Archive for the 'Ski & Winter' Category
Yosemite: Curry Village ice rink opens today
November 20, 2009 2:57pm
Whether you’re on the ice to pirouette, or to practice skating in a straight line without causing any harm, you can’t have less than an awe-inspiring time at an outdoor rink in Yosemite. The national park’s ice-skating venue, which sits below Glacier Point’s cliffs, is naturally blessed with good views of popular landmarks like Tenaya Canyon, Half Dome and Cloud’s Rest.
And now you can see it for yourself. Located in the western section of Curry Village, the rink opens today for the 2009-2010 winter season.
Though the attraction got its start in 1928, after a Yosemite club flooded a parking lot, the rink is equipped to meet visitors’ 21st-century needs: Rental skates are available, as is a warming hut, and an ice-resurfacing machine comes through regularly to freshen up the rink. Non-skaters can watch the fun next to a fire pit close by.
Skating sessions are scheduled daily, from 3:30 to 6 p.m., and 7 to 9:30 p.m. Additional sessions are available on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30 to 11 a.m., and noon to 2:30 p.m. Read the rest of this entry »
Monterey-Lake Tahoe Sea & Ski package deal
November 12, 2009 5:58am
I have two problems when trying to plan a weekender. The first: a weekend is just not long enough. The second: Choosing a destination can be difficult if the traveling parties want to do different things. I love being in the mountains during winter and my husband could spend every vacation at the beach. This Sea & Ski Package includes the best of both worlds (skiing at Lake Tahoe and a choice of Monterey seaside activities such as kayaking, a sailing cruise, bicycling or a whale-watching tour). Plus, the package saves you at least 30%.
Deal: Spend two nights in Monterey at the Portola Hotel & Spa, then hop in the car for a half-day road trip and continue your getaway in Lake Tahoe, where you will stay at Northstar-at-Tahoe. The package includes four nights’ accommodations, breakfast for two in Monterey, and activities for two, including ski lift tickets at Northstar and your choice of marine sanctuary or sailing cruise, whale watching, bicycling or kayaking in Monterey. The package price starts at $970, pre-tax for two people. ( A la carte, the package comes to $1,426, pre-tax).
Fly to Park City, Utah, for free ski/snowboarding lift ticket
November 10, 2009 8:25am
Wintertime recreation in an A-list celebrity destination doesn’t have to be too pricey. As was the case last winter too, the home base of the Sundance Film Festival — Park City, Utah — is full of great deals, especially those tempting to skiers and snowboarders. For instance, take this offer, which encourages you to waste nary a second in getting on your mountain gear.
Deal: Your airline boarding pass gets you a same-day lift ticket with the “QuickSTART” program. The gist: Non-Utah residents flying into Salt Lake City International Airport on certain dates this winter can hit the slopes for free at a resort of their choice (Deer Valley Resort, the Canyons Resort or Park City Mountain Resort) during the remainder of their Park City arrival day.
You must pre-register on the Park City Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau website to take advantage of this offer. To get your ski and snowboarding pass once at your chosen resort, you’ll present your voucher (sent to your e-mail address after registering), your boarding pass and an out-of-state photo ID. Read the rest of this entry »
Outside magazine lists North America’s 16 best ski resorts
November 7, 2009 12:02pm
Get out your calendar — it’s time to start carving out vacation time for a ski trip. El Niño is bringing an early 2009-10 snow season to California, and since airlines keep offering cheap fares, there’s no reason why an avid skier or boarder can’t think about sampling ski resorts across the country. Outside magazine’s November issue highlights its “Winter Hot List” including North America’s 16 Best Ski Resorts.
What I love about this list is that it adds a hot travel tip at the bottom of the review like this great weather advice for Alta: “If there’s a big storm coming, spend the night in Little Cottonwood Canyon, not Salt Lake. They’ll close Highway 210 to do avalanche work, and by the time they open it you’ll have had both resorts to yourself for three hours.”
Here are the resorts that made the cut:
- Alta/Snowbird, Utah
- Jackson Hole, Wyo.
- Alyeska Resort, Ala.
- Silverton Mountain, Col.
- Breckenridge, Col.
- Whistler-Blackcomb, British Columbia
- Park City, Utah
San Diego Omni Hotel’s $99 ‘Stuff Your Stocking’ deal
November 5, 2009 5:56am
You don’t need to prove that you’ve been good all year to get this gift from Santa. The Omni San Diego, connected to San Diego’s Petco Park, has a “Stuff Your Stocking” special worth taking advantage of well before Christmas. Guestrooms are on sale starting at $99 per night starting Thanksgiving week and lasting through the New Year’s holiday. Baseball season may be over, but there’s plenty of holiday shopping to be had in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.
Deal: Use the promo code “STOCKING” to get a guestroom for $99 per night, pre-tax, based on availability. But the best part of the deal is that guests will receive a letter upon their departure that enables them to purchase another night at the hotel for $99 in 2010.
Tested: I searched for available dates on the Omni San Diego website and found several, including Nov. 28 (the Saturday after Thanksgiving), Dec. 18-21 and Dec. 24 - 27. The deal was not, however, available for the New Year’s holiday, Dec. 30 - Jan. 1. When I looked for rates outside of the deal, I found a low of $84 on a current 72-hour sale and a rate of $118 for a 21-day advance purchase for rooms Dec. 24 -27. However, the best available rate was listed as $139, pre-tax. I think all these rates are worth jumping on because I’ve been watching this hotel and often see prices of more than $200 and sometimes $300 per night. Granted, that might have been during baseball season.
Big Bear and Mountain High ski resorts opening Friday in Southern California
October 29, 2009 4:26pm
Two of Southern California’s most popular and convenient ski resorts are opening Friday after a surprise cold snap allowed snow-making for several days. Early-season rates apply, in one of the earliest debuts in decades.
Mountain High in Wrightwood, which opened a top-to-bottom run (Chair 4) today to season-ticket holders, will be offering early-season rates of $35 for four-hour passes and $40 for eight-hour passes. The resort has been making snow almost full time since Tuesday and boasts an 8- to 12-inch base. Six to 10 terrain features were open today, and up to 20 were expected to be open on Friday. Dress warm. Though sunny, the mountain this afternoon was breezy, with temperatures hovering in the high 30s.
At Yellowstone, wolves and winter deals
October 24, 2009 9:00am
While it can’t compete with the 25-cent hotel rooms recently offered in the U.S. Virgin Islands, or $20 rooms at Hooters Casino in Las Vegas, Yellowstone National Park is offering up some interesting snow packages that include wildlife tours, snowmobiling and ice skating.
The “Winter Getaway” packages are available just after the holidays, Jan. 3 to March 6, a period often ripe with snow-play specials.
Particularly appealing: “Trail of the Wolf,” a guided snowmobile trip to the interior of the park, which is known for its wolves, and wildlife watching by special van in the park’s northern range. The package includes three nights of lodging at Old Faithful Snow Lodge or Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, two breakfasts per person, a one-hour hot tub rental, unlimited skating and skates. Prices begin at $411 per person pretax, double occupancy, for two nights at Mammoth Hot Springs and one night at Old Faithful. Two nights at Old Faithful and one night at Mammoth Hot Springs runs $546 per person.
Ski Sundance? The town is not just for film festivals
October 23, 2009 3:33pm
If you thought about Sundance, Utah, only when the famed Sundance Film Festival took over the mountain town, think again. It’s a ski destination too. Sundance Resort is offering “Early Bird Gets the Powder” ski deals before its winter ski season kicks off on Dec. 11. Never been? The resort boasts about its great snow. It was also ranked second by Conde Nast Traveler’s 2007 readers’ poll for the top 50 U.S. mainland resorts.
Deal or no deal? Get three nights’ accommodations, daily breakfast, two all-day lift tickets per day and an upgraded amenity bag with snacks upon arrival. Rates start at $375 per night pretax, based on double occupancy. I found the promotion available Jan. 12-15 for $379 per night. The 15.75% tax added nearly $200 to the price, bringing the total for the trip to $1,316 for two people.
I do think this package is of value to skiers.. Without the early-bird promotion, the best available rate was $399 per night for the room and breakfast. And in the past, day lift tickets have cost $45 per person.
Mammoth opening with Freebie Friday
October 14, 2009 5:43pm
Mammoth Mountain will open Friday with free skiing and snowboarding, after a powerful storm left up to 6 feet of snow in higher elevations of the Eastern Sierra resort. Areas lower on the mountain will offer 16-24 inches of machine groomed snow.
“We are so excited to start the season nearly four weeks ahead of schedule and to be able to reward our guests with a free day on the slopes,” said Howard Pickett, chief marketing officer of Mammoth Mountain.
This is the resort’s earliest opening in 15 years. In 1994, the resort opening Oct. 8.
Broadway Express will open at 8:30 a.m. Friday, servicing a base of up to 2 feet of machine groomed natural snow, with runs on Broadway, Forest Trail, Mambo, St. Moritz, and Main Park, and assorted rails and jibs. Mammoth officials said more runs will open as staffing and weather allow.
Contact: Mammoth Mountain, (800) MAMMOTH or (800) 626-6684
–Chris Erskine, Los Angeles Times deputy Travel editor
[Photo: Skiers and boarders on the slopes at Mammoth Mountain; Credit: Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times]
Last-minute: Squaw Valley, Kirkwood ski passes on sale for winter 2009-10
October 13, 2009 6:04pm
Last week we reported that Southern California ski resorts were gearing up for an early snow season. Well, the same goes for the ski resorts in Lake Tahoe. They got their second snowfall this week with more rain and snow expected tonight and possibly into Wednesday. A reminder crossed my desk today that skiers and boarders still have time to cash in on discounts for this winter’s ski passes. Squaw Valley’s 50/60 Squaw season pass deal is on sale through Thursday, Oct. 15, and has significant discounts to honor the 60th anniversary of their opening and the 50th anniversary of Squaw hosting the Winter Olympic Games.
Deal: There are four different season passes available at Squaw Valley starting with the “Bronze” pass that is $649 for adults, $499 for young adults and seniors ages 13-22 or 65-75, and $179 for children 12 and under. It is good for skiing seven days a week beginning Nov. 20 through the end of the season with the exception of select Saturdays and some listed blackout dates. After Thursday prices rise significantly. As an example, the adult Bronze pass will cost $999 per person. The $749 Silver pass jumps to $1,199, and the $1,299 Gold pass jumps to $1,799 after Oct. 15.
Note: If you enjoy skiing and boarding in South Lake Tahoe, you have a little bit more time to consider Kirkwood’s season pass, with prices starting at $559 for adults and on sale until Nov. 3. Heavenly’s season pass is priced at $369 and also great for skiers and boarders looking for a deal.
– Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger
[Photo: Squaw Valley USA; Photo credit: Thomas Kranzel/Venture Media]
