A dozen ski deals & discounts for 2013

If you have flexibility in your schedule, there’s no need to pay full rate for lift tickets. Listed below are the top deals and discounts I’ve found for 2013. All information is accurate at the time of publication, but be sure to check each ski area’s website for additional details. One more tip: “like” each ski area’s Facebook page to stay up to date on additional promotions that may be announced during the season.

#12 – Price Chopper Ski Any 3 coupon books – The $149 Big Mountain passbook gets you 3 full day lift tickets good at Gore, Whiteface, Bromley, Mount Snow, Smuggler’s Notch and Mount Sunapee. There’s also a $119 Family Mountain passbook for West Mountain, Plattekill, Windham, Bolton Valley, Jiminy Peak and several others. These coupons are good Sunday through Friday, non-holiday.

#11 – Take Your Kids to Gore Week - Kids 19 and under ski and ride free with a full paying parent all week, Monday, January 7 through Sunday, January 13. A family of 4 skis for $150 on the weekend, $118 mid-week (note: Thursdays and Fridays are weekend rate). This is one of the very few ski discounts available on a Saturday.

#10 – Bromley Mountain, located near Manchester, VT, offers a 2-fer Tuesday (non-holiday) for skiers who purchase their tickets online. You and a buddy ski for less than $25 each. Also, on Family Fridays (non-holiday) adult lift tickets are $49 and kids are just $15 (up to 3 kids per adult), so Mom, Dad and 2 kids ski for $128. Both promotions are available all winter.

#9 – Gore and Whiteface Coca Cola Why Not Wednesdays – $42 lift tickets all winter on non-holiday Wednesdays. Bring a Coca Cola product to the ticket window.

#8 – Ski-and-Ride for Free 2-for-1 lift tickets – Fill up three times (8 gallons or more) at participating gas stations for a 2-for-1 lift ticket discount at participating ski mountains, including Gore, Hickory, Whiteface, Bromley, Jay, Mad River Glen and many others. Restrictions vary at each participating ski area, but in general the 2-for-1 discounts are available Sunday through Friday, non-Holiday.

#7 – Whiteface Super Sundays – $40 lift tickets on January 6, February 3, March 10 and April 7.

#6 – Willard Willard Mountain Adult Night - Ski from 4 to 9:30 pm for $20 on non-holiday Thursday nights all winter.

#5 – West Mountain New Years Eve – Ring in 2013 with a $17 lift ticket good from 4 to 9pm on Monday, 12/31/2012.

#4 – Mount Snow Saint Patrick's Day Celebration, Sunday, March 17 - $17 lift ticket. If you find the Pot-O-Gold that’s hidden somewhere on the mountain you’ll win a season pass good for next winter. Lift tickets must be purchased in advance.

#3 – McCauley Mountain Crazy Fridays – $12 lift tickets on non-holiday Fridays, offered all winter.

#2 – Mad River Glen $3.50 Roll-Back-the-Clock Day on January 29 and $14 Kiss-Your-Honey Valentine’s Day, February 14. Note that for the Valentine’s Day deal you MUST kiss at the ticket window – could be a deal breaker depending on who your ski partner is.

#1 – The Discover NY Skiing promotion is 2013’s #1 deal: 10,000 lift tickets priced at $10.00 each will be available for Thursday, January 10 at more than two dozen participating New York ski areas by signing up in advance. You don't have to pay until you've reached the mountain of your choice on January 10. Tickets are limited and vary in quantity for each participating ski area. As of today, tickets were still available for many mountains, although some were already sold out.