget traveler. Plan to ski one day with the stars at Aspen, then high-tail it to one of Colorado's many small resorts such as Sunlight in Glenwood Springs, where lift prices are $28. How much do you plan to ski? Multiday lift tickets may save you money, but not if a day goes unused. The same is true for packages that include a multiday ticket. If you plan to try other winter sports winter sports: see bobsledding; curling; hockey, ice; ice dancing; ice skating; skiing; snowshoes; tobogganing. , look for packages where your lift ticket can be exchanged for a day of snowmobiling or dog-sledding. Ask about rates that provide for fewer skiing days. Is breakfast included? If so, it can save you as much as $15 per person a day. How far is the lodging from the lifts? Salt Lake City hotel packages look great if you look at the bottom line, but only if you're willing to commute two hours each day. Will staying in a condo save money? It can if you don't mind cooking most of your meals. Just don't go overboard with the amenities. Do you really need a fireplace? When evaluating ski and snowboarding packages, our aim was to keep lift and lodging expenses to about $70 per day. Packages that appear preciously priced may reflect premium accommodations, service or convenience. Best early deals The best-priced deals typically are found early in the season, from first snow until mid-December, and late in the season, mid-March to closing day in April. The trade-off is that you take your chances on snow conditions. Unless otherwise specified, all prices are per person based on double occupancy, and air fare is not included. Here are some deals we liked: An early/late-season value package is available at Whistler/Blackcomb in British Columbia British Columbia, province (2001 pop. 3,907,738), 366,255 sq mi (948,600 sq km), including 6,976 sq mi (18,068 sq km) of water surface, W Canada. Geography . Three-day deals start at $210 for lift and lodging and are good Nov. 21-Dec. 18 and April 5-25. Call (800) 944-7853. The ``First Tracks'' program at Steamboat steamboat: see steamship. steamboat or steamship Watercraft propelled by steam; more narrowly, a shallow-draft paddle-wheel steamboat widely used on rivers in the 19th century, particularly the Mississippi River and its tributaries. in Colorado offers a three-day lift ticket and four nights' lodging starting at $225. The package is available Nov. 21-Dec. 19. Call (800) 922-2722. At Winter Park, the closest ski area to Denver, three nights' lodging, a two-day lift ticket, breakfast, shaped ski rental and admission to a carve clinic costs $214, based on double occupancy in motel, through Dec. 19. Call (800) 729-5813. At Sun Valley, Idaho <includeonly></includeonly> Sun Valley is a city and affluent resort community in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum in Blaine County. , a special Thanksgiving package, good Nov. 26-30, includes four nights' lodgings, a three-day lift ticket and a Thanksgiving dinner The centerpiece of contemporary Thanksgiving in the United States is a large meal, starring a large roasted turkey. All of the dishes in the traditional American version of Thanksgiving Dinner are made from foods native to North America, according to tradition the Pilgrims received these buffet starting at $222 per person, double occupancy. Call (800) 786-8259. Heavenly at Lake Tahoe offers a three-night, two-day package that includes hotel and ski lift tickets or horseback riding horseback riding: see equestrianism. for $159 per person, double occupancy, midweek. Also offered is a three-day, four-night package for $239 per person, double occupancy, that includes daily breakfast, an introductory mountain tour and three days' skiing. Call (800) 243-2836. Alpine Meadows The term Alpine Meadows may refer to:
Northstar-at-Tahoe offers the ``Families Stay & Ski Free'' package, available Nov. 21-Dec. 18 and again March 29 through mid-April, for as low as $66 per person per day for a family of four. The offer is subject to availability. Sunday through Thursday nights. Call (800) 466-6784. Fetchin(g) offer It is a bit of a drive from the beautiful Fetchin Inn in downtown Taos, N.M., to the slopes of Taos Ski Area, but this hotel has a great deal for downhillers. Its ``Ski Taos'' package includes three nights' lodging, lift tickets and daily breakfast for $199 per person, double occupancy. Call (800) 811-2933. The Inn at Snakedance, slopeside at Taos Ski Valley in New Mexico New Mexico, state in the SW United States. At its northwestern corner are the so-called Four Corners, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet at right angles; New Mexico is also bordered by Oklahoma (NE), Texas (E, S), and Mexico (S). , offers an all-inclusive package featuring seven nights' lodging, all meals, a six-day lift ticket and six morning group lessons starting at $885. Call (800) 322-9815. Elegant Spring Creek A spring creek is a stream that flows from a spring. Spring Creek may refer to any of the following specific places:
In Utah, Cedar Breaks Lodge at the base of Brian Head's Navajo Peak is having a ``Winter White Sale.'' The recently renovated hotel offers four nights' lodging, daily breakfast and a three-day lift ticket starting at $319. The sale price is good through April 15. Cedar Breaks also boasts a full-service day spa A day spa is a business establishment which people visit for personal care treatments such as massages and facials. It is similar to a beauty salon in that it is only visited for the duration of the treatment. . Call (888) 282-3327. Historic Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colo., gets in on the early season campaign with its ``Ski Early, Ski Free'' deal. The package, good through Dec. 17, features a deluxe room, two lift tickets for Aspen or Snowmass and transportation to and from the Aspen Airport for $199 per room per night, subject to availability. The package requires a two-night minimum stay. Call (800) 331-7213. In Colorado, Club Med Club Med (short for Club Méditerranée) is a French corporation of vacation resorts found in many parts of the world, usually in highly exotic locations. It is seen by many as having started the all-inclusive resort concept, which is now a popular vacationing style for Copper Mountain has seven-night packages starting at $1,470 that include accommodations, three meals daily, lift tickets, ski instruction with video analysis, racing instruction, snowboard instruction, aerobic classes, use of saunas and hot tubs and nightly entertainment. Club Med also has special programs for children ages 3-17. Call (800) 258-2633. Closer to home, Northwoods Resort at Big Bear offers a $69 per person per night ``Alpine Adventure'' ski package available Sunday through Thursday, subject to availability, throughout ski season The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. . Based on double occupancy, it includes overnight lodgings, breakfast, free parking and a full day's lift ticket at Bear Mountain or Snow Summit. Call (800) 866-3121. If you want to ski without paying resort prices, consider one of the 41 Hostelling hostelling n to go (youth) hostelling → hospedarse en albergues hostelling n to go (youth) hostelling → faire une virée or International-American Youth Hostels for overnight accommodations. Overnight fees at hostels in top ski areas range from $7 to $25 per person per night, with dormitory-style lodgings (separate rooms for males and females) for travelers of all ages. Most have fully equipped kitchens and dining areas. For price information and a free list of ski area hostels, call (202) 783-6161. Call the resorts Ski resorts also put together packages that may include air fare as well as lodging and lift tickets. Contact the ski areas' central reservations offices about availability. Rates will vary. You'll get your best deals if you take along your friends and don't mind bunking up. Try Breckenridge's Central Reservations at (800) 800-2732, Copper Mountain Lodging Services at (800) 458-8386, Ext. 1, Winter Park Central Reservations' ``Discover Skiing and Snowboarding'' package at (800) 729-5813 and an ``economy'' package from Aspen Central Reservations at (888) 290-1325. Save at school Look for money-saving deals at ski schools, too. Many resorts offer specials for never-ever skiers or snowboarders, and most resorts offer discounts for multiday lessons. Also ask about discounts on rental equipment for ski schoolers. Winter Park's Learn for Free program is marking its third season. First-time skiers or snowboarders can get a free three-hour lesson with the purchase of an all-day adult lift ticket Jan. 5-31. Follow-up lessons on the second and third days are just $15. Call the ski school at (970) 726-1551. At Angel Fire in New Mexico, a ``Beginner's Special'' ski package provides equipment, a full-day lesson and beginner area lift ticket for $60. Call (800) 633-7463. Silver Creek Silver Creek can refer to: Places
Skiing in open country over rolling, hilly terrain. It originated in Scandinavia as a means of travel as well as recreation. The skies used are longer, narrower, and lighter than those used in Alpine skiing, and bindings allow more heel movement. and snowshoeing snow·shoe n. A racket-shaped frame containing interlaced strips, as of leather, that can be attached to the foot to facilitate walking on deep snow. intr.v. (one day), Jan. 17, Feb. 14, March 14, $38. Call (800) 448-9458. And you can't beat free. At Northstar-at-Tahoe in California, upper intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders can attend free 1-3/4-hour on-mountain clinics covering such topics as bumps, powder and freestyle riding. The lessons begin on the hour between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily and are open to teen-agers and adults on a first-come, first-served “FCFS” redirects here. For the figure skating competition, see Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. This article is about a general service policy. For the technical concept, see FIFO. basis. A lift ticket is required. Call (916) 562-1010. Catch some air Just like the hotels and resorts, airlines also package ski vacations. For example, American Airlines American Airlines Major U.S. airline. American was created through a merger of several smaller U.S. airlines and incorporated in 1934. It continued to buy the routes of other airlines, becoming an international carrier in the 1970s; its routes include South America, the offers a ``Snow and Ski'' adventure available at 23 resorts in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and Canada. Call (800) 321-2121 for details. Swissair invites Americans on an ``Alpine Experience'' for prices starting at $875. Packages include round-trip air fare from New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , Newark, N.J., or Boston, seven nights' lodging, breakfast daily and ground transfers. For a brochure detailing Swiss Air Ski holidays, call (800) 662-0021, Ext. 31.Information: (800) 688-7947. Select from ski resorts in New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and Colorado when you go with Southwest Airlines This article is about the American airline. For the former Japanese airline, see Japan Transocean Air. For the British airline, see Air Southwest. Southwest Airlines Co. Vacations. Packages start at $169 and include air fare, accommodations, ground transportation and lift tickets. Call (800) 423-5683 or visit the airline's Internet site at http://www.swavacations.com. Amtrak Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corp., authorized to operate virtually all intercity passenger railroad routes in the United States. Amtrak was created by Congress in 1970 in response to more than two decades of continuous operating deficits by privately run offers low-cost, three- to five-day ski packages in conjunction with tour operators in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and New York. Packages start at $299 and include rail travel, transportation to the slopes, lift tickets and lodgings. For ski-rail package information, call (800) 872-7245. Deals for young and old Always look for deals if you are taking along the children. Although most claim to cater to families, some ski areas are more family-friendly than others. For example, at Squaw Valley in California, children 12 and younger ski for just $5. A lift ticket for ages 13-15 costs $24 a day. Nearby, Alpine Meadows has chopped lift rates to $10 for children ages 7-12. And your child can ski free at Steamboat in Colorado when you purchase a lift ticket good for five days or more; the offer is good for one free child per paid adult. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos Photo: (1--Color) At some resorts, you can ski without spending a mountain of money. (2) Some mountain ski areas offer night skiing, as well as classes, clinics and special lodging packages. |
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