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Saddleback Dangles Deals as Bait for Skiers

December 01, 2009 - RANGELEY -- Everyone wants a deal these days. Saddleback gets that. In fact, it is leading the charge in charging less.

In these days of lift tickets peaking up over $75, I applaud a big mountain making skiing affordable for the little guy. You can reel in lift ticket deals at Saddleback (that's an analogy paying homage to Saddleback's fishing-lure trail name theme).

Most resorts offer midweek discounts, but Saddleback has monthly Sunday $35 Maine Days. The first Maine Day is Dec. 6, and will continue through the winter on the first Sunday of each month, with skiing and riding for $35 with proof of Maine residence.

During the week, Saddleback casts a $35 lift ticket deal each day, starting with Ladies Day on Monday. Tuesday is for telemarkers, Wednesday is Men's Day, Thursday is for seniors age 60 to 69, and Friday is College Student Day.

I should note these midweek $35 deals are not valid during New Year's and February vacation weeks.

Saddleback is still a good catch without these specials. The most you are going to pay to ski Saddleback's 2,000-foot vertical is $49, up from $40 last winter. You get a lot of bang for your buck, a lot of snow at the highest base elevation resort in New England, and 66 trails to ski.

Yes, the lifts are all fixed grip, but that just makes for a pleasant descent with very few skiers on the slopes after your leisurely lift ride.

If you show your season pass from any other resort, you can purchase a day ticket for $35. At Saddleback, children ages 6 and under ski free, and seniors over age 70 pay a mere $5 service fee – so that's darn close to free in this market.

My mother used to say, "If you get good grades, then you can go skiing." Well, Saddleback has taken that line to a new level. Maine kids who achieve honor roll get a Saddleback season pass for only $49 as part of the new PEAK (Promoting Education and Activity for Kids) program.

Bob Crowley, the $1 million winner of the television show "Survivor: Gabon" and retired Gorham High School physics teacher, is the celebrity spokesman for the PEAK pass, available to Maine students from kindergarten to grade 12 who make the honor roll the first grade quarter.

Gov. Baldacci is supporting the program because of its obvious health benefits to Maine youth. "Saddleback's PEAK program encourages our youth to not only work hard at school but get outside and have fun," he said.

Kara Wilson of Saddleback Guest Services said, "The phone is ringing like crazy with PEAK pass requests from Maine kids now that grades have closed."

Saddleback also salutes our military with two initiatives this season. First, the Blue Star Family Pass provides spouses of deployed soldiers with a $25 lift ticket; children of deployed soldiers ski for $20 a day.

All season long, any veteran of the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan (from January 2008 to the end of the 2009-10 ski season) can receive a complimentary Saddleback lift ticket.

Saddleback will also host a Veterans Ski Free Day on Jan. 10, when U.S. military veterans and anyone in the armed forces can ski for free.

Warren Cook, Saddleback's general manager, is a former Marine and the father of a Marine who has been deployed five times.

Chet Homer, owner of Shawnee Peak, also has been extending complimentary ski passes and discounted equipment rentals and lessons to active military deployed overseas and their families since 2004.

Last season, 625 military family passes were given out at Shawnee Peak.

Sunday River and Sugarloaf both offer $10 off lift tickets for active duty military any day, plus several special military discount days with tickets from $41 to $49.

Saddleback also has a First Responder Season Pass at a significant discount to any firefighters, ambulance crew or police for $299 for adults, and $199 for their children under age 18.

Perhaps one of these deals will hook you into trying Saddleback this winter. Tell your kids to strive for ther honor roll, and get your family to Saddleback.

There are two new trails opening this season: Casablanca, a vast 44-acre grade; and Family Secret, under the Kennebago Quad.

Three new groomers join the fleet, including a new winch cat (a groomer equipped to reach hard-to-groom steep spots, designed with a cable that harnesses to the top of the slope).

With prices like these, you can still afford aprs ski at Saddleback's lively Swig n Smelt pub upstairs in the beautiful post-and-beam base lodge.

HEATHER BURKE, Portland Press Herald, November 26, 2009


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Regions: Rangeley


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