Culinary Classic & Celebrity Chef Ski Race
Colorado's Beaver Creek Resort and Bon Appétit magazine join forces with over 30 acclaimed local and guest chefs for an eighth annual weekend of tastings, wine seminars, live music, and skiing. Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin (New York), Govind Armstrong of Table 8 (Los Angeles), Elizabeth Falkner of Citizen Cake (San Francisco), Charles Hays of Toscanini (Beaver Creek) and others will compete in the free culinary MasterChef Challenge and on the slopes, testing talents of a different sort in the Chef Ski Race. When: February 2-5, 2006. Details: rates at the Pines Lodge start at $199 per night and a two-day lift ticket is $169. Events range from free to $200 per person. Beavercreek.snow.com, 800-404-3535 for lodgings, 888-920-2787 for tickets.

Colorado Skiing Weekend, $489
Air from Chicago or Dallas to Denver; three nights at the Winter Park Mountain Lodge, a five-minute, free shuttle ride from Winter Park's ski lifts; and a two-day lift pass. When: Monday and Tuesday departures Feb. 3-Mar. 28 ($579), Apr. 4-14 ($489). Other Gateways: Houston, L.A., San Francisco ($599/$509); D.C. ($669/$579); Miami, Orlando ($679/$589). Details: Extra nights from $44. Single supplement from $140. Airport transfers to Winter Park are $90 round trip. Contact: United Vacations, 888/328-6877, unitedvacations.com.

Skate and Stay at Lake Las Vegas, $164
A concept as farfetched and fun as a floating ice-skating rink could only be found in one place: Vegas. Or in this case, 17 miles from the Strip at Montelago Village, a Lake Las Vegas desert resort. Anchored near the shore of the 320-acre manmade lake, the rink was created this fall for the second consecutive year by 110 five-gallon buckets of water and a 12,000-pound freezer. The Village gets gussied up for the holidays, with a Santa posted by the 20-foot Christmas tree and roaming Victorian carolers. Rounding out the mix are wine and cigar bars, boutique shops, and restaurants such as the Cajun-flavored Bistro Zinc, a January 2006 newcomer from Joseph Keller--the brother of French Laundry's famed chef Thomas Keller. Details: $164 per person for two nights in a luxury studio condominium, skating and skate rentals. When: Through Feb. 14, 2006. Contact: Montelago Village, 866-399-2753, montelagovillage.com

Gunnison-Crested Butte Events
The two southwest Colorado towns (four hours from Denver, three from Colorado Springs) team up for a ski season's worth of events, stretching from mid-November to mid-April. Among the highlights: skiing clinics with Olympian Rebecca Dussault, a Christmas Eve torchlight parade, a Mardi Gras Festival, Learn to Ski for Free, performances by the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. Contact: Gunnison-Crested Butte, 800-814-8893, gunnisoncrestedbutte.com

Free Snowshoe Tours
Park rangers schooled in Mt. Rainier, WA's plants and animals lead free two-hour (1.2 mile) snowshoe treks for up to 25 hearty souls. Rentals will set you back $1. When: Dec. 18 - Jan. 2, daily at 12:30 and 2:30 P.M.; through Apr. 13, Sat. and Sun. only. Contact: Mt. Rainier National Park, nps.gov/mora/recreation/winter.htm

Keystone, Colorado for $423
American Airlines flights from Chicago to Denver and four nights at the Inn at Keystone, 300 yards from the lifts of Keystone Ski Resort. When: Sun.-Thurs. stays Jan. 16-Feb. 16. Other Gateways: L.A. ($433), Dallas ($442), New York ($489). Details: Extra nights $56. Singles pay $452. Contact: AmericanAirlines Vacations, 800/321-2121, aavacations.com.

Ski Free in Utah
Fly into Salt Lake City in the morning and you can ski free that day at one of Park City's three resorts, 35 miles from the airport, as part of a promotion called Quick Start Vacation (limited dates through April 16, 2006, parkcityinfo.com).

EAST COAST

Stratton Ski Savings
Two nights' accommodations at the Vermont ski resort and two lift tickets, $65

Stowe Bookclub Weekend
Two nights' accommodations, a one-hour chat with one of Oprah's favorite authors, Chris Bohjalian, an autographed book, and private shopping excursion from $65.50--plus, late-season ski discounts

Snowboard Camp of Champions
Two-time World Champ, 2002 Olympian and 2006 Turin hopeful Tricia Byrnes will lead an intense two-day snowboard tutorial in her hometown of Stratton, VT, Dec. 22 - 23. First-rate coaches from the Stratton Snowboard School will chip in with the training and tips on prepping for competitions of all sorts. $259 per person, 800-STRATTON, stratton.com.

Adirondacks, NY Winter Packages
The Finnish-style Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center, managed by U.S. Olympic skier Olavi Hirvonen, sets up guests in tupas (private cottages), with woodstoves and surrounding trails, ice skating and a snow-tubing area. Look for the two domesticated reindeer. $75 per person per night for two nights, with a third night free, Dec. - Apr; 518-863-4974, laplandlake.com. At Lake Placid, NY's Mirror Lake Inn, guests staying two nights will get the third night free and two lift tickets for Whiteface or Gore Mountain, $650 per couple, Feb. 26 - Mar. 14; 518-523-2544, mirrorlakeinn.com. The Copperfield Inn's New Year's Eve package treats all comers to three nights and dinners, breakfast daily, and a four-hour New Year's Eve party with live entertainment. $414 per person, Dec. 29-Jan. 2; 800-424-9910, copperfieldinn.com. Melody Lodge, once a private music school, offers Bed n' Sled, a two-night midweek stay, a two-day snowmobile rental, safety orientation and helmet, $235 per person, mid-Dec. - mid-April; 518-545-6562, melodylodge.com. A two-day package at the Wawbeek includes meals, a campfire cocktail hour, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, $375 per couple, Jan. - Mar; 800-953-2656, wawbeek.com.

Ski Vermont
Accommodations at Stratton Mountain, two daily group lessons in skiing or snowboarding, and equipment rental from $99 per person per night

GENERAL

SUV Savings
Hertz is discounting SUVs for skiers at 32 locations near the mountains, with $50 off weekly rentals and $20 off weekend rates, hertz.com.