Greetings, Rocky Mountain Sliders!

Welcome to the Winter Wonderland Edition of Colorado's Sliding on the Cheap!

"Oh, the weather outside's dee-LIGHT-ful!" It's snowing. It's been snowing. It's going to keep on snowing, and you know what that means, sliders. Plenty of awesome Colorado pow-pow for turnin' and burnin'. I summitted a 13er last weekend and we were up to our HIPS in snow. And it's been DUMPING since then! We've jumped from summer to winter, and not a dry moment too soon!

Tips o' the Ski Week: The Colorado SnowSports Expo is the place to be this weekend! There'll be discount season pass and ticket sales, raffles, door prizes, vendors selling gear and clothing at exceptional prices, and mucho schwag to be had for free. You'll find the show at the Colorado Convention Center at 700 14th Street in Denver on Friday, Nov. 1st from noon to 10pm, Sat from 11am to 9pm and Sunday from 11am to 7pm. For directions, go to www.mapquest.com.

The Fifth Grade Passport program is in full swing for the 2002-2003 season. The Passport provides fifth grade students with three lift tickets to EACH of their 23 member resorts. That's more than 65 days of skiing and snowboarding FREE, and receive other discounts on lessons, rentals, and lift tickets for family. Applications are available any King Soopers and City Markets, Colorado Ski & Golf, Boulder Ski Deals, Grand West Outfitters (Colorado Springs). Sixth graders are invited to extend their 2001/2002Fifth Grade Passport with the Graduate Pass. Same great benefits - ski and snowboard up to three times at each of their 23 member resorts, and all those lovely discounts on lessons and rentals, available for ONLY $49! Go to www.coloradoski.com/5passport/GradPass.cfm, follow instructions to complete the form, and get on the slopes!

Travel Tips: This is your mother speaking. Mountain driving is a veeeeeehhhhhrrry different animal. And those who drive SUVs are often full of confidence because they're driving bigger cars that are 4WD and therefore more stable. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! Our fire department at 9000 feet has a saying: Four Wheel Drive, Four Wheel Slide. Big cars gather more momentum and are thus much harder to stop when they go into a skid on our often icy mountain roads. Please, PLEASE, drive with care, no matter what size vehicle you're in. Keep it in a low gear, don't be in a hurry, and especially avoid putting on your brakes. If you're uncomfortable driving in snow/icy conditions, all the better. Let the local free shuttles do the driving (and almost all resorts offer them) and save yourself both time and hassle.

Okay, we're going to make this one quick, 'cause there are freshies out there just BECKONING and I've got pow-pow to conquer. Included in this report are opening/closing dates, season pass info, and last-minute, special, pre-opening deals.

AHHHHH-BASIN: sometime in November - July 4 Three foot natural base PLUS new, first-ever-at-the-Basin snow guns that they're testing even as we speak. East Wall should be open by Thanksgiving! What more can I say? This: renew your bonus pass by November 3 for only $179. Newbies pay only $199 for season-long riding at the Basin plus 5 days at Keystone or Breckenridge (or one of those days at Vail or Beaver Creek). Unlimited and no blackout dates. Kids can get this same pass for $149. This one ends December 8th or when supplies run out. www.arapahoebasin.com.

ASPEN RESORTS: Aspen Highlands: December 14 - April 6, Aspen Mountain: November 28 - April 20, Buttermilk: December 14 - April 6, Snowmass: November 28 - April 13 Purchase your 2002-2003 Early Purchase Lift Tickets by December 1, 2002 and ski or snowboard for 20% off the window price with the purchase of a 4 (or more)-day ticket. Window prices are $68, so the savings are substantial! If that isn't enough motivation for you, 17+++ inches of freshies have fallen in the past 72 hours. And it's ASPEN! www.skiaspen.com

COPPER MOUNTAIN: November 2 - April 20 Specials online ONLY at the Hill Metallica: season pass, $254, ends December 15. Buy a four-pack by November 15, $99/off-peak, $109/peak, $39/kids ages 6-13 (4 days of skiing must be used on 4 separate days within a 7-day period). Two feet of snow this week. Well, what are you waiting for? www.coppercolorado.com

CRESTED BUTTE: December 14 - April 6 The Butte-iful Mountain Cards are a thing of the past, but if you hurry and order online, Bronze Passes good for off-peak skiing are $669. If you're ready to book a package, the lodging deals are superb, including three nights at the Sheraton and two days of lift tickets, starting at $156. I've stayed at the Sheraton - it's a SWEET deal! www.skicb.com

DURANGO MOUNTAIN RESORT: November 28 - April 6 Durango Mountain Resortīs discounted season passes are on sale: Adult Value are $599, and Full season are $799. In addition to all the riding your legs can handle at Do-Rango, sister-resort KIRKWOOD in California will honor your pass there NO CHARGE, plus you get three days of skiing the rocky steeps at Taos! College and Silvers (62-69) Buddy Passes are $299, and Student Buddy Passes $249 (need 4 riders for each pass to purchase), peak-riding restrictions apply. Get around those peak-date restrictions for an extra $99. Flex Passes will run $59/adults and $29/kids 6-12, then Flex Pass holders pay $35/adult daily tickets and $17/kid daily tickets AND your first day of skiing on or before December 26 is free AND every 10th day is FREE when you pay for 9 days. Sale ends November 16! www.durangomountainresort.com

ELDORA: sometime in November - sometime in April It's dumping at Eldora and still coming down, thanks to the East Slope effect. Unlimited season passes are still available for $359/adults, $250/college, and $250/juniors. The pass also allows you unlimited access to Eldora Nordic Center's 45 km of trails, PLUS for a tad bit extra, get discount season lockers and lots of schwag and, and, and.....well, see for yourself at www.eldora.com.

HOWLESEN HILL: sometime in November - sometime in March Training ground for more than just a few Olympians, Howlesen is offering adult season passes now through December 31 for only $100! Get the JUMP on the season at www.steamboat-springs.net/recreation/howlesen.htm

KENDALL MOUNTAIN: sometime in November - sometime in March Operated by the town of Silverton, this little family gem offers diverse terrain for the ridiculously low season pass price of $50/adults and $30/children. No crowds, no lines, no hassle at www.silverton.org/kendallmtn

LOVELAND: OPEN, OPEN, OPEN!!!! - sometime in May Mother Nature's booty has prompted the Land of Love to open additional terrain for early skiing. Discounted unrestricted season passes, $249/newbies or $224/returnees, are available through Sunday, November 3 ONLY. Same goes for the $79 four-pack. Try a Frequent User Card for $31, get your first day of skiing (before 12/20) free, really cheap at-window lift tickets, and lots of discounts on riding booty and schwag. www.skiloveland.com

MONARCH: November 22 - April 6 They're looking at some serious residual effects from El Nino, so catch the pow-pow on Monarch Pass. Pre-season pass sale ends Monday, November 4 - $199/adults/college/highschool, $129/student, all for unlimited, unrestricted access to their freshies. www.skimonarch.com

POWDERHORN: December 12 - March 30 Adult season passes still on sale for $399, or get a two adult/two kid family pass for $1,100. Powderhorn Plus cards are available until November 15 and are only $20. Ski free the first and last week of the season, get at least $7 off your daily lift ticket, and who knows what all else they'll add as the season progresses! Remember, all at-window lift tickets are only $19 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, except holidays, all season! www.powderhorn.com

SILVERTON: OPEN, OPEN, OPEN!!!! - June 15 A week ago, Silverton had received 68" of snow to-date, reading 42" at mid-mountain. Employees were skiing in September. Ride the finest freshies in Colorado for $99/day with a guide. There's no unguided skiing until BLM completes the EI study, and let's hope the secret doesn't get out to the masses too soon. Serious riders only need apply: avalanche beacon, probe poles, shovel, and demonstratable knowledge of their use a requirement. www.silvertonmountain.com

SKI COOPER: November 28 - March 30 I was down that way last weekend and it's looking exceptional over Tennessee Pass and on up the 13ers in the area even then. You're in luck - season passes are available still for only $199/adults, $59/child. Be one with the 10th. www.skicooper.com

SOLVISTA: December 14 - March 30 Season passes available for $250/adult until December 1, or dig into the Family Pass for $500. At-window rates range from $39-41, so you do the math! www.solvista.com/winterhome

STEAMBOAT: November 27 - April 13 Best we can suggest for discount lift tickets is the 5 & 5 Value Pass at $369 USD, includes 5 days of skiing/riding in regular season, plus 5 days of skiing/riding in value seasons. Destination resorts like Steamboat offer the best value in packages, and the return of the Snow Flight and Kids FREE packages are what to keep your eye on. Choose from two great packages, the first featuring round-trip jet air, lodging and lifts from $568. Got kids? Those 12 and under (no, Dad, get up off your knees and stop trying to look 11!) FLY, SKI, STAY and RENT equipment ALL FREE with parent purchase. www.steamboat.com

SUNLIGHT: November 27 - April 6 This kind of sunlight makes me smile, because they're offering all sorts of cool ways to ski without digging for change in the sofa. Buy a family four-pack, two adults and two children, for the MAXIMUM price of $1,100. OR kids ski free, ratio one kid for one adult. OR Ski, Swim & Stay packages as low as $57/pp/do, including one night's lodging, a lift ticket to Sunlight Mountain, and a pass to hot tub in the Hot Springs. OR spend $300 at either King Soopers or City Market and get two lift tickets for two dollars. OR buy your single day lift tickets in advance at Gart Sports, King Soopers, Safeway, or west slope City Markets. Don't believe me? Check it all out at www.sunlightmtn.com

TELLURIDE: November 26 - April 6 They're already doing avy control at Tell-U-Ride - FOUR FEET of frozen crystals have plunked their little points down for the winter. College season passes are still available online through November 15 for $175. Five-day and ten-day passes, Tell-U-Ride cards, and child/junior season passes are available for purchase IN-PERSON only, and check out where to go at www.tellurideskiresort.com/salesevents. They're all over the West Coast, so be there or be cryin'! There are also WWAAAAYYYYYY too many Hot Deals for lodging, so let's keep it quick, send you to www.tellurideskiresort.com and hit the Hot Deals link.

VAIL RESORTS: Vail: November 22 - April 20, Beaver Creek: November 23 - April 13, Brecken-Fridge: November 15 - April 20, Keystone: November 8 - April 20 We've got some online ONLY stuff going on for the Mighty Four, so head for www.snow.com and renew your Colorado Card or Buddy Pass by November 3. There's still time to purchase the Perfect 10 card for $329, and this year it includes skiing at Heavenly Valley in California. Consider also the PEAKS program - sign up for free and receive e-mail notice of discount tickets and prices available. www.snow.com

WINTER PARK/MARY JANE: November 13 - April 20 THIRTEEN Inches of snow overnight two nights ago, another foot last night, and all on top of what's already there! Check out the resort cams at www.winterparkresort.com/cams/index. In the meantime, season pass sales END this Sunday - get online, get on the phone, get on a white horse (better make it a bay or you'll lose sight of it in the snow!), but GET A PASS for only $255 and ride five mountains all wrapped in one snowy package. www.winterparkresort.com.

*****NEW FEATURE NEW FEATURE NEW FEATURE NEW FEATURE!!!******
We've been getting our fair share of requests for information on Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee. From hereon, skibabeage'll include info on this and any other Rocky Mountain Resorts you request, 'cause there's plenty to go around!

JACKSON HOLE: December 7 - April 6 If you're up there before November 30, purchase your 10-day Intro Pass for $430/adults. Gotta buy before you go? Consider the Weekend Warrior pass, 38-days of unlimited riding for $605 (that's $16/day). Can't commit? Buy the Jackson Hole Express Pass, good for 121 days of unlimited skiing or snowboarding for $11 off the adult daily rate, skip the lift lines, and every 11th day ski is free! www.jacksonhole.com

GRAND TARGHEE: November 22 - April 14 Season passes are still on sale - unrestricted adult passes are $499, and off-peak adult passes only $299. Hold your breath for season passholder discounts including rentals, lessons, retail, lodging, and passes to other Montana and Idaho resorts! Vertical Value Plus cards are also available for $59 until December 18, and not only do you get to ski for $35/day, but after 10 uses the card turns into an UNRESTRICTED SEASON PASS! Do the math - it's $399 well-spent and you get to decide-as-you-ride whether or not to go all the way! www.grandtarghee.com

Till next time, stay low, stay smart, and stay luz,
Your Robin Hood of the Rockies
Martha
skibabeage [at] hotmail.com