Get ready for ski season in the Hudson Valley and Catskills

Temperatures are dropping, and that's getting all us downhill diehards thinking about ski season. Buy your lift tickets now, before Thanksviging, to save money all season long when you ski Hunter Mountain and Plattekill.

Hurry, because these deals are good only through November 15th.

Hunter's Big Lift Card offers season-long savings, and is Hunter's greatest value. You save 25% on weekend and holiday lift tickets, and 50% on mid-week tickets ALL SEASON LONG. The card comes with one unrestricted lift ticket to be used any time during the 2009-2010 ski season. What a bargain! The card costs $39, which means it will pay for itself in just a couple of ski days.

Plattekill is offering an entire season of skiing and snowboarding is just $429 for the first adult, $379 for the second, and $199 for juniors. A season pass for seniors is $349 and kids five and under ski and ride for free.

So get those skis and snowboards waxed and ready. It's going to be a great snow season!

Ski Season Packed with Flurry of Fun

The 2008-2009 ski season is off to a successful start, with several big storms pounding the Hudson Valley and making skiers --and ski resort owners -- very happy, indeed.

Belleayre Mountain celebrates the holiday season with $25 lift tickets on Christmas Day, December 25, 2008, and a Hanukkah Candle Lighting Ceremony on Sunday December 28, 2008. The The Holiday Training Camp begins on Monday, December 29, 2008. This camp is a great way for intermediate skiers and riders to get back into shape for the winter.

Reservations are required. Sign up online or by calling 845-254-5600 x2474.

For the second consecutive year, Hunter Mountain and neighboring Windham Mountain are joining forces to offer the Wintercard. The cooperative deal allows for four total days of skiing and riding -- two at each resort -- for $129. That's just over $32 per day. The Wintercard is the result of a partnership with Greene County Tourism. Hunter and Windham are the two largest ski/snowboard resorts in the Hudson Valley and Catskills region, and offer a total of some 100 trails. So there's something to appeal to any levael between them.

And don't forget Plattekill, where there's skiing by day and after the chairlifts close. It's a wonderfully friendly family-owned ski and snowboard resort with some great downhill runs. Such as the double-diamond Freefall, which feels like it ends at the plate glass window of the Plattekill lodge. Slam on the brakes, please! I did.

Photo courtesy Windham Mountain