Greetings, Rocky Mountain and Wild, Wild West sliders!

Told ya! January's out like a lamb and February's in like a lion! It started snowing over most Rocky Mountain regions on Monday and it hasn't stopped. February Freeze. Gotta love the meaning of that if you're a snow addict. Time for that mid-season wax 'n' tune, couple of deep knee bends, then get to the slopes, 'cause everyone's reporting good bases with champagne freshies for face shots!

Weather outlook from our friends at Weather.com: Northeast and North central Colorado mountains, snow through Thursday afternoon, then dry and C-O-L-D through the weekend. The rest of the state calls for cloudy, C-O-L-D, and snowy through next week. Wyoming calls for cold and snowy through Thursday, dry Friday, return to mountain snow for the weekend. Winter storm watch through Thursday morning for northern New Mexico mountains, continued snow and snow showers through the weekend. Stay on top of the up-to-date weather conditions and snow report with our happy sponsors at www.weather.com.

Thanks to the generosity of the happy folks at WINTER PARK/MARY JANE, this week's winners of the Random Slide Pick each receive two FREE lift tickets to, you got it, Winter Park. Drum roll, please, and everybody's new friends are: wpyeager [at] compuserve.com sstroh [at] nls.net Congratulations to our lucky riders! Claim your prize by contacting me, Skibabeage, at the email address below with your mailing address, and you'll be on the slopes in no time. And if you haven't already, sign up for all the weekly goods at www.slidingonthecheap.com/Colorado and the chance to win FREE LIFT TICKETS every week!

Happy to report that our sponsors, WINTER PARK/MARY JANE, continue to make it twice as difficult to refuse their friendly generosity. Stay at the Super 8 in downtown Winter Park, $75/pn/quad occupancy, Sun-Thur through the month of February, no minimum night stay required. Stop and fill your gas tank at any participating Diamond Shamrock gas station, ask for the 2-fer-1 Winter Park coupon, present it to the ticket window at the base area, and get two adult lift tickets for the price of one. See it for yourself (and more) at www.winterparkresort.com.

COPPER MOUNTAIN:
The Hill Metallica is also joining in with some almost exclusive and incredible deals. Hotel rooms from $79/pp/pn/do, including LIFT TICKETS! Rate 2/ 9-2/27, excluding 2/14-2/16 and requires a two-night minimum in a deluxe hotel room. For details or to book call 1-800-458-8386. And you lag, you lose, schoolyard rules, especially during spring break! If you haven't booked already, you're burning daylight. Call 1-800-458-8386 to get 25% off of all remaining hotel through one-bedroom condominiums from 3/8 - 3/30, then get ready for the Partee on the Hill as only the Hill can Partee! www.coppercolorado.com.

Tip o' the Ski Week: Airfares. You're probably sitting on hold right now with a major airlines waiting for the bad news about the fact that a) there are no seats left on the flights you want, and b) the seats that are left cost more than your car. Well, good news. If you haven't heard already, www.hotwire.com and www.cheaptickets.com will sell you great fares with fewer restrictions than www.expedia.com or www.travelocity.com. Here's another tip: sign up for weekly e-mail updates with your favorite airlines. Many of them will give you beginning-of-the-week information on end-of-the-week ridiculously low fares (not to all destinations), and if you can be flexible and spontaneous, you'll find great airfares there are well. Fly the Friendly Skies!

Thought o' the Ski Week: "I do not participate in any sport with ambulances at the bottom of the hill." Erma Bombeck

AHHHH-BASIN:
Here's the scoop - pay the Basin $200, they'll give you a season pass (and, come on, the best is yet to come at this Ski-Above-All-Longest-Season-in-Colorado resort!), up to 5 lessons, rentals for the lessons, AND the guarantee you'll be parallel skiing on intermediate groomers or your money back! I don't know if you have to give the pass back, but check out more hot deals at www.arapahoebasin.com.

ASPEN RESORTS:
Aspen/Snowmass Highlands/Buttermilks Get a studio at the Laurelwood, steps from Snowmass and including fireplace, kitchen, bedding for four, and common area hot tubs and heated pools, $120/pn, now through 2/15, no minimum night stay. Be one with Aspen Mountain at the Hearthstone House, two blocks from downtown Aspen, including continental breakfast, apres-ski wine and cheese, hot tub and steam room, $150/pn, two-night minimum through 2/14. Affordable Aspen as always at www.aspensnowmass.com, and be certain to check out the Virtual Hostel link.

CRESTED BUTTE:
NINE inches of freshies in the last three days. Speaking of three, the Buy 3 Get One Free lodging and lift ticket package goes away 2/12/03 - book it while you can! You can't miss at www.skicb.com! Even better, check out this: stay in a 3 BR townhome for $158/pn, adult 2-day lift ticket only $60 when purchased 14 days in advance, kids pay their age for lift tix, and a two-night minimum stay required. Head to www.crestedbutte.com/lodgingdeals.htm and look for the password to get your discounts!

DURANGO MOUNTAIN RESORT:
Ski Free/Ride Free at Do-Rango, starting at $85/pp/pn, minimum three-night stay. Sneak away for the Rocky Mountain Highway Getaway, $99/pp/pn includes one night slopeside lodging and two days lift tickies! Get to the phone and call Do-Rango Central Reservations at 1-800-982-6103 for the what and wherefore. www.durangomountainresort.com

ELDORA MOUNTAIN:
Good news! By popular demand, the Eldora Mountain Four Pack is back! Available now, 4 tickets for just $59 at King Soopers or Eldora's new Boulder store (28th & Canyon Blvd), $69 at Eldora Mountain or by phone 303-440-8700, offer good Mon-Fri, all season, no blackout dates. You'lla getta mora at Eldora! www.eldora.com.

LOVELAND:
Ongoing reason #384 to skip the Ice-enhower Tunnel: Catch a Coors Girl on Saturday (do they have a Coors GUY as well?), get tagged, get free beer at the Rathskeller, a chance to win a snowboard and other great schwag. Pearson's has gone nuts through the end of March - buy a Pearson's Nut Roll at participating retailers, get the coupon when you buy or at www.skiloveland.com/pearson, and get $14 off an adult mid-week ticket. OR go to a Front Range Arby's, get a market fresh sammie for the slopes, pick up a "Mountain of Savings" coupon book, and save $8 off your adult mid-week ticket. Feel the Love at www.skiloveland.com.

MONARCH MOUNTAIN:
Monarch Mountain Lodge Ski and Stay Deal is down to $48/pp/pn/do! With 6 inches of freshies on a 50" mid-mountain base, you'd better get on the stick at www.monarchmountainlodge.com!

POWDERHORN:
Boasting 18 inches of freshies in the last 24 hours, they're powder-central this weekend. Laidlaw Transportation has discontinued bus service from Grand Junction, the rats, but hop on a snowmo if you have to and get there! Stay at the Inn at Wildwood, base area of the mountain, starting at $59/pn/do. www.powderhorn.com

STEAMBOAT:
Book through 2/13/03 for Das Boot's Stay & Ski Free package! Time's a-wastin' for this buy-three-nights-lodging-three-day's-lifts-get-the-fourth-each-free special, and kids ski free with this deal as well! Prices start at $285/pp/do in an economy motel. Check it out at www.steamboat.com.

TELL-U-RIDE:
Excusive offer for Amex members 2 days of skiing and 3 nights of lodging at the Hotel Telluride, for 2 people, only $635 (50% off)! Reservations available through 4/6/03, available for purchase through 2/23/03 with your American Express Card, visit www.thehoteltelluride.com. The Telluride Card holders buy-your-buddies-a-lift-ticket-for-$39 special ends 2/14 - RUN, don't walk to the ticket office! They'll Tell-U-More at www.tellurideskiresort.com

VAIL RESORTS:
Beaver Creek, Brecken-fridge, Keystone, Vail Okay, it's incomprehensible how many February specials there are throughout Vail Resorts. Keystone's BIG DEAL is back, where you'll save 50% on lodging, studios that sleep four starting at just $89/pn, weekdays through 2/13. At Vail, the Chateau Vail is offering rooms through 2/12 for $116/pn, and you're six blocks from the base. Brecken-fridge is sporting their Big 40, meaning 40% off lodging, now through 2/13, valid mid-week. It's now Heavenly at www.snow.com!

WOLF CREEK:
Sunday is College Day, $21/lift tickets w/College ID, and I'm still waiting to hear if that goes for Professors, too! www.wolfcreekski.com

WYOMING:
JACKSON HOLE:
This is what we like to report: FOUR FEET OF SNOW DURING THE LAST WEEK OF JANUARY! YIKES! You'll get face shots just standing there! Celebrate the dump with the Cowboy Package, starting at $33/pp, 2/8-3/17. Includes 5 nights lodging/4 days riding, based on 6 people in a JH Racquet Club 2 BR standard condo Go Big or Go Home at www.jacksonhole.com

GRAND TARGHEE:
Here's another one - 311" seasonal snowfall-to-date mid-mountain. Teewinot's still offering rooms mid-week for $69/pn. How can you go wrong at www.grandtarghee.com!

NEW MEXICO:
ANGEL FIRE:
February lodging/lift tickets specials still running $89/pn/quad occupancy, mid-week. Learn to Snowboard and you keep the board special still running, voted BEST deal by Ski Magazine and here's why - $249 will get you 2 group lessons with the Fuego de los Angeles guarantee, board, boots, bindings, custom fittings, and two vouchers for half-price lift tickies redeemable at your next visit. Let the angels light a fire under you at www.angelfireresort.com!

TAOS:
Extreme savings specials ends 2/13, meaning you can stay in Taos for $247/pp and get 3 nights lodging, 3 days lift tickets, or get the same deal staying in the Ski Valley for $299/pp! Ski, eat, sleep, ski, repeat when necessary at www.skitaos.org

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

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