by Jeff Farbaniec
Let’s face it, skiing is an expensive activity, but there’s no need to pay $80 for a lift ticket if you have some flexibility in your schedule and pay attention to deals and discounts. Here are my top ten deals for this winter. Okay, there are actually 11 on my list, but who’s counting?
#11 – Price Chopper’s Ski Any 3 coupon books – $139 for three full day lift tickets (that’s $46.33 per lift ticket) good at Gore, Whiteface, Bromley, Mount Snow, Smuggler’s Notch, Mount Sunapee. There’s also a $109 coupon book ($36.33 each) for Pico, West Mountain, Plattekill, Windham, Jiminy Peak and several other ski areas. The passbook is available until January 15, and these coupons are good Sundays through Friday, non-holiday.
#10 – Bromley Family Fridays – Adult lift tickets are $49 and kids are just $15 (up to three kids per adult), so mom, dad and two kids ski for $128. Offered all winter on non-holiday Fridays.
#9 – Gore and Whiteface Coca Cola Why Not Wednesdays – $38 lift ticket all winter on non-holiday Wednesdays. Bring a Coca Cola product to the ticket window. Gore’s website says full, Whiteface’s says empty. My suggestion: bring it full; it’s easier to make a full can empty than an empty can full.
#8 – Whiteface Super Sundays – $35 lift ticket on February 5, March 11, and April 1. See “Events Highlights” on their website for more information.
#7 – Maple Ski Ridge – $20 lift ticket good from 3 to 9pm. Offered Tuesday through Friday, non-holiday all winter long.
#6 – Mount Snow St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, Friday, March 16 – $17 lift ticket. I know that’s a day early, but for $17 who cares?
#5 – Oak Mountain two-for-one Fridays – Two people ski all day for $34, or $17 per person, every Friday all season long.
#4 – Willard Mountain two-for-one Thursday nights from 4 to 9pm – Two people ski for $25, or just $12.50 per person, on non-holiday Thursday nights all winter.
#3 – McCauley Mountain Crazy Fridays – $12 lift tickets on non-holiday Fridays, offered all winter.
#2 – West Mountain’s $17 Monday and Tuesday nights, and two for $20 Wednesday nights – just $10 per person, 4 to 9pm, all winter, non-holiday. You must present coupon, which is available on West’s website.
#1 – Mad River Glen’s $3.50 Roll Back the Clock Day on Tuesday, January 31 – and $14 Kiss Your Honey Valentine’s Day. Yes, lift tickets are really just $3.50, making this my top ski deal. For the Valentine’s Day deal, you MUST kiss at the ticket window, so depending on who your ski partner is for the day, that could either be a bonus or a deal killer.
All information is accurate at the time of publication, but be sure to check each ski area’s website for additional details.
Events and activities are scheduled at area ski resorts for just about every weekend this winter. Here are some of this season’s highlights. Some events have registration and entrance fees, so please check each ski area’s website for additional information.
At Gore Mountain, Sunday, January 15 is the Torch Run & Fireworks Spectacular, and on Monday, January 16 is the USASA Boarder/Skier Cross competition at the Gore Ski Bowl. On Tuesday-Sunday, January 17-22, it is Take Your Daughter to Gore Week, where daughters 19 and under ski, ride, and tube free with full paying parent.
On Thursday-Saturday, January 19-21, the Lake Placid FIS Freestyle World Cup will take place. The mogul competition is on the Wilderness Trail at Whiteface on Thursday, followed by aerial competition at the Olympic Jumping Complex in Lake Placid on Friday and Saturday. There will also be bonfires, music and giveaways, and Saturday’s jumping will conclude with a fireworks display.
Willard Mountain’s annual Rock the Mountain event on Saturday, January 28, will feature a rail jam, fun races, live music, giveaways, a torchlight parade and fireworks. On Monday, January 30, Gore Mountain’s Restaurant Race will feature awards for speediest service, best spirits and most popular. The $5 entry fee gets you a $5 coupon for the restaurant you represent.
February 5 is Super (Football) Sunday at Whiteface with $35 lift tickets, food and drink specials in the Cloudspin Lounge, and slope-side games. The Telemark Festival at Hickory Ski Center will be on Saturday, February 11, including clinics, demos, races and a Tour de Trees – all on Hickory’s legendary natural terrain. An après-tele party will follow featuring live music and local microbrews.
On Sunday, February 12, there will be a Kids’ Festival family fun event at Gore Mountain. The popular Fire on the Mountain event at West Mountain is Friday, February 17, with live entertainment, a torchlight parade and fireworks show.
Oak Mountain in Speculator has a number of events this winter. On Saturday, February 18, they’ll host the Sacandaga Challenge, where you can race through gates, hit small freestyle jumps, and challenge your skills for prizes. Plus, there will be an evening torch light parade, fireworks and skiing. On Saturday, February 25, is the Dummy Big Air where you build a dummy that attaches to skis/board to launch off a jump, and your dummy will be judged on creativity, best crash and biggest air. And their Cardboard Box Race will be Saturday, March 3, where participants make a sled out of cardboard and ride it down the hill for prizes.
At Gore on Saturday, March 3, is the Mini-Shredders Jibfest, and on Friday, March 9 there is a Full Moon Tubing and Pizza Party at the Ski Bowl with live entertainment from 6-8pm. On Saturday, March 10, the Big Air at Little Gore competition at the Ski Bowl will take the slopes. Last year’s course included a Bomb Drop start, kicker, up-log, halfpipe and kicker box.
Sunday, March 11 is Shamrock Sunday at Whiteface with $35 lift tickets, food and drink specials in the Cloudspin Lounge and slope-side games. On Sunday, March 18, Walt’s Bump Contest, Gore’s annual mogul event is on The Arena trail. Participants will be judged on style, speed, control and overall performance. In addition to male and female age group categories, there are classes for skiers, snowboarders and telemarkers. Take Your Son to Gore Week is Monday-Sunday, March 19-25, with free skiing and riding for sons 19 and under with full-paying parent.
Retro Sunday is April 1 at Whiteface with $35 lift tickets, food and drink specials in the Cloudspin Lounge – and the Pond Skimming Contest. Also on April 1 is the April Fool’s Mountain Challenge at Gore. Finally, Saturday, April 7 is the Gore Pond Skimming Contest. Think snow!
Jeff Farbaniec is an avid telemark skier and Adirondack 46er who writes The Saratoga Skier & Hiker (http://saratogaskier.blogspot.com/), a blog of his primarily Adirondack outdoor adventures.
