Frequent Skiers Get a Lift : Resorts are offering discounts based on loyalty and repeat visits. The rewards may apply to tickets, refreshments, lessons or rentals.

Anyone worth his weight in ski rentals knows that spending an afternoon on the slopes means spending a lot of cold, hard cash.

For some, the price of a lift ticket alone can put a chill on the whole adventure. Add to that equipment rental, food and refreshments, travel and assorted other minor expenses, and the ultimate price tag is enough to make Jean-Claude Killy take up surfing.

“In these difficult economic times, skiing has become such a great economic expense for people,” said Margi LaPorte, sales manager of Snow Valley ski resort. “The last thing we want to do now is scare people away. We want to give them a value.”

All of which has not escaped the marketing minds at several Southern California resorts, where skiers willing to ski, ski and keep on skiing figure to be rewarded.

So called “value deals,” discount packages with catchy titles like “Gotta Ski Team,” “Frequenski” and “Ski Data” have emerged at one area resort after another. Although deals differ from slope to slope in names and stipulations, the premises basically are the same: Ski often; save money.

“I’ve been president or general manager of five different ski resorts, and I know that over the years the ski industry has become very competitive, and ski resorts are trying different ways to promote loyalty among skiers,” said Phil Edholm, general manager of Ski Sunrise. “One of the ways is with (value deals). This idea originated with the airlines, but it works well with the ski industry, too.”

Most common are frequent-ski programs, which popped up over the past few seasons at various ski resorts throughout the Western states. Like airline travelers, frequent skiers are rewarded with free skiing--after, of course, they log a considerable amount of time on the slopes.

Last season, Bear Mountain in Big Bear became the first Southern California resort to offer a frequent-ski program. This season, Snow Summit and Ski Sunrise have followed suit.

Mt. Waterman will begin the season without a frequent-ski program but more than likely will have one in force before the last of this season’s snowfall melts off the mountain, according to general manager Cristy Sheehan.

“I’ve had so many people call me and ask if we have one,” Sheehan said. “That’s different than anything we’ve had in the 17 years I’ve been here. I think there’s a good possibility we’ll end up doing it before the year is over.”

Exactly how much time on the mountainside one must accumulate before earning free skiing varies by resort.

At Bear Mountain, skiers earn four points by skiing any day, including weekends and holidays. Twelve points may be redeemed for a free lift ticket, 14 for a lift ticket for weekends or holidays.

Joining Ski Sunrise’s frequent-ski program requires a $49 registration fee ($29 for ages 6 to 12), with skiers receiving a membership card good for $5 off regular lift-ticket prices. In addition, the card receives a hole punch with each visit. After 15 punches, the bearer is entitled to free skiing for the remainder of the season.

Snow Summit’s “Gotta Ski Team” requires a $49 registration fee for which members receive a $10 discount on lift tickets any day, including weekends and holidays. Membership privileges also include discounts on refreshments, ski lessons, rentals and miscellaneous services.

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In the absence of frequent-ski programs at Mountain High, Mt. Baldy and Snow Valley, value packages take the form of two-day lift tickets offered at a reduced price, five lift tickets for the price of four, paying for skiing by the hour, and packages in which skiers purchase “points” to be spent on anything from lift tickets to rentals to ski shop accessories.

“With the competitive market and everyone’s pockets so tight . . . I think we’ll all be seeing more of these loyalty programs popping up,” said Anne Horton, marketing director of Bear Mountain. “Resorts are discovering that getting customer loyalty is good business.”

Wheeling and dealing by ski resorts may have only just begun to snowball, according to Evan Russell, director of business development at Mammoth Mountain ski resort.

“This (philosophy) is in every industry: airlines, the hotel business, rental car companies . . . the ski industry is just catching on to it,” Russell said. “It’s a combination of the (recession) and the fact that we’ve had a couple of soft winters. It’s just become so much more competitive between ski resorts and it’s become somewhat ingrained in the consumer’s mind that there’s always gotta be a deal out there.”

Shawn Stinson, tour and travel manager for Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, labeled frequent-ski programs “the wave of the future.” But that might prove true only at smaller resorts located close to each other--such as those in Southern California--where skiers may venture from one to another for a single day of skiing.

Skiers planning lengthy trips to Northern California, Utah or Colorado generally accept spending a considerable amount of money to visit major resorts where conditions leave nothing to be desired.

“I haven’t heard of any of these programs going on in Utah,” Stinson said. But locally, finding a deal has become, well, a big deal.

“If someone is planning a trip to Mammoth, they’re going to go to Mammoth,” Horton of Bear Mountain said. “We’re not trying to compete with (larger resorts). But hopefully, these programs will help them ski locally more often for less.”

What the Resorts Offer

Bear Mountain

Location: Big Bear Lake.

Information and snow: (909) 585-2517. (Snow information: Ext. 70).

Terrain: 25% beginner, 50% intermediate, 25% expert.

Elevation: 8,805 feet.

Vertical drop: 1,665 feet.

Longest run: 2 miles.

Number of runs: 27.

Number of lifts: One detachable quad, one quad chair, two surface, three triple, four double.

Lift prices: $38 adults, $21 children 12 and younger, $21 seniors 65 and older (midweek only), $28 young adults (ages 13 to 22; midweek only), $31 military (midweek only). Two-day ticket: $66 for adults, $34 for children 12 and younger. Three-day rate: $99 for adults, $50 age 12 and younger.

Food and refreshments: Chalet cafeteria and bar, pizza bar, three on-deck barbecues, two slope-side barbecues. New restaurant featuring upscale deli.

Lodging: (800) BEAR-MTN.

Packages: Frequent-ski program available. Learn-to-ski package $29 midweek, $39 weekends. Ski/snowboard family, student, senior, military, handicapped, group and weekend packages available. Also, snowboard school, handicapped ski school, junior ski center (ages 4 to 12). Ski lessons $21 each.

Miscellaneous: Equipment rentals $16. New skier welcome center, repair shop, lockers.

Directions: San Bernardino Freeway to Interstate 215 to California 30 to California 18. Two miles south of Big Bear. Skiers are encouraged to take Interstate 10 to Highway 38 to Big Bear.

Features: Four mountain peaks with the highest elevation of any Southern California resort rank Bear Mountain among the best local resorts. Bear Mountain’s two-mile run remains the longest in Southern California. Skiers and snowboarders share 32 runs, but the resort also has an area exclusively for snowboarding and two runs exclusively for alpine skiing.

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Mt. Baldy

Location: Mt. Baldy Road.

Information: (909) 982-0800.

Snow: (909) 981-3344.

Terrain: 20% beginner, 40% intermediate, 20% advanced, 20% expert.

Elevation: 8,600 feet.

Vertical drop: 2,100 feet.

Longest run: 1 1/2 miles.

Number of runs: 27

Number of lifts: Four double.

Lift prices: $35 adults, $21 children 12 and younger, $575 adult season pass, $375 children’s season pass, $425 midweek season pass (adults only). Family season passes (no limit) $1295.

Food and refreshments: Cafeteria, barbecue bar.

Lodging: Various accommodations nearby.

Packages: New “ski-by-the-hour” program. Learn-to-ski package includes two-hour lesson, lift ticket and rental for $35 midweek, $45 weekends. Reservations recommended: (909) 982-0800. Weekend and holiday “Kiddie Ski School” (ages 4-8) $15, $20 with equipment rental.

Miscellaneous: Equipment rental $15, two-hour ski lessons $15.

Directions: San Bernardino Freeway to Mountain Avenue, north to ski area.

Features: Mt. Baldy improved on 400 skiable acres, the largest area of any resort in Southern California, by adding two runs, increasing snow-making capabilities and adding new grooming equipment.

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Mt. Waterman

Location: California 2, Angeles National Forest.

Information: (818) 440-1041.

Snow: (818) 790-2002.

Terrain: 20% beginner, 40% intermediate, 40% expert.

Elevation: 8,035 feet.

Vertical drop: 1,085 feet.

Longest run: 1 mile.

Number of runs: 23.

Number of lifts: Three double.

Lift prices: $30 adults, $20 for half-day after noon. One child 10 or younger admitted free with paying adult.

Food and refreshments: Fast-food chili, hamburgers, hot dogs and stew.

Lodging: None available.

Packages: Learn-to-ski: $35 weekdays, $45 weekends; includes lesson, lift ticket and rental for $25.

Miscellaneous: Equipment rental $15.

Directions: Foothill Freeway to California 2 in La Canada Flintridge, northeast 34 miles on Angeles Crest Highway.

Features: With no snow-making capability, Mt. Waterman relies on Mother Nature. “Our snow is from heaven not from hoses,” said Cristy Sheehan, general manager. Crowds are generally light; so is the drive: Mt. Waterman is 50 miles from Van Nuys.

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Mountain High East and West

Location: California 2, near Wrightwood.

Information: (619) 249-5477.

Terrain: 25% beginner, 50% intermediate, 25% expert.

Elevation: 8,400 feet.

Vertical drop: 1,600 feet.

Longest run: 1 1/2 miles.

Number of runs: 42.

Number of lifts: Six double, three triple, one quad, one detachable quad.

Lift prices: $38.75 adults, $15 children 12 and younger. Children 10 and younger ski free with paying adult (one child per adult).

Food and refreshments: Four restaurants, two bars.

Lodging: 11 cabins available. Call (619) 249-5477.

Packages: Discount on two-day tickets. All-day children’s program (ages 4 to 8) for $35 includes lunch. Learn-to-ski package includes rentals and lift ticket, $25 for adults midweek, $20 for children 9 to 12. Weekends: adults $38, children $25.

Miscellaneous: Equipment rental $18. Snowboards and snowboard boots $36. Night skiing 3 to 10 p.m., $26 for adults, $13 for children.

Directions: Interstate 15 to California 138 to California 2. Eight miles west to ski area.

Features: Mountain High’s extensive snow-making over 200 acres has made it one of Southern California’s most popular ski areas over the past several years. A high-speed detachable quad lift that opened four years ago takes skiers to the summit in six minutes. Snowboarding permitted on west mountain only.

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Ski Sunrise

Location: California 2, near Wrightwood.

Information and snow: (619) 249-6150.

Terrain: 15% beginner, 55% intermediate, 30% expert.

Elevation: 7,600 feet.

Vertical drop: 800 feet.

Longest run: 1 mile.

Number of runs: 16 on 100 acres.

Number of lifts: One quad, two pomas, one rope.

Lift prices: $25 adults, $14 for children 6-12 and seniors. Children 5 and younger ski free. Midweek special $20, adults only.

Food and refreshments: Snack bar, cafeteria, barbecue, beer and wine bar.

Lodging: Various accommodations nearby in Wrightwood. Call ski area for referrals

Packages: Learn-to-ski package includes lesson, lift ticket and rental: adults $35, juniors 9-12 $30. Children 5-9, $40 including lunch.

Miscellaneous: Equipment rentals: adults $14, children $10. Ski shop. Snowboarding on limited area, new this season.

Directions: Antelope Valley Freeway to California 138 to California 2 to Table Mountain Road.

Features: Under new management, Ski Sunrise has lowered prices on lift tickets, lessons and rentals. The resort also has added advanced runs and updated grooming equipment.

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Snow Summit

Location: East of Big Bear Lake.

Information: (909) 866-5766.

Snow: (909) 866-4621.

Terrain: 10% beginner, 65% intermediate, 25% expert.

Elevation: 8,200 feet.

Vertical drop: 1,200 feet.

Longest run: 1 1/4 miles.

Number of runs: 19 miles worth.

Number of lifts: Five double, three triple, three quad.

Lift prices: $38.75 adults, $19.75 children 12 and younger, $24.75 senior citizens 60 and older (midweek). No senior rate on weekends and holidays.

Food and refreshments: Three restaurant-bars, snack bar, mountain-top fast-food restaurant.

Lodging: (909) 866-7000.

Packages: New frequent-ski program and discount package good toward lessons, rentals and food. Children 12 and younger, $14.75 with one paying adult. Teens 13 to 17, $21.75 with paying adult. Back-to-back day special (excluding holidays), adults $72.50, children $36.50 for the two days. Learn-to-ski package, adults $29.75 midweek, $34.75 weekends; children $19.75 midweek, $22.75 weekends. Add $10 for adult rentals, $8 for ages 12 and younger.

Miscellaneous: Equipment rentals, adults $16.75, children $13.75, snowboards and boots $28. Night skiing (3 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) $23.75 adults, $12.75 children. Credit card reservation line (909) 866-5841.

Directions: San Bernardino Freeway to Interstate 215 to California 30 to California 330 east to Big Bear.

Features: With 230 skiable acres, Snow Summit has been one of the most popular local resorts since 1952. Snowboarding park opened last season. Few changes from last season.

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Snow Valley

Location: California 18, Running Springs.

Information: (909) 867-2751.

Snow: (909) 867-5151.

Terrain: 35% beginner, 35% intermediate, 30% expert.

Elevation: 7,841 feet.

Vertical drop: 1,141 feet.

Longest run: 1 1/4 miles.

Number of runs: 35 on 240 acres.

Number of lifts: Five triple, eight double.

Lift prices: Adults $37; children 12 and younger and seniors 65 and older, $22. Prices good every day. Late day (noon to 9 p.m.), adults $28, child or senior $16. Evening (4:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday), adults $24, child or senior $13. All-day ticket available through Ticketmaster for $27. Free for children 6 and younger and senior citizens 70 and older.

Food and refreshments: Restaurant-bar with sun deck, snack bars.

Lodging: None.

Packages: Learn-to-ski package, including lift ticket, lesson and rentals, $29 weekends, $19 midweek.

Miscellaneous: Equipment rental, adults $15, children and seniors $11. Ski lessons at price to be determined. Adventure ski center for kids 12 and younger.

Directions: San Bernardino Freeway to Interstate 215 to California 30 to California 18. Four miles east of Running Springs.

Features: About three-fourths of Snow Valley’s 240 skiable acres is covered by man-made snow.

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About the Prices

Prices listed are the most recent available. All prices are subject to change during the season.