Mammoth Mountain: $100 ski resort credit for three-night stay

What a difference a month makes. Seems like we were just pointing to fall colors in the Eastern Sierra when snow started falling last month at Squaw Valley, Mammoth and Heavenly. None of those California ski resorts is yet open, unlike Colorado’s Loveland Ski Resort, which claimed it was the first in that state to open, with an 18-inch base, on Oct. 24. Although Mammoth Mountain isn’t scheduled to open until Nov. 11, it’s already offering a cool winter deal: Stay three nights and receive a $100 resort credit.

The vibe: The first chair of the season will head up the slopes at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 11, and the Champagne will be popped at 11 a.m. at the main lodge. Festivities will continue all weekend, with a Saturday night concert featuring the Sounds ($25 per ticket in advance, $30 at the door). Click here to find out more about opening weekend.

The deal: Book a three-night Winter Promotion stay and receive a $100 Mammoth Resort Card that may be used for lodging, lift tickets, restaurants and just about any other resort-run facility. The resort offers one card per condo.

When: Good for stays all season, but you must reserve and pay in full by Nov. 11. Blackout dates are Dec. 18-Jan. 2, Jan. 15-16 and Feb. 19-21.

Tested: I checked online and selected a three-night stay starting Friday, Dec. 10, in a studio condo that sleeps up to four at the Juniper Springs Resort (the offer applies to other Mammoth Mountain residences as well). The cost for three nights was $567 per condo, plus tax. I also found the same studio condo for a three-night stay starting Friday, Jan. 21, for $837 plus tax. Either way, you get one $100 resort credit per condo.

To find this offer online, go to the main Mammoth Mountain website and click on the Winter Promotion photo to start the booking process; you also may phone to make a reservation.

Contact: Mammoth Mountain, (800) 626-6684