http://vertexpress.com Skiing, snowboarding and mountain lifestyle Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:39:27 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Sounds pretty good if you are heading to northern New England. Welcome back La Nina!]]> http://vertexpress.com/lodge-notes/la-nina-shows-up-in-vermont-10-12-inches-of-snow I might have put way too much trust into the early weather forecasts; Or maybe, I am way too impatient with La Nina. But I have to say that this December will not be a memorable month for skiers and riders in the United States. In other words, we haven;t seen much snow for the [...]]]> http://vertexpress.com/lodge-notes/what-la-nina Hmm, it is still a forecast subject to Mother Nature’s mood. It does look promising for those planning to visit/live in  Colorado or Utah. Alternatively, Vermont seems to be a good option.  The graphics are posted on The Weather Channel’s website. Visit their site for the latest updates.  And if you wondered, the National Climatic Data Center [...]]]> http://vertexpress.com/lodge-notes/2011-white-christmas-map In general, I respect entrepreneurs who go an extra mile to make money. Last year some folks went to local Sport Authority stores, picked up free lift ticket coupons, and sold them on eBay for a few bucks. Yes, it was a pretty shady business strategy, and I wrote about it last year. But, I have to give them [...]]]> http://vertexpress.com/lift-ticket-deals/dont-be-a-fool-get-killington-2-for-1-coupon-for-free Do you ski during Christmas week? One of my most memorable trips to VT was during that week. Luckily for us, we managed to book a three bedroom house in Chester, Vermont for just $250 per night. Split it between 8 people, add good food, drinks and you get one hell of a deal for [...]]]> http://vertexpress.com/lift-ticket-deals/christmas-week-to-ski-or-not-to-ski Heading to northern Vermont? Checkout Bolton valley and Burke Mountain ski resorts. Both ski areas offer good deals and  ski terrain. So if you plan on visiting Bolton Valley ski resort more than once, buy the Powder Pass for $199, and get 5 lift tickets (if you buy the pass before December 23rd, 2011.) Up [...]]]> http://vertexpress.com/lift-ticket-deals/lift-ticket-deals-at-bolton-valley-and-burke-mountain Compared to some ski resorts in Vermont, Smugglers’ Notch offers reasonably priced lift tickets: for example, you can a get a peak/holiday lift ticket for about $70 when some other ski areas charge $90+.  And yet, you can save more by taking advantage of the various lift ticket specials. Buy lift tickets from participating retailers. [...]]]> http://vertexpress.com/lift-ticket-deals/smugglers-notch-lift-ticket-deals There is no question that skiing is an expensive hobby even if you book a midweek trip to your favorite resort. That said, ski resorts do offer lift ticket discounts, and so here is a quick overview for Jay Peak resort. 581 Card – $99. Named after the biggest seasonal snowfall, the card includes a [...]]]> http://vertexpress.com/lift-ticket-deals/jay-peak-lift-ticket-deals I am a big fan of “all-things-midweek” – I just think that you can get more value for your buck when you “sacrifice” your precious day offs and book a midweek ski trip. That said,  the midweek adult lift ticket prices in Vermont are still expensive: they start at around $30 and skyrocket to $84 per lift [...]]]> http://vertexpress.com/lift-ticket-deals/mid-week-lift-tickets-in-vermont A while ago, I posted a poll asking our readers to compare and rate Magic Mountain resort. This classic Vermont ski resort might not be a household name, but I think it is one of the better ski areas  in VT. And it is very clear that 100% of voters agree – Magic Mountain is a great [...]]]> http://vertexpress.com/lodge-notes/poll-magic-mountain-is-a-great-ski-resort