Hey Sliders!

Man--we are stuffed with cheap ski/ride opportunities for this upcoming weekend, and it looks like an Epic Powder Weekend as well! The Hyatt Regency SOTC weekend is sold-out; but how about our newly added SOTC special at the Lakeside Inn/Casino for $129? Two nights, two days skiing and breakfast to boot! Squaw Valley is hosting the annual "Excellence in Education Foundation" day on Sunday, December 16th. Ski or ride for $20. Northstar has a $20 day on December 19th. Ski or ride two of three days this weekend (Friday, Saturday or Sunday) at Homewood for just $50.

Once again, your (humble) but (cheap) SOTC crew is digging up (nearly)
every discount in Tahoe! (see the web for more).

Our Wonderful Sponsor!
Brockway Springs Resort - North Shore Lake Tahoe.  Want to ski the Northshore and stay CHEAP this weekend?
Checkout the Brockway Springs Resort Special. (It's only good for this weekend, December 14th and 15th.) 1 Bedroom 1 Bath $ 100/night sleeps up to 4 2 Bedroom 1 Bath $ 125/night sleeps up to 6 3 Bedroom 2.5 Bath $ 165/night sleeps up to 8 4 Bedroom 3 Bath $ 200/night sleeps up to 10 2 Night minimum Just mention "Sliding on the cheap" to get this rate! Call Reservations Manager at: (530) 546 - 4201.

SOTC Ski Weekend - Southshore!
Stay two nights at the Lakeside Inn and Casino, located in South Lake Tahoe, December 14th and 15th and receive two breakfasts as well. Ski or Ride HEAVENLY resort (www.skiheavenly.com) on Saturday and SIERRA-AT-TAHOE (www.sierratahoe.com) on Sunday!!!

All for just $129 per person double occupancy, taxes and incidentals extra. That's TWO nights lodging, TWO days skiing or riding and TWO breakfasts for $129 --the entire weekend. Join your fellow sliders and the (stretched thin--but loving it) SOTC crew for what will be an epic weekend of skiing, riding and southshore party and casino fun! Call 800-624-7980 for reservations. Did I say limited availability? Yes, I did!!

Get Hooked Up! The SOTC newsletter is provided to you FREE, courtesy of The Brockway Springs Resort and Northstar-at-Tahoe! Sign up or unsubscribe from any or all of our wintersports newsletters at: www.slidingonthecheap.com!.

Free Lift Ticket to Sierra-at-Tahoe Drops in Your Lap!
Get the newsletter? You're automatically entered in our weekly lift ticket drawing. Just open "Sliding on the Cheap" and you have a chance to ski/ride free... Can it get any better?
  keamyers [at] mail.com
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Been to Sierra-at-Tahoe? 2,200 of Vertical and Close to Home! Send us an email if you won to slidecheap [at] aol.com.

Snowcast
KCBS and SOTC snow predictor, Mike Pechner says, "Big Storm Thursday Night into Friday. Could be as much as 12" to 24." Weekend looks awesome! Clear, cold, no wind with tons of Fresh Powder!"

Squaw Valley USA Charity and Discount Day!

Saturday, December 15, 2001 Squaw Valley USA will donate 20% of lift ticket receipts for the day to be split between the American Red Cross and the Tahoe Forest Hospital- (that's who patches you up when you hit that mogul wrong)

On Sunday, December 16, 2001, Squaw Valley USA continues with the Excellence in Education Foundation. To participate, pre-purchase $20 vouchers at all three local Porters' Ski & Sport stores and participating Bank of the West locations in Truckee, Tahoe City and Kings Beach. Redeem the vouchers at Squaw Valley USA, on Sunday, December 16th only, for an adult all day lift ticket and a two-hour ice skating session at the Olympic Ice Pavilion. To learn more, call 530-583-6985 or visit www.squaw.com. (One of the best Squaw Valley Deals of the Year)

Northstar-at-Tahoe - December 19th - $20
Will host its Ski For Education Day on Wednesday, December 19. Guests can ski or ride Northstar for just $20. This event is being held in lieu of hosting Merchants Day, an event which has taken place for 29 years and is usually held later in the ski season. The revamped Ski For Education Day is designed to be more convenient for skiers and raise more money for local organizations. As part of the event, there will be a DJ playing music at mid-mountain. Lift tickets for Ski For Education Day can be purchased at the resort the day of the event. Northstar-at-Tahoe is located off Highway 267, just six miles from the North shore of Lake Tahoe. For more information, please call 800-GO-NORTH, or visit www.skinorthstar.com.

Okay...lets go Sliding on the Cheap!

Alpine Meadows Next POWDR CARD DAY - December 18th & 19th.
40" lower mountain & 93" mid mountain and the mountain is 100% open. Locals recommend Red Green Trail off the Round House Lift for a high speed Intermediate groomer special. Get a free POWDR CARD from participating Northern California and Reno sports shops. You cannot get these in the Tahoe area--so pick it up before you leave home. On POWDR CARD days, tickets are just $35! December 15th and 16th see the FARWEST Freestyle Mogul competition. All info at www.skialpine.com.

Boreal
96" base and 100% open. Boreal has 8 lifts open on the weekends. Hours: 9am-9pm. Great place to learn to ski or ride and the first resort you run into on I-80. Go to Raleys, get a coupon for an adult Learn to ski/ride package for 50% off. Sunday-Friday Non holiday. www.rideboreal.com.

Donner Ski Ranch
Lift ticket prices are astoundingly low at just $20 adults on weekends and $10 for kids. Midweek? Adults just $10.00. www.donnerskiranch.com.

Heavenly
Snow depths 48" to 60" on the bottom and 60" to 72" on the top. Groomers pick of the day is Canyon Run in California and Big Dipper in Nevada. Want a pre Christmas value package for Heavenly? Buy two nights lodging and two days skiing/riding, get the third night and day free! Prices starting at $159 per person/double-occupancy. Valid through December 20th, and then starts on up again on January 2nd-February 14th. Last day to purchase the Heavenly METICKET (frequent skier program) is December 15th. If you ski or ride Heavenly--the METICKET IS A MUST! www.skiheavenly.com. Call 800-2HEAVEN.

Homewood Mountain Resort
Base depths range from 42" to 90." Homewood has five lifts and 52 runs open. Lift ticket price special: Monday - Thursday are value days - just $25. Weekends are $42. Special this weekend - Ski or ride two out of three days, Friday, Saturday or Sunday for just $50.00! www.skihomewood.com.

Kirkwood
Bring a season pass from any other resort and ski midweek for just $20. Kirkwood has a new "Winter Break Pass," that we love! Good for December and January (holiday restrictions) it's just $99 for college students 25 and under. For everyone else, ski cheap for nearly two months for just $149. Stay and Ski Free! At Kirkwood, stay at the lodging to you ski free! Through December 20th. www.kirkwood.com.

Mount Rose-Ski Tahoe
3 to 6 foot base. 6 lifts open with 44 trails. Locals are recommending Greg's Gamble. Want to stay in Reno for gaming and have great skiing and riding too? Mount Rose-Ski Tahoe is just 25 minutes from downtown Reno. "Reno Stay and Ski" packages are cheap. Starting at just $59 a night, get a room and lift ticket. (pp/do) For reservations or information: 1 800 FOR REN0. Want more? Mount Rose-Ski Tahoe deals: 2 'Fer' Tuesday, (two for one), Student Wednesday $19 with ID and Thursday is Ladies Day $19. 775-849-0704 or www.skirose.com. for details.

Mammoth Mountain (Sign-up for our Southern Cal)
Save up to 50% at Juniper Springs or Sunstone Lodge, Mammoth's newest premier lodging facilities. Rates start as low $140 per night (regularly $280). Rates are subject to availability and are valid now through December 20, 2001. Call 1 800 MAMMOTH for more info.

Northstar-at-Tahoe
Base depths of 40" mid mountain and 64" at the summit. Northstar is 100% open including Lookout Mountain. Planning to open the Half Pipe soon! Check web for current status. Want to ski/ride Northstar over the Holidays? Make sure to purchase Vertical Plus. Gives you discounts on tickets everyday and a members only lift line (a holiday must for max vertical). Now is the time to use Early/Late season lift ticket vouchers. Get them FREE at participating Northern California and Nevada sports shops. Find a shop location near you at www.skinorthstar.com. -- Save $18 per ticket on Sunday-Friday, non-holiday tickets. It's one of our favorite deals--and offers real value.

Ski Soda Springs
Located at the top of Donner Summit, it's a tubing extravaganza. Also open for skiing and riding with two lifts. Lift Tickets: $22 adults, $16 youth and $10 for kids. Hosts two Terrain Parks and a new mini snowmobile track (how fun!). 530 426-3901 www.skisodasprings.com.

Squaw Valley USA
 European-style lodge in Squaw Valley.
Available 12/16 thru 1/4/02 only. $140 per person, and $25 for each additional person. Includes breakfast daily. Private baths. Call Squaw Valley Central Reservations now at 1-800-403 0206. Frequent Skier Card - Every Tuesday and Thursday you save $8 on your lift ticket and they count toward your free days. The card is $5 and you can get it at any ticket window or online at www.squawshop.com.

Sierra-at-Tahoe
Just 1.5 hours from Sacramento on highway 50, Sierra is a short hop for Bay Area day skiers and hosts 2,200 vertical feet of skiing and riding ranging from beginner to "yikes that mother is steep!" Base snow depths are 5.5 feet to 10 feet at 8,800. Megan, the Public Relations Manager says her favorite run today is Lower Main. Sierra offers free lessons for intermediate and above, seven days a week. All you need is a lift ticket. Take as many as you like. Sierra has the same Early/Late Season deal that Northstar does. You can still get a Sunday-Friday pass for $199! Deal terminates January 15th. Purchase now! Tubing open for just $15. Includes lift pass and tube! See www.sierratahoe.com. for details.

Sugarbowl
On December 16th through 20th any room in the hotel will be $229 for two people. The price includes lodging for two, breakfast for two and lift tickets for two. Additional adults are $60, additional children 6-12 $45. Kids 3-5 $15. Under 3, free. Take advantage of current top to bottom skiing for only $35 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (except December 25-27) with Visa Value Days. New discount lodging package at Sugarbowl! December 16th - 20th. Package is $229 and includes: One nights Lodging, Breakfast and lift tickets for two! www.sugarbowl.com.

Tahoe Donner
Will open 7 days a week beginning December 14th. One of the best places to take small kids, it's located at the top of the Tahoe Donner development in Truckee. While small, it offers two chairs and a great lodge with a deck that allows you to watch your kids ski or ride the entire day. Tickets are $26, Kids are $12.00. On Christmas Day, ski from 12:00pm to 4:00pm for $15 adults and $7 for kids. Santa will be handing out gifts from 12:00pm - 2:00pm. www.tahoedonner.com.

Next week--how to ski during the Christmas holiday without breaking the bank. Hope to see you all on the mountain this weekend at Alpine, Northstar, Heavenly or Sierra-at-Tahoe!

Kevin Tinto + crew
kwtinto [at] aol.com
help [at] slidingonthecheap.com