Slope-side Deals

   Skiing is not a bargain sport, but if you are diligent, you can unearth some good deals. Going early or late in the season is usually a good bet pricewise, though conditions may not be ideal. And if you can swing some time off midweek in a non-holiday period, there are many options. Check out the offerings at these mountains, both in our region and further afield:

NEW YORK

• Belleayre has customer appreciation Fridays: $25 lift tickets on December 12, January 9, February 13, March 13 and April 10, 2009. You also ski free on your birthday, and if your birthday doesn’t fall during ski season, you can ski another day free. Highmount. www.belleayre.com.

• Catamount Ski Area has $20 lift tickets Monday-Thursday, non-holidays, and $20 weekend lift tickets until December 14. Hillsdale. www.catamountski.com.

• Hunter, celebrating its 50th anniversary, has a Big Lift Card that costs $49, and offers 25 percent off weekend tickets and 50 percent off mid-week. If you travel to Telluride Ski Resort, Colorado, you get 20 percent off lodging, and lift ticket discounts throughout the season. Hunter. www.huntermtn.com.

• Mount Peter has what may be the best deal around for beginning skiers and snowboarders – free lessons on weekends and holidays. The lessons, at 10am, noon and 2pm, teach how to stand, side-step and stop. Warwick. www.mtpeter.com.

• Plattekill Mountain has a great weekend deal: buy two adult and two junior lift tickets for Saturday and get free tickets for Sunday. In December, lift tickets are $30, and January 26-28, they are $15. There are also free group lessons for beginning skiers or snowboarders on December 13 and 14. Roxbury. www.plattekill.com.

• Rocking Horse Ranch has a round-up weekend December 12-14. Bring two families and your room is free. Rocking Horse is good for beginning skiers; equipment and lessons are included with your stay. There is also snow tubing, with a lift. Save 40 percent February 8-13, 2009. Highland. www.rockinghorseranch.com.

• Go 20/20 Monday-Thursday, non-holiday time, at Thunder Ridge. Lift tickets are $20; rentals are an additional $20. If your kids ski better than you, adult lessons are also only $20. Patterson. www.thunderridgeski.com.

• Tuxedo Ridge has $20 weekday lift tickets. Children 4 and under are free with paid adult. Tuxedo. www.skituxedoridge.com.

• If you are gong to ski at least three times on the weekends at Windham, get the Triple-Play Card; instead of the junior rate of $50 a day, and weekend adult lift tickets for $65, you get three days for $99.  Under 6, lift tickets are $10, and for ages 7-13, midweek lift tickets are $34. Weekend junior rate is $52. Winwood. www.windhammountain.com.

CONNECTICUT

• For late risers, Mt. Southington has a sunset lift ticket on non-holiday weekends, $23 for 3-7pm. Kids under $5 are $12 anytime. Southington. www.mountsouthington.com.

• Mohawk Mountain encourages you to play hooky on Fridays. Ski 9:30am-1pm for $20; ski all day for $30, non-holidays only. Cornwall. www.mohawkmtn.com. MASSACHUSETTS

• Bousquet Ski Area & Family Fun Center has $20 lift tickets Monday-Thursday (excluding holiday and vacation weeks) and $10 Thursday Evening Nite Owl lift tickets good 3-9:30pm. Weekend and holiday lift tickets are a bargain $40. Pittsfield. www.bousquets.com.

• Ski Butternut has online coupons for fifth graders, who get a free lift ticket when their parent buys a lift ticket. Monday-Thursday lift tickets are $20; after March 16, all lift tickets are $20 (except holiday periods). Great Barrington. www.skibutternut.com.

• Jiminy Peak has free skiing for children 12 and under with a paying adult when they stay at the Country Inn midweek, non-holiday. Hancock. www.jiminypeak.com.

• At Otis Ridge, kids over 6 pay the same rate as adults (only $30 on weekends) but kids under 6 are always free. Otis. www.otisridge.com.