Tahoe resorts offer lots of extras

It's that time of year again: Early Tahoe mountain snowfalls have set skiers' legs twitching with anticipation of what hopefully will be an epic winter of snow. With more than a dozen ski areas competing for your dollar in a tight economy, the 2010-11 ski season looks as if it is going to be a year not only for heavy snow but also good deals on lift tickets and lodging.

The competition also means resorts have been upgrading their facilities, particularly aimed at attracting more families. Visitors will be able to enjoy some new lodges, kids' centers, beginners' programs and children's activities. So wax down those skis and snowboards, and keep an eye on the resorts' websites for all the latest deals and think snow.

Although none of the resorts is adding lifts or runs this year, most mountains are introducing new or improved features on and around the slopes.

-- Squaw Valley is offering the chance to ski with Olympic gold medalists Jonny Moseley or Julia Mancuso on selected days for a high-energy tour of the slopes. Squaw also will be expanding its night skiing to 9 p.m. on the High Camp lift and adding lights to the terrain park.

-- Alpine Meadows will be running a luxury passenger snowcat to take diners to its midmountain lodge for private gourmet dinners.

-- Heavenly Valley is scheduled to open its massive midmountain Tamarack lodge in February.

-- Northstar-at-Tahoe is expanding its rental and demo shops and instruction programs, both for downhill and cross-country skiers, and has its first full season of its on-mountain Ritz Carlton hotel.

-- Kirkwood has added slope-side parking and is expanding its base- lodge facilities for the season, and also introduced all-season zip-lining adventures over the slopes.

-- Sierra-at-Tahoe has added two surface carpet lifts for beginners to access 11 acres of nonthreatening "Smart Terrain."

-- For the more adventurous, Tahoe's first helicopter ski tours will be introduced this year by Pacific Crest Heli-Guides out of Truckee Airport (see the Travel section for details).

-- And to polish your skills, NASTC of Truckee will be running new multiday adult ski clinics, including "off-piste adventure skiing" at four Tahoe resorts

Think of the children. In an effort to get more families to the slopes, resorts are investing heavily in kids' facilities and offering attractive package deals.

-- Alpine Meadows is opening an expanded children's center, and has introduced a kiddie-stick-'em system for the lifts to make sure the little dears don't go tumbling off, providing magnetic jackets for children that somehow attach them to the back of the seat, and release them at the top of the lift.

-- Kids-ski-free packages through Sierra-at-Tahoe, staying at South Lake starting at $219 per person, includes lift tickets.

-- Heavenly continues to upgrade its midmountain Adventure Peak "family recreation" area, with sledding, tubing and snow biking.

-- Squaw will create a kids' terrain park for the season, with mini-jumps and even a snow fort, and a renovated children's center. It is planning a day-care center in the village.

-- Kirkwood is starting an "Intro to Snow" program targeted at getting toddlers on the slopes, while kids ski free on Sundays with adult lift-ticket purchase.

Given the economic downturn, Lake Tahoe ski areas and nearby properties are offering a lot of deals to entice visitors. With the assortment of online specials, ski-and-stay packages, group discounts and frequent-skier programs, you shouldn't have to go to the ticket window and pay list price for a lift ticket.

-- With Vail's recent purchase of Northstar, season-ticket holders at Sierra, Heavenly and Northstar will receive the unexpected bonus of having their pass honored at the other resorts for the year. Expect further partnership deals as the season progresses.