Hello Sliders!

For those who missed it, last week was one of the most awesome ski weeks and/or weekends I've seen in a long, long time. Tons of snow and sun, with light crowds and just about everyone 100% open.

This weekend is the Martin Luther King three-day holiday, so holiday rates will be back in effect. Not to worry dear sliders, simply scan down and find out how you can beat the system with deals that are immune to holidays.

Our Wonderful Sponsor!
The Village at Squaw Valley USA is the place for Apres ski this season with live music and entertainment every weekend and holiday afternoon and several exciting dining options. Unwind at Balboa cafe or check out daily apres ski happy hour specials at Auld Dubliner Irish Pub and Mamasake Sushi. http://www.thevillageatsquaw.com/shopping-dining/Specials+Sales/index.htm?campaignid=SOTC

Slidingonthecheapgear.com!
That's right...we've got closeout prices on helmets, skis, boards, gloves, rims and glass-- you name it at slidingonthecheapgear.com.

A Dream Come True! Ski Free at Northstar/Sierra!
How would you like to ski FREE at Northstar or Sierra-at-Tahoe?? Help TelePacific and they can send you to the slopes! Click here to find out more about the TelePacific Powder Program: http://www.telepacific.com/ski

What is Sliding on the Cheap?
The Sliding on the Cheap newsletter is free and is delivered once a week during the season and twice monthly during the fall! What will you find? A complete INSIDER guide to skiing and riding Lake Tahoe's world-class resorts. Yeah. Sure. We got cheap tickets, hotel, lodging, food... but we've also got the best up to date scoop on Tahoe happenings--anywhere on the planet. To sign-up (or drop) go to http://www.slidingonthecheap.com! Yes, and we give away FREE lift passes, (and swag) to SOTC readers selected at random from our list each and every week!

Yes! We cover the entire planet!
(Well, not really--let's just say 99% of where you'd want to ski or ride.) Sign-up for our newsletters covering:

Lake Tahoe/Northern California/Nevada, Southern California, The Northwest Colorado, Utah, New England

Go to http://www.slidingonthecheap.com to sign up for any one of our cherished FREE email blasts...

As usual, if you don't see what you're looking for here, don't find it here--go to the website of course at:

http://www.slidingonthecheap.com

Cheap--N-Good Food
Zano's Italian Restaurant- Truckee Breakfast at Rosy's Cafe - Tahoe City T's Rotisserie Chicken- Incline Village Best Value Lunch/Dinner in Tahoe Steamers! South Shore! $2.00 tacos Monday and Saturdays (Grilled shells in parmesan cheese). Located on I-50 and Tahoe Keys Blvd.

Double Diamond Drops, If You Dare
Okay, you've got a couple of days under your post-holiday expanded waistband...now is the time for some serious vertical, also good for making impressions in the apres ski party.

Alpine Meadows - Scott's Chute (best to just close your eyes and turn)

Squaw Valley - Palisades, Main Chute, The Tube (Warren Miller, line three) Sugar Bowl - The Silver Belt (chair audience, monster air potential) Heavenly - Gun Barrel (with bumps and you might see Glen Plake) Mt. Rose - The Chutes (take a buddy, this is serious business) Northstar - Lookout Mountain (spectacular tree skiing, plenty long, hardy anyone around)

Long Groomers We Love!
Heavenly, top of California to bottom of Nevada side of mountain...more than seven miles long, it's what the ski experience is all about.

Squaw Valley
Top of Siberia down Mountain Run to lodge. Do it early, don't wait until the last run of the day.

Hot, Hot, Hot!

Soda Springs
Are you new to this whole sliding down mountains concept? $25.00 lift tickets at Soda Springs, dear sliders

Sierra-at-Tahoe College week continues through Friday.
Any Student showing valid college ID can get a $41 ticket. Offer is valid through Friday, January 13th. This offer also valid at Northstar. Ski Sierra on your way up to the Southshore, and/or on your way out on Monday. You'll beat the crowds for sure.

Northstar-at-Tahoe
$41 lift tickets are back! Yes, but not for long! Pick up a coupon at any participating Bay Area, Sacramento and Reno ski/board shop and you can get a $59.00 ticket for just $41.00. This program is valid again through January 13th. For a list of participating ski/board shops: http://www.northstarattahoe.com Don't forget Quad Ticket Paks for the holiday! Want an entire mountain to yourself? You'll pretty much have it at Lookout Mountain over the holiday. Tip! Take your lunch in a backpack, stash at Lookout Mountain so you don't need to return to the lodge. Park near the base of the Home Run, ski/ride to your car.

Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe - Great pick for the holiday.
Stay in Reno for less, slide a big alpine-style mountain, slam a casino buffet after 50,000 feet of vertical without wiping out your retirement.

Squaw Valley USA
Time to sign up for that Frequent Skier Card, sliders. If you're skiing the weekend, you're one day away from a freebie with the card. Oh, yeah. Get your lazy behind out of the rack early to avoid the rush into Squaw.

Sugar Bowl
Great stop on the way up for the weekend, and a great place to slide Monday in order to beat the traffic: I-80. Besides, by Monday you're gonna be tired and that new Mt. Judah Lodge will look very comfortable.

Alpine Meadows
Alpine tickets are $49.00 over the holiday...want a bonus? The new Sherwood Express Quad is running.

Diamond Peak
Up and running again, after some power problems, plenty of value tickets for Diamond Peak, check our regular section below.

Kirkwood
Big snow, get your tickets at Costco. Don't tell anyone else how to get there...

Heavenly
What can we say, get your tixs at Albertsons and lose yourself on North America's monster-sized ski resort. We park on the Nevada side, but if you're downtown, use the Gondola. There are a (few) lockers at the top of the Gondola, snatch one of those for your lunch.

You've Won a Free Ticket to Northstar/Sierra!

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Send a note to kwtinto [at] aol.com within 7 days to claim your ticket!

Let's go Sliding on the Cheap!

Sierra-at-Tahoe
For the MLK holiday at Sierra, MLK family games on Sunday, January 15th: family members race against each other in a variety of events. Everyone can participate because the events are non ski and snowboard! Free with tons of free prizes.

Cheap-N-Good food near Sierra: Steamers, kids. $2.00 tacos Monday and Saturdays. (Grilled shells in parmesan cheese). Located on I-50 and Tahoe Keys Blvd.

Don't forget happy hour at Sierra-at-Tahoe. $3.00 22 oz. beers from 4:00pm-6:00pm daily.

Sierra has 125" at the top of the mountain, open top to bottom with machine groomed and some fresh snow on top runs. Locals recommending: Clipper and Lower Main

Unlimited Rental Pass! Valid at Sierra daily, the cost is just $109.00. This gives you the opportunity to rent unlimited skis, boots, poles, boards for the entire season. If you're a beginner, no need to purchase gear until the end of the season 50% off sales.

$41 lift tickets are back! Yes, but not for long! Pick up a coupon at any participating Bay Area, Sacramento and Reno ski/board shop and you can get a $59.00 ticket for just $41.00. This program is valid again through January 13th. For a list of participating ski/board shops: http://www.sierraattahoe.com

3-Paks are back! You get three lift tickets to Sierra valid any day and you don't have to use them consecutive days. $117.00 which means you're sliding for just $39.00 a day. Limited quantity available so purchase them now.

Northstar-at-Tahoe
Lookout Mountain has opened! Northstar open top to bottom, with 60 open trails. 14 lifts spinning with a snow depth of 97 inches at the summit, machine groomed and skier/rider packed powder. If you're headed up for the MLK holiday, Northstar offers a world-class ski school for beginner-through expert. Improve your tree skiing with a lesson on Lookout Mountain!

Full moon snowshoe tour on January 14th. Cost is $20.00. Includes two-hour guided tour, Smores, hot cocoa. Equipment not included but available for rent through Nordic center.

Ice staking rink is open and it's FREEBIE! Skate rental available for $5.00...

$41 lift tickets are back at Northstar/Sierra. Pick up a coupon at any participating Bay Area, Sacramento and Reno ski/board shop and you can get a $59.00 ticket for just $41.00. This program is valid again through January 13th. For a list of participating ski/board shops: http://www.sierraattahoe.com or http://www.northstarattahoe.com.

The quad ticket program is back! Quad Pak allows you to ski or ride for less than $50.00 per day. Includes 4 lift tickets valid daily, including holidays through the end of the season. You DON'T need to use them on consecutive dates! Adult Quad Packs: $199.00, young adult/senior $169.00, Kids and Super Seniors, $49.00.

Northstar has a world-class children's ski school program, Star Kids. If you have ankle-biting sliders, you can purchase a Star's 4-Pak for just $329.00. The Star's 4-Pak includes four all-day lesson packages: lift tickets, lessons, rentals and lunch. Fantastic option for holidays skiers and riders with kids. http://www.northstarattahoe.com

Soda Springs
100" of snow at the summit, great coverage top to bottom. Open: Lions, Head, Little Dipper Tube Tow, Planet Kids Learn to Ski/Ride Package $55.00. Includes: Lesson, Lift & Equipment. Carousel, Planet Kids Magic Carpet and mini Snowmobile lift. Lift ticket price at Soda Springs: Adults: $25.00, 8-17: $16.00. 7 and under $10.00. $15.00 tubing Planet Kids: Designed for Children 10 and under. Includes: Magic Carpet, Tubing, sledding and miniature snowmobiles! 10 laps on the miniature snowmobiles for $7.00. (Electric snowmobiles, your kids will go wild.) http://www.skisodasprings.com

Sugar Bowl
Snowing at Sugar Bowl as we type. Looks like a great weekend if you're headed for Tahoe. 100" on top of the mountain, 100% open. The first world-class resort you hit on I-80 on the way up from the Bay Area and your fast getaway on Monday when blowing out of Tahoe. Check out the live entertainment in the Mt. Judah day lodge every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Pour Man's Whiskey is the band. Include your gas cost up and back from the mountains, Sugar Bowl is a great value.

If it's snowing, the Mt. Judah Day Lodge is awesome!

JABRA X-JAM! You can watch skiers and riders making their last desperate attempts to enter the X-Games.

Get $10.00 off a children's ticket by getting a free coupon at any participating McDonalds. See http://www.sugarbowl.com for details. Valid everyday, including holidays

New Children's Base Camp Program: Sugar Bowl's popular Base Camp program gets bigger and better!! By popular demand, an expanded program will be offered to adventurous outdoor-loving kids ages 4-6. This is a ski based program for kids ready to take on the challenge and really learn to ski. The program provides lesson, rental, lunch, indoor training techniques and a whole lot of fun!! Call 530-426-9000 for more details. http://www.sugarbowl.com

Squaw Valley USA
Squaw open top to bottom, will be in full operation for the MLK weekend. If you're planning to ski/ride Squaw, this is a good time to get your frequent skier/rider card. Slide four days, your fifth day is free. You can use the free day anytime, including holidays.

Night skiing is scheduled to run from 4 until 9PM, daily.

Squaw Valley USA invites all sailors, soldiers, marines, airmen, and Coast Guard personnel on active duty to come enjoy skiing or snowboarding for FREE every day through the 2005-2006 winter season. That's right, 7 days a week, all season long. Check the website at http://www.squaw.com for details.

Bring a friend who takes a first time beginner package, you save $20.00 off your lift ticket, same day!

Make sure and purchase the Frequent Skier Card. Buy four days, your fifth day is free. Also, kids 12 and under slide for just $5.00. http://www.squaw.com/

Another great way to get a discount at Squaw Valley is to purchase a multi-day ticket. Save up to $170. More info, http://www.squaw.com/

Visit High Camp with the family and enjoy Ice Skating and Dinner! (After 4:00 pm) Evening Value Price: $15.00, adult, includes cable car, ice skating and rental. Kids 12 and under, just $12.00.

Check out the Extended Rewards Package! Stay slopeside at Squaw Valley Lodge, book three nights lodging and three days discounted sliding, get your FOURTH night of lodging and FOURTH day of skiing/riding freebie. Starting at $393.00 per person, double/occupancy, some restrictions, etc., http://www.squawvacations.com

Alpine Meadows
The new Sherwood Express is open! This new express quad speeds sliders to the top at twice the speed of the old lift. Locals recommend: Sherwood Bowl and Sherwood Cliffs for fantastic conditions. Mid Mountain Chalet is open! Located near the bottom of the Yellow Chair and Scotts: good food, barbeque and convenient --no need to leave the mountain for lunch. Alpine Meadows at $49.00, $39 teen lift tickets: Ages: 13-18. Alpine Meadows is truly a great deal, one of the industry's best values says, Ski Magazine. Get to and from Alpine Meadows via a free shuttle from many locations around the Lake. http://www.skialpine.com

Boreal
Awesome coverage top to bottom. Frickin' Friday! Every Friday at Boreal: Show a current student I.D. at any Boreal ticket window at time of purchase to receive a $10.00 all-day lift ticket.

Boreal is now covered in terrain features, thanks to all the new snow and terrain park staff. With the combination of new snow and Tahoe's best terrain park staff, you can be assured Boreal Mountain Resort will provide skiers and riders of all ability levels with an enormous variety of Terrain Park features, Day and Night. Lift ticket price of $38.00!

Open for night skiing/riding from 3:30pm-9:00pm seven days a week. $22.00 for night skiing! As featured in the December 27th issue of the Wall Street Journal,

Boreal's FREE iRide Card offers guests of all ages the opportunity to ride for any two days this season with your third day lift ticket for free. To get the FREE iRide Card: rideboreal.com or pick one up at any Boreal lift ticket window. No need to ski/ride consecutive days.

Visit any Northern California Raleys to pick up a free brochure which offers a boreal adult beginner learn to ski/ride package at $10.00 off the regular rate. Sunday-Friday non holiday.

Bear Valley
Purchase a discounted Bear Valley lift ticket from participating Bay Area ski shops. Go to http://www.bearvalley.com for listings.

5-Paks are valid daily! Get 5 unrestricted adult lift tickets for just $199.00. You can use these during the holidays.

Group lesson 5-Pak. 5 lessons for just $154.00. You'll need to have equipment and purchase lift pass. 3-Pak Save $68.00! You're getting three lesson packages for the price of two. Includes: lessons, beginner lifts, rentals.

For up to date weather forecasts, mountain cam and unbelievable lodging specials visit http://www.bearvalley.com or contact the main office at 209.753.2301

Diamond Peak
After a brutal power problem, Diamond Peak is open and in full operation for the holiday weekend.

Purchase the Costco 2-Pack $63.99 for two tickets. Valid during MLK holiday!

Great for Kids and Parents! Child Ski Center, All-Day Value Package Children, 4-7 10am-4pm. Drop off the kids and enjoy the slopes! Includes: All-day group lesson, lunch, pre and post child accommodation. We love it, so will you!

Purchase a Mini Pass, valid for 2, 3, 5 or 7 days. You can ski/ride for as low as $30.14 a day using the Mini Pass The Mini Pass is valid daily, including holidays and is transferable.

Learn to Ski/Ride Cheap! Take advantage of Diamond Peak's Family and Friends semi-private lesson program, 2-5 people, similar ability you can learn for as little as $18.00.

Ski and Stay Package at Diamond Peak: From $59.00 per person http://www.diamondpeak.com/ for more information.

Heavenly
Base depths to 110", expect Heavenly to be in full operation for the holiday weekend. Didn't purchase your value pass? Well, make sure to get those $59.00 lift tickets at participating Albertsons stores before heading to southshore. Our sliders at Heavenly last week report mouth-watering conditions.

$59 tickets for Heavenly available at Albertsons! http://www.skiheavenly.com/tickets_rentals/albertsons/lift_tickets.html Save $11 off of the walk-up price next week of $70. http://www.skiheavenly.com

Homewood
100% open for the upcoming holiday, Homewood offers great family value. Value-priced lessons for kids and adults and old-fashioned family feel. Easy parking, and more. Friday-Sunday: $45.00. Kids 10 and under ski free with purchase of adult ticket. Buy consecutive day tickets, save $5.00 daily. 530-525-2992 http://www.skihomewood.com

Kirkwood
Kirkwood is 100% open with all 2,300 acres available. With over 10 feet of snow at the top of the mountain from the recent storm, the mountain is in prime shape with immaculate groomers to off-piste adventure. All three terrain parks are open with features for all levels of the freestyle set - gentle rollers and banked turns in Adventureland (Chair 9), low to the snow rails and fun boxes in the DC Playground (Chair 7), and a full blown rail yard and a series of high flying hits in the DC Stomping Grounds (Chair 5).

The Cross Country Ski and Snowshoe Center is 100% open, with 80K of groomed double track with skating and snowshoe lanes to the top of the trail system, offering the most terrain of any cross country center in the High Sierra and exquisite views. Sign up for a weekend skate clinic package; trail pass, lesson and rental gear included for just $48! Call (209) 258-7248 for more information.

If you try it and love it--you can purchase an Adventure Pass for $229.00. This gives you Season Pass, Unlimited lessons and rentals!

COSTCO 2-PAKS: $94.99 Adult & $79.99 Junior. Save over 20% on adult and 18% on Jr. tickets when purchasing 2-Paks at participating Costco stores. Adult vouchers can be exchanged for a Learn To Ski package ages 13+. Costco 2-Paks are available in 22 locations throughout Northern California and Nevada.

Stay and Ski Free package. Packages start as low as $64.50 per person, double occupancy, and include accommodations and lift ticket. Please call Kirkwood Vacations at (800) 967-7500 for more information.

Need More? Call the toll free snow phone at 877 KIRKWOOD. 1 800 967-7500. http://www.kirkwood.com

Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe
Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe and Kirkwood have been fighting over who has bragging rights to the best ski conditions in the Sierra and for good reason. Their high base elevations have given both fantastic ski and ride conditions this season. Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe offers value-minded, (dare I say cheap) great value over any holiday as you'll find the best lodging values in Reno.

No need to drive the family truckster up and back from the slopes Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe offers a shuttle service from many of the major casinos location in the Reno area.

With the Chutes open, Mt. Rose offers vertical that can stand up with any resort, worldwide.

Are you planning a holiday ski/snowboard vacation? Reno offers ski and stay from as low as $59.00. A great way to enjoy a holiday ski vacation at affordable rates. http://www.renolaketahoe.com http://www.skirose.com

Enjoy the holiday, sliders!

Kevin Tinto + Crew
Editor-in-Chief

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