Sunlight, “down valley” from Aspen, offers lift tickets for $48 a day. As Sunlight points out, that amounts to “cheap lift tickets for Colorado.” Indeed, one can still step back in time, to lower prices, at Sunlight, while still having 2,010 vertical feet to ride.

What: $48 lift tickets

Where: Sunlight

When: Season-long

Today’s Base Depth: 57 inches (top)
Go to: Sunlight lift tickets

Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly is promoting a “Screaming Spring Break Deal” offering five nights at Harvey’s, four days of skiing for just $63 per person per night. This may be as good as it gets this season at Heavenly.

What: $63 Ski-and-stay deal

Where: Heavenly

When: March 23-April 4, 2008 (Heavenly’s home page was counting registration down today, at less than 91 hours left)

Today’s Snow Depth: 78-100 inches

Go to: Heavenly specials (if unable to access, go to the Heavenly home page to locate more info)

If you can scramble up 20 people or more for a outing at Oregon’s Mt. Bachelor, you’ll qualify for what may be the resort’s best deal. Lift tickets are $49 a day per person (non-holiday), vs. $56 for the regular price — and the deals get better with multi-day passes. Purchase a minimum of three days in advance.

What: Group rates

Where: Mt. Bachelor

When: Season long

Today’s Snow Depth: 118-126 inches

Go to: Mt. Bachelor group rates

A family of four can arrive at Snowshoe Mountain Feb. 17, stay five nights, and the price for lodging and a lift ticket is only $65 per person per night. “Plus — free skiing on your day of arrival, kids 12 and under ski free,” according to Snowshoe. “Per person rate is based on two adults and two juniors in a one-bedroom condo.”

Where: Snowshoe Mountain

What: $65 Ski and Stay Deal

When: Week of Feb. 17

Today’s Snow Depth: 32-45 inches

Go To: Snowshoe hot deals

The “6-Pack” deal at Southern California’s Mountain High near Los Angeles is no longer available this season, so go for “The Quad” deal. The package offers up to 40% off on night tickets, and more than 60% off on “8-hour spring tickets” (meaning unused night credits can be used for day skiing after March 30). Quad tickets are for four nights of skiing, for $75.

What: Night-skiing deal

Where: Mountain High

When: Sale ends March 16

Today’s Snow Depth: 30-59 inches

Go to: Mt. High ticket deals

Unless you buy a season pass, three-day lift tickets may be the best deal you’re gonna get at Wolf Creek, typically Colorado’s powder champ — at least, that’s the way it appears from a perusal of the resort’s website. For the record, three-day adult passes are $141, vs. $48 for a single day — a net savings over three days of $7. Not much, but it’s something — besides, how many places in Colorado (or anywhere) offer equivalent powder at that price?

What: Three-day passes

Where: Wolf Creek

When: Season long

Today’s Snow Depth: 140 inches (top)

Go to: Wolf Creek prices

The biggest savings at Deer Valley (up to 25% off) return March 30, but “select lodging and Deer Valley Resort lift tickets” carrying a 15% discount are available Jan. 27-Feb. 13. Look for the “Exceptional Value Package” — or check out “Buy Nights — Get Nights Free!” deals offering a fifth night free and special lift-ticket pricing.

What: 15-25% discounts

Where: Deer Valley

When: Except Feb. 14-March 29 blackout

Today’s Snow Depth: 84″

Go to: Deer Valley packages

The “Ski Free/Stay Free” deal at Colorado’s Copper Mountain works like this: “Buy three nights of lodging and lift tickets and get an additional night & day of lifts for free.” Kids are free — plus, the deal includes the “Beeline Advantage” for speedier access to the most popular lifts. Pricing is $115 per day/night through March 30, then dips to $84 for late season.

What: Ski and stay deal

Where: Cooper Mountain

When: Season long

Today’s Snow Depth: 50 inches (top)

Go to: Copper Mt. deals

Whiteface’s vertical drop of 3,430 feet is respectable even by Western standards and gives it bragging rights among Eastern resorts. Skiing at New York’s Whiteface means staying at the nearby villages of Wilmington or Lake Placid rather than in a base village, so lodging has evolved around the many inns and hotels in the nearby towns. Ski-and-stay packages abound — 103 at last count.

Where: Whiteface

What: 103 ski-and-stay packages

When: Season-long

Today’s base depth: 28-48 inches

Go to: Lake Placid packages

Colorado’s Crested Butte will take the edge off your airline expenses if you book three or more people through Crested Butte Vacations. The deal is, one free airline ticket for every two you buy (limit 9). But that’s not all: Crested Butte’s website states, “Lodging lift ticket, airfare and transfer packages starting at only $145 per person, per night,” including the free air offer.

What: Free airline tickets

Where: Crested Butte

When: Jan. 11-March 6 arrivals

Today’s base depth: 68 inches

Go to: Crested Butte packages