Hello Sliders,

We're experiencing a great start for this season. Mammoth Mountain had one of the best opening weekends in recent history. Now that Thanksgiving is over and thoughts of the holidays are dancing in your head, why not buy some lift tickets as gifts? Wax up those skis/boards and slide your favorite hill with these deals:

Mammoth Mountain - Open Top to Bottom!
Mammoth has a 2-4' base with snow expected this weekend. They're already open top to bottom!! Your best deal is the Stay & Ski package - $77.50 per person/night with double occupancy, 2 night minimum stay with some blackout dates around the holidays. The Tamarack Lodge is running an internet special through 12/18/03 - 25% off a mountain cabin or lodge room, 2 for 1 group cross country lessons and 20% off rentals and passes (call 760.934.5293 and request the internet special). Mammoth is also running a 50th Anniversary Special - with a 2-7 night stay you get a lift ticket for each registered person and 2 gift packs loaded with goodies. This runs $109 per person/night with double occupancy. There is a 3 night minimum on weekends and holiday restrictions (call 800.mammoth). If you can ski/ride midweek, get a midweek season pass - $500 for ages 19-64, $375 for ages 13-18, $250 for ages 65-79/7-12. If you're up there on 12/5/03, check out the tree lighting event and on 12/6/03, see the crafts show and visit Santa at the mall. www.mammothmountain.com

June Mountain - Opens 12/13/03
June is offering a $99 College Season Pass until 12/13/03 only - you must be ages 18-25 with valid college i.d. This pass is only good at June Mountain (call 800.mammoth). They also offer a Season Pass for $250 until 12/14/03 - after that it goes up to $500. www.junemountain.com

Mt. High - Lots of Ticket Deals
Mt. High has a 12-24" base and they're making snow when they can. They expect a chance for the natural white stuff this weekend. Again this year, Mt. High has a variety of ticket deals. The 6 Pack for $169 will get you six 8 hour, fully transferrable lift tickets good any day or night except holidays - this works out to only $28 per ticket and you can use more than one per day (take your friends/family)!! These are only available until 12/31/03. These tickets also give you hands-free access, you never have to stand in ticket lines and you get a Mountain Access Card worth $29 (see below for the benefits for this card). You can only buy this online or through selected stores - see the website for details and store locations. Beginners should try the $99 3-Peat - it gets you a 2 hour lesson, rentals and a lower mountain lift ticket for three days (you need not do the days consecutively) and the level of lessons and rental increase. When you finish your three days, you get an 8 hour lift ticket and a Mountain Access Card (see below for details on this). This too is only available online or at selested stores. Ok, here's the skinny on the Mountain Access Card - you get $10 off 8 hour lift tickets, $5 off night tickets, a free 8 hour ticket after 5 visits, hands free access with your credit card automatically charged, guaranteed admission during sellouts, 10% off non-sale retail and 10% off lessons (ages 13 and up). If you're a night rider, the Quad will get you 4 night tickets for only $59 - that's only $14.75 a ticket!! You can use more than one a day (again, bring the friends/family). After 3/31/04, these can also be used as 8 hour day passes. They're hands free access and only available online or at selected stores. Police/Fire discount is on again this year - with valid work i.d you get $7 off, non-holidays. Anyone can bring i.d on their birthday for a free ticket. On 12/5/03, USASA Friday Night BoarderCross Series will be there and on 12/6/03, they'll have the USASA Dual Slalom/Giant Slalom. www.mthigh.com

Weather.com
Visit www.weather.com for weather information, a link to all the Sliding on the Cheap regional newsletters and so much more. Mammoth will get snow this weekend and the rest of the Southern California resorts will have a chance of snow this weekend with some snowmaking ability. www.weather.com

Bear Mountain Resorts - Two Great Mountains
Bear Mountain caters to boarders while Summit takes everyone. They're open top to bottom with an 8-18" base. They make snow when they can. Early season prices are in effect - adults are $40, ages 13-21 (with i.d.) are $30, ages 7-12 are $12. If you turn in your ticket by 1pm, you get a voucher good toward a $15-17 discount on another day. They offer a variety of season pass options ranging from Anytime Dual Mountain passes at $649 to Midweek Dual Mountain passes for $299 - see the website for all the options. Single day passes are valid at both mountains and they run $48 for adults, $36 for ages 13-21, $15 for ages 7-12, non-holidays. Summit has night skiing/riding for $30, $26 and $10, respectively. See the website for other options like Half Day and Half Night rates. You can get a free ticket on your birthday with i.d. www.bigbearmountainresorts.com

Think snow,

Yvette
Southern California Editor - SOTC