Hello Sliders!

With snow on the slopes and more on the way, Northstar and Sierra have asked me to send out a special invitation to join them over the holidays for a great family getaway. For us, of course, that means focusing on how to ski and ride these two terrific Tahoe resorts with value in mind.

But, hey..do we look like the Grinch? Just for being our loyal readers, we're giving away Northstar/Sierra tickets too! Scan down dear sliders and see if Sliding Santa is about to drop swag in your lap.

If you see your address below, send a note to kwtinto [at] aol.com to claim your all-day freebie pass!

rravanera [at] *******.com rhoneyrun [at] *****.com paamos10 [at] ***.com mtran96 [at] *****.com

Sierra-at-Tahoe
Located on highway 50, Sierra-at-Tahoe guarantees you a fast ride from Sacramento and the Bay Area and if you haven't been there recently, you might be surprised to find 12 lifts servicing more than 2,200 feet of vertical and 2,000 acres of ski/ride terrain. Want a local's tip for Sierra? If it's storming, Sierra has lots of tree-protected terrain and their lifts rarely are subjected to windhold. Also little known, Sierra, because of its location on Echo Summit, benefits from higher than average snowfall during a storm.

Northstar-at-Tahoe
Located on the northshore of Lake Tahoe, certainly one of the best family resorts anywhere on the planet. Northstar hosts 16 lifts serving 73 runs and more than 2,900 vertical feet. Like to ride? This year, Northstar has 6 terrain parks, superpipe, halfpipe and 6 Adventure Parks! These Adventure Park, new this season are perfect for the smaller rider in your clan.

Three-Paks Valid this Holiday!
Lift Ticket Three-Paks at Sierra-at-Tahoe. Purchase a Three-Pak of tickets and ski/ride as low as $39 per day. The Three-Pak costs $117 and tickets can be used any day throughout the season, including this holidays!

Three-Day-Passport Program at Northstar! Includes three days of limited access lifts, lessons and rental for only $159.00. This is valid over the holidays, so if you're teaching someone, or want to learn, you won't find a better price.

Cheap Group Rates!
Do you have a holiday group of 20 or more? Northstar and Sierra offer great group rates, and know how to guide your herd of slobbering sliders through the process without you, the leader, having a stroke in the process. 530 550-8364 for info.

Staying in South Lake Tahoe? Want a free ride to Sierra?
You got it! Take the Sierra Shuttle, stops at 40 locations in South Lake Tahoe so you can down that McDonalds breakfast in creature comfort.

Vertical Plus! Yes dear sliders, Sierra and Northstar even have a club for our raggedy band of cheap ski enthusiasts. It's called Vertical Plus. The cost is $69 for pass holders and $89 for non-pass holders. Includes: One free restricted ticket, a members-only lift line, $5.00 off each day you slide, VP tracks vertical feet and how much you spend! Turn in your vertical feet anytime for free swag, including gear, food, retail merchandise and more! (It's interchangeable with both Sierra and Northstar.)

Double Whammy Pass holders Ski Cheap, Even Free! Skiers and riders can try before they buy by turning in their lift ticket at the end of the day for a full credit of the purchase price toward their Double Whammy season pass. For those who choose Sierra as their home mountain, the Sierra-only pass is available starting at just $199.

Special Double Whammy Holiday Tip!
Purchase a restricted Double Whammy for $309 and even though the pass is not valid over the holiday, it still gives you the ability to purchase all-day holiday tickets for the (cheap) afternoon rate!

www.northstarattahoe.com and www.sierraattahoe.com

Sierra and Northstar both provide a great ski/ride experience, we recommend them both over the holidays.

Kevin Tinto + Crew