SUGARLOAF/USA
WHERE IT IS: Kingfield, MaineTHE HOOK: Would Amos the moose steer you wrong? At this relaxed, off-the-beaten-path ski resort, mascot hosts Amos and Lemon might pop up to dole out free cocoa certificates to kids who visit (ours were instant converts). Sugarloaf also offers an excellent ski program for children ages 3 and up and Perfect Turn clinics for kids and adults--as well as ice-skating, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, tubing, and sleigh rides.
BONUS POINTS: On-mountain guests have free access to a fitness club with an indoor pool, hot tubs, and more.
THE TAB: Check Sugarloaf's Web site for details on packages. During Family Fling Weeks (March 21-25), kids ages 12 and under ski and stay free when grown-ups pay for three midweek nights' lodging and three days of skiing. Ski clinics are included; the cost starts at $425.64 for a family of four. Call (800) THE-LOAF or visit Sugarloaf USA.
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN RESORT
WHERE IT IS: Thompsonville, Michigan, near Traverse CityTHE HOOK: Spring means great deals and goofy fun at this family-owned resort where you can ski or ride 34 slopes from gentle to jaw-dropping. For variety, take a snowshoe trek, skate at the ice rink, cross-country ski in an outdoor art park, or go sleigh riding. At day's end, warm up in the heated indoor pool and whirlpool. In mid-March, Spring Fling brings two weekends of wacky events, including a cardboard sled race (bring the duct tape) and the Jiggle Jump, wherein skiers plunge into a pool full of green gelatin.
BONUS POINTS: Overnight guests ski free the day they arrive.
THE TAB: Spring Ski Weekend, offered from March 11-13 , start at $126.62 daily per adult and $22 per 7-17 year old. In addition, up to three kids ages 18 and under sleep and ski free with two adults. This package includes Friday and Saturday night lodging along with Saturday and Sunday ski lift tickets. Call (800) YOUR-MTN or visit Crystal Mountain.
BIG MOUNTAIN SKI & SUMMER RESORT
WHERE IT IS: Whitefish, MontanaTHE HOOK: The best-kept secret in the West, Big Mountain offers powder skiing, no crowds, a low-key cowboy vibe, epic terrain, and easy access via the Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell, Montana, or Amtrak's Empire Builder Line. Natural snowfall tops 300 inches yearly, and it sticks around for fantastic spring skiing. So why is it undiscovered? It gets foggy here sometimes, although south-facing ski slopes make it warmer than some mountains.
BONUS POINTS: Sleigh rides, a tubing park, miles of wilderness cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.
THE TAB: Lift-and-lodging deals start at $100 a day per adult; kids under 6 ski free. On-mountain rooms start at $105.45 per night (including a hot breakfast) at the Hibernation House to $210 per night at the Kandahar Lodge, where kids 12 and under stay free. Bargain-priced options abound in Whitefish, with shuttle service to Big Mountain. Call (800) 858-5439 or visit Big Moutain.
Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Originally published in March 2002, updated February 2005.
