New England ski resorts still pushing early season deals

New England ski resorts are finally open and offering early season deals to counteract a slow start and weak economy.

Resorts in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont recently got some much needed snowfall, and several more mountains were able to open. Loon Mountain in Lincoln opened Dec. 11 with day passes at $59 for adults and New England Passes still available at last year’s prices. The pass is also good at Sunday River and Sugarloaf in Maine.

For the third consecutive year, Sunday River in Bethel was the first resort to open in the East, this time 13 days before its usual opening date on Halloween. Still, this was due to advanced snowmaking technologies, not natural snowfall.

Sunday River was only open on weekends until Nov. 14, when ticket prices jumped to $39. As of Dec. 14, lift tickets were $65 for adults, but prices could go up as conditions improve to the “value season” price of $75 until Christmas Eve.

Sunday River also offers a Frequent Skier card for $89, same as last year, which includes one free lift ticket and $25 to $15 off additional tickets. It’s good for all Boyne Resorts mountains, including Big Sky in Montana.

Another early season advantage is less expensive ski and stay packages, now $50 less at Sunday River. Holiday packages start at $119 and include lodging, lift tickets and lessons.

Also opening over the weekend was the Lake Region’s Gunstock Mountain Resort. The relatively close but smaller resort offers different ticket deals for every day of the week, including two-for-one tickets on Mondays and Tuesday nights. Package deals include 13 lift tickets for the price of nine, and 50 percent off tickets all season long for $130 up front.

Gunstock has affordable night skiing and tubing as well as half-day morning or afternoon tickets. Tickets were $25 opening weekend but are expected to go up to the full price of $56 soon.

The best value in the East is Cannon Mountain, as voted by Ski Magazine. The state-owned mountain also won awards for scenery, access and terrain. It offers two-for-one tickets for $66 on Tuesdays and Thursdays and $33 tickets for New Hampshire residents on Wednesdays.

New terrain on Cannon’s “extra hazardous” natural area, Mittersill, will open this year, along with a remodeled Peabody Lodge and pub. The ski mountain has the highest vertical drop in the East.

Jay Peak in northern Vermont is also offering affordable options and offers a Passport Card for $25 that lets skiers buy five discounted tickets and get a sixth one free. Season pass holders from other mountains also get discounted tickets at Jay. Lift tickets are typically $67 for adults.

Stowe, also in Vermont, has a rewards card available for $75 that allows for discounted lift tickets at $59 for adults and the ability to earn points toward free vouchers. Prime ticket prices during the season, which started last weekend, are $84.

At Killington in Vermont, an Express Card for $26 gets discounted tickets at $57 Sunday through Friday, and is scanned right at the lift so skiers can skip ticket lines. The card is only offered until Jan. 3. The resort boasts six mountains and the world’s most extensive snowmaking system.