Ski Resorts

All hail 11-11-11. What a difference a date makes. Snow Summit and Bear Mountain ski resorts opened Wednesday and will mark 11-11-11 with $11 lift tickets on sale Friday only. To get the lift ticket discount, you must reserve lodging for a night or more during the winter season.  The deal: The 11-11-11 Special Package requires at least a one-night stay Sundays-Thursdays (no weekends). The lift ticket voucher is good Mondays-Fridays, except holidays. The $11 lift tickets are limited to two per reservation, but additional lift tickets may be purchased for 25% off. Additionally, guests will receive 11% off the lodgings reservation.

The hottest new features for Mountain High's terrain park this winter will be ripped from the streets of L.A. The Wrightwood ski resort spent $9,000 to make a replica of the handrails outside the landmark Disney Concert Hall so boarders can do something they've never been able to do: shred them (as in tear up the terrain on a snowboard). The resort's version features a 48-foot jump over 38 stairs with 12 feet between the rails. "So many of our customers come from L.A., why not bring some of that to the mountain?"

Snow has started falling in Lake Tahoe's mountains, though ski resorts aren't scheduled to open until mid- to late November. But boarders and skiers revved up for the season might want to snag a six-pack -- six lift tickets at area resorts for $299 -- before the season begins. The deal: Ski Lake Tahoe Six-Pack Lift Ticket is on sale now for the 2011-12 season. Here's how it works: Each ticket can be redeemed for lift tickets at one of two resorts. Participating properties include Heavenly, Kirkwood, Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe, Heavenly, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley USA. Holiday blackout dates and other restrictions apply.

Hello, winter. Mammoth Mountain got a dusting of snow Tuesday, and the ski resort expects more into Wednesday. Weather.com is predicting 6 to 10 inches of snow and strong winds during the day on Wednesday, and possibly 1 to 2 inches more Wednesday night, when the temperature is expected to drop to a low of 18. Mammoth had exceptional snowfall during its 2010-2011 season, which continued until July 4 . It is expected to...

Squaw Valley USA and Alpine Meadows , two of the largest ski resorts at Lake Tahoe, are combining operations. If you're an optimist, the move might get you more downhill runs for your lift-ticket dollar this winter, and it might help the Lake Tahoe/Reno area position itself in the global jostling to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. If you're a pessimist, this is the second consolidation among major Tahoe-area resorts in a year, and its effect on the workforce is unclear.

The sweltering Southern California heat is the perfect time to contemplate chilly scenes of winter -- and save on accommodations at Northstar-at-Tahoe ski resort north of Lake Tahoe. Rooms start at $96 a night for fall, winter and beyond, but only until Wednesday. The deal: The ski resort's 96 Hour $96 Sale requires a two-night minimum stay to get the $96 rate, excluding taxes and fees. The offer comes with free ice or roller skating for two (free rentals too)

California ski operators often complain that they don't have enough snow. This year, they're complaining that they had too much. Mountain resorts saw a 12% decline in skiers and snowboarders this season compared with the previous one, with attendance falling to about 7.1 million, according to the California Ski Industry Assn., the nonprofit trade group for the state's major winter sports areas. The trouble was that near-record snow too often closed roads or discouraged driving to the slopes under harsh conditions -- particularly during crucial weekend periods.

It’s last call at Mountain High , Southern California’s only clothing-optional resort (see photo). Well, what did you expect from spring skiing? Note that this is the resort’s last week, and this popular destination for local boarders is tossing out some interesting incentives. (OK, quit looking at the photo.) The Wrightwood resort is offering adult tickets for $40 and children’s tickets (ages 7-12) for just $25.  Here’s another deal that’s tough to top: Mountain High is accepting season passes from Bear Mountain, Snow Summit and even Mammoth Mountain this week.

Icy lake water has swamped the kayak hut and gangplanks at Pleasure Point Marina, and owner Roy Brownie couldn't be happier. After near-record amounts of snow and rain in the San Bernardino Mountains over the last year, wind-blown waves are cresting over Big Bear Lake's 74-foot dam and have forced the agency managing the lake to release water downstream for the first time in 15 years. For Brownie, the bountiful snowmelt has scrubbed away the residue of the most recent dry spell, which brought a 17-foot drop in lake levels, years of cracked-earth shorelines and, at the lowest point, a gratis rain dance by a sympathetic Shoshone shaman.