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Other stories in "Winter"

• Next weekend
  Try out snowshoeing and skiing for free.
• Best bets for the weekend
  For New Year's, celebrate and then sweat.
• Where's the snow?
  It's finally arriving in the north woods.
• Bargains for beginners
  Free or cut-rate ski and snowboard packages make it easy to learn.
• This weekend
  Celebrate arrival of the new year.
• Roadside Distraction
  Here's a contest for everyone who loves the odd and offbeat.
• Reserving for summer
  Nab your spot now in Minnesota and Michigan state parks.
• A peek into an inn
  During holidays, B&Bs in five tourist towns open for tours.
• Magic under the moon
  In winter, plan a trip around a candlelight ski or snowshoe.
• The best of 2010 . . . and 2011
  Here are our revelations from the old year and resolutions for the new one.
• The chocolate cure
  As winter drags on, drown your sorrows with sweets.
• Vacations for the brain
  Go to a summer school, and you'll come home with a skill.
• Following the Beargrease
  The 2011 North Shore sled-dog marathon was one of the most exciting in years.
• Volunteering on Lake Superior
  Be keeper of the light or a modern voyageur.
• How to make ice luminaries
  With homemade lanterns, make your front walk sparkle.
• Walking on ice
  To stay safe and have fun, buy a pair of crampons.
• Cheap winter retreats
  Spend a weekend mushing dogs or tracking wolves at bargain prices.
• Holiday house calls
  On tours, see where the rich and famous celebrated Christmas.
• Readers say Ely is the coolest town
  It's got wolves, it's got bears, it's got character.
• Sightseeing by bicycle
  This summer's tours include an extra quota of scenery.
• Serious reservations
  Here's a guide to the lodgings, campsites and permits you should nail down now.
• Skiing in the city
  On the trails of Duluth, a cappuccino never is far away.
• A very merry city
  At Christmas, Chicago brims with good will.
• All eyes on eagles
  In winter, tourists and birds alike head for open water.

Slow start on the slopes

Snow is on the way, so snatch up an early-season deal.

Ski season has been held up by lack of snow, but the Gunflint Trail and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan  finally have some welcome whiteness.

The good news on the U.P. is that Blackjack has a new owner and is reopening after a year's hiatus. Big Powderhorn (pictured) also has a new owner. Early-season skiing is a steal:  At Indianhead, two days of lift tickets are $50 through Christmas, and hotel rooms are $50 if booked by Dec. 11. Blackjack is offering 3-for-2 lift tickets through Dec. 24.

All three U.P. resorts and nearby Whitecap plan to open this weekend. The area has the region's most reliable snow — 189 inches fell last year — but it struggles because skiers think it's remote. Actually, it's just 4¼ hours from the Twin Cities, the closest metropolitan area. For more, see Ski the UP.

Near the Twin Cities, Trollhaugen has runs open now. On the North Shore,  Lutsen Mountains also has opened runs, and lift tickets are two-for-one through Dec. 13.

Many resorts have deals for beginners; check web sites. Here's a great deal from the Wisconsin Ski Industries Association: For $89.95, you get one lift ticket apiece at 13 ski mountains, including Trollhaugen,  Cascade Mountain near the Dells and Alpine Valley, Wilmot and Mountain Top near Lake Geneva.

You'll also get tickets to Mount La Crosse, Tyrol Basin near Mount Horeb, Christie Mountain near Ladysmith, Camp 10 near Rhinelander, Sunburst near Sheboygan, Highlands at Olympia near Oconomowoc and Nordic Mountain near the Fox Cities.

You'll ski free at the Mountain Top at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa on opening weekend if you become a Facebook fan. Pretty nice perk, since adult lift tickets are $45.

And if you're a beginner, Spirit Mountain in Duluth holds three Learn to Ski or Snowboard Free days, with free equipment rental,  conveyor lift and 1½-hour lesson. Reserve at 800-642-6377.

Last updated on December 15, 2011