Woo-ehhh, just like the rest of America, Colorado has been getting pounded by storms, leaving towns of fresh new powder. Most resorts are reporting at least 6-8' of new snow. That's way more than anyone ever expected and so far this year is turning out to be stellar. There's more snow now that ever before. Plus, the weather is finally giving us a nice break to get up on those mountains and slide for a few days.

And why not head up, especially when I have a wonderful array of deals, including some great new clinics that will help you become the skier or snowboarder that you always wanted to be! So let's go sliding on the cheap...

But first, some weather...

Just a few more days of snow showers before it let's u on Thursday for some beautiful sunny days! Temperatures will be in the low-twenties to the single digits, so bundle up sliders cause its cold out there! But hey, at least it leaves some great snow! Go to www.weather.com for more!

The SOTC Skinny Okay, after sorting through all the information, we at SOTC know what to expect in Colorado for the coming week, and there's a lot to get through. I'm talking about ticket deals, various group and student discounts, holiday promotions, tons of special offers, and a whole bunch more!

But what, you say you're not a subscriber? Dude, what's up with that?! That's definitely not kosher! Without a subscription you won't know about some of the sweetest deals around. So why not give yourself a gift this holiday season and sign up here: www.slidingonthecheap.com

Oh yeah, and while you're checking out the site, you might want to check out our other regional newsletters. It just might help you plan that extra special sliding vacation, and heck, it really is a fun read. So head on over, its just a hop, skip and jump away!

Okay sliders, grab your boards and skis and get ready, this will be a bumpy ride...

My Card, My Life

Wanna save some big bucks on your next trip? Make sure to check out these deal savers from American Express. Simple use your card and you can start saving, not only at the resort, but at the airport, hotel and more! Check out http://www.mylifemycard.com/ski/

Arapahoe Basin

Its clinic time. Here's a break down of the clinics being offered at A-Basin:

1/15/05 - Tele Clinic 1/15/05 - Arnie J. Green 1/16/05 - Venture Snowboard Demo Day

How does $38 for a ticket sound? Simple print out this coupon and you too can ride A-Basin for only $38!! Have fun and rip it up guys! http://www.skicoupons.com/coupon.cfm/r/9/g/1/c/984

Another great print out coupon gets you a child's lift ticket for only $15! Print it out already and get those kids out there, we need some new sliders! http://www.skicoupons.com/coupon.cfm/r/9/g/1/c/1070

Like A-Basin, but wanna slide Keystone or Breckenridge too? Have I got a deal for you. Get your 2004/2005 Arapahoe Basin Bonus Pass for only $229. Bonus Pass includes unlimited skiing or riding at A-Basin for the 04/05 ski season plus 5 ski days valid at Keystone or Breckenridge. One ski day can be used at Vail or Beaver Creek. Call 888-ARAPAHOE ext. 2 or visit www.arapahoebasin.com

If you just want to slide A-basin, then don't pass up their awesome season pass deal. For only $179 the pass includes unlimited skiing or riding at A-Basin for the 2004/2005 ski season. Call 888-ARAPAHOE ext. 2 or visit www.arapahoebasin.com

$10 Beginner Lift Tickets. Beginners ski for $10 at the Molly Hogan learning center!

Kids Ski Free. Are you 6-14, or do you have children that age, well they ski free at A-Basin! Receive one free child lift ticket with every full price adult lift ticket purchased.

Learn to Ski or Snowboard!! For just $200 you get: 4-2 hour lessons, recreational rentals for the day, and a 2004-2005 Arapahoe Basin Season Pass. How cool is that!

Breckenridge

Adventure summit is here, Sliders, but sign up quick because it starts soon. Adventure summit is a series of clinics and such specifically designed for women. Its tons of fun and definitely worth your time! Check out http://breckenridge.snow.com/info/winter/adventuresummit.asp for more info!

Copper Mountain

Ever said, gee, I wish I could ski for only $27 a day? Online lift ticket deals are back for the 2004-2005 season. It'll only cost you a pressing $27 when you buy your multi-day tickets online. Four days are just $108 for early season. Simply logon to www.coppercolorado.com and click on Tickets.

Crested Butte

Former U.S. Ski Team member, 1992 Olympian and two-time World Freeskiing champion Wendy Fisher is pleased to announce FISHSKI, a first ever freeskiing ski camp for girls, ages 12-16. Camp includes one day of big mountain and one day of jib park coaching by Wendy and CB Mountain School professional ski instructors, a two day lift ticket, welcome orientation and snacks, two breakfast vouchers, two lunches and final wrap-up pizza party. For information call (970) 209-0256 or check www.fishski.com.

NextSnow Search...An all -mountain, all equipment, all person snowsports competition. It's not just a competition-style, attitude and personality are also factors. There is only one class, everyone competes together. Boys and girls, skiers and snowboarders and adaptive athletes are included. Ages 9-13. Qualifying competition for the finals on February 11-13.

Eldora

Wanna brush up on your skills? Well Eldora has a deal for you. They are getting ready for their Session 2 clinics. They are offered for women and kids, so hurry on over to find your perfect clinic and sign up! http://www.eldora.com/pressRelease.cfm?id=86

Loveland

Want to learn to ski or ride? How does a free season pass sound? If you like the idea then make sure to take advantage of Loveland's 3 Class Pass programs. Loveland's awesome ski school staff will help you get started, they can also help improve your skiing or snowboarding skills. As a reward for learning how to ski or ride you will receive a FREE season pass for beginners or $100 season pass for intermediates after the completion of three lesson packages. For more information or any questions contact Loveland Ski School at skischool [at] skiloveland.com or call 303-571-5580 x170. http://www.skiloveland.com

Venture Snowboards Demo Day- 1/15/05 Based in Colorado's mighty San Juan Mountains, Venture Snowboards handcrafts superior performance snowboards from scratch using environmentally friendly materials and techniques. Venture offers three different models for a range of conditions and terrain. The Zephyr is the ideal all-mountain board, the Euphoria is designed for backcountry and powder riding and the Helix is dialed for the park and pipe. All models are offered in three widths to ensure the proper fit whatever your footprint. Take one out for a free test drive at Loveland Ski Area from 9am to 3pm on Saturday, January 15th in the NW corner of the Basin parking lot. Participants must be 18 or older. For more information, visit Venture online at www.venturesnowboards.com or call 888-865-3410. Lift ticket& credit card required.

Mountain Miser Demo Day- 1/22/05 Interested in getting into Telemark skiing or just want to try certain equipment before you buy it? Mountain Miser's entire fleet of 2005 demo skis and boots will be on hand for you to test at Loveland Ski Area. Meet at the west end of the Basin parking lot and be ready to make turns. Try as many as you can from 9am -2pm. You must register online at www.mountainmiser.com to participate. Event cost is $15 and participants must have a valid lift ticket, drivers license and credit card.

Loveland Ski School Telemark Clinic- 1/23/05 Cut loose from the crowds and carve a new way with the free-heeling fun of telemark skiing. These clinics make it easy and fun for tele skiers of all abilities. Special clinics in this traditional style of skiing are offered on select Sundays throughout the year to help improve on the technique and balance needed for this popular winter activity. Our clinics are developed for all abilities and include 2.5 hours of instruction and a full-day, all-mountain lift ticket for only $65. Should you choose to rent your telemark equipment, the cost is only $78. Reservations and prepayment are required. Clinics begin at 10:00am. Please call (303)570-5580 Ext. 170 for more information.

Kendall Mountain

So the holidays have left you with little to no cash, no problem, I got your back! Wanna slide the cheapest resort in the West? Head on over the Kendall. Ready... $7. That's it. For only Seven dollars you get to slide for the day! I don't think I need to say much more. Here's the coupon. http://www.skicoupons.com/coupon.cfm/r/9/g/84/c/3048

PowderHorn

Stay slopeside at the Inn at Wildewood any Sunday through Thursday night and get your lift tickets FREE for the next day. All rooms are suites with frig, microwave and coffeemaker. Rooms start at $69. Call 970-268-5171 for reservations.

San Juan Ski Company

Okay, San Juan is awesome! Get yours butts in gear cause I've got a great discount for you. Print out this coupon and you'll save $30! It really doesn't get much better! http://www.skicoupons.com/coupon.cfm/r/9/g/52/c/3019

Load up the crew and come to DMR for a San Juan Family Adventure—and Kids Ski Free. Stay four nights in the deluxe slopeside Purgatory Village Hotel with your family of four, and kids lift tickets are included—-that's just $976 for four days on the mountain for the whole crew, and full breakfasts are included to get the engines running. Based on 2 adults and 2 children under 12, some holidays restricted. Please call 800-982-6102 or visit www.durangomountainresort.com for information and reservations.

SkiCooper

Wanna get a free lift ticket. Right now, buy one adult lift ticket get one free. Buy one full price adult lift ticket ($34) receive the second one free. Both tickets must be used the same day. Valid opening to Jan 14, excluding Dec 17 to Jan 4, 2005. Discount valid on adult full day tickets. One discount per coupon. Not good with any other discount. No cash value. http://www.skicoupons.com/coupon.cfm/r/9/g/15/c/810

SkiCooper has an awesome deal for anyone over the age of 11. Right now you can learn to ski and get everything you would ever need, to ski at least, for the low price of $40. The ski package includes a two hour group lesson, ski rental and finally a beginner lift ticket. Ski classes begin at various times throughout the morning for your convenience. http://www.skicooper.com

Sol Vista

Buy 2 days/nights of lift tickets and lodging & get the 3rd day/night free!! Call 866-SOLVISTA for details or see our web site at solvista.com.

Steamboat

How does a savings of $24 sound? Well, I found the savings for you, so now fulfill your part of the deal and get out there and slide! Its called an mETicket. Want more details, go to http://www.skicoupons.com/coupon.cfm/r/9/g/4/c/2962

Steamboat, the innovator of Kids Fly Free in the skiing industry, is offering an incredible deal for the 2004-2005 Winter Season! Kids ages 12 and under can Fly Free to Steamboat with a qualifying parent purchase. Couple this deal with Steamboat's Kids Ski Free™ and Kids Rent Free programs and you're getting the best value for your family vacation! For more information on this incredible deal, visit www.steamboat.com/kidsflyfree or call toll-free 877-237-2628.

Telluride

I have gotten so many e-mails asking about deals for Telluride. Well, after some long searching I found them... here ya go, and let me tell ya, its good! Buy a transferable 5 pack, meaning you or anyone else can use them, and it'll only cost ya $275! That's only $55 a day! Rock on! http://www.skicoupons.com/coupon.cfm/r/9/g/54/c/3123

Kids Season Pass for all season long with absolutely no black out dates is only $69! http://www.skicoupons.com/coupon.cfm/r/9/g/54/c/3123

Winter Park

You can't go wrong with Winter Park Resort's Lodging and Lifts Free 4 All- Buy three nights of lodging and three days of lift tickets and receive a fourth night and fourth lift ticket, free! This $332 package is per person, based on four people in a two bedroom condo. Even better news is that this package is offered all season long (Nov. 17, 2004-April 17, 2005)! To book this packages or to create an individualized itinerary, call Winter Park Central Reservations at 800-729-5813 for complete trip organization and the answers to the dozens of questions that help assure a hassle-free, dream vacation. http://www.winterparkresort.com

Rentskis.com

How does saving money on rentals sound? Well www.rentskis.com has a great offer to you, the readers of SOTC! RESERVE SKI/SNOWBOARD RENTALS ONLINE & SAVE! 10% off for any ski or snowboard rental during regular season or 20% off during value season. Visit www.rentskis.com

Wanted: New and Hot Deals! Here at SOTC the search never ends! We stay up night and day looking for the ultimate in deals and steals. So here's the deal, you send it, we post it! Think of it as a karma thing; its always a good thing to help your fellow Sliders!

So marketing managers, resort aficionados, and everyone else, send in Hot Deals and Events, cause we'll gladly post it for you. As the saying goes, if we don't know about it, we can't tell the Sliding Team, so send it already!

Need some extra info for your trip to Colorado? Don't know which resort to go to? Feel free to send in any questions! Rants, raves, suggestions, complaints, and inane comments are all welcome, just email me at: jellis1323 [at] yahoo.com

Thanks for reading, now go rip up that mountain, and until next week, have some fun in the snow!

Johanna
jellis1323 [at] yahoo.com