How to ski free at Steamboat, Copper and the rest

Courtesy Colorado Ski Country USA

Bring the tot along for free riding at Copper.

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Back in college -- during that little break in December when you are supposed to study for your finals -- we'd take our studies on the road and head up to Crested Butte for their early-season ski-free promotion. What can I say? It was a state school, and classes in 'new-form diversity studies' just aren't that hard. 

Ten of us would pile into one room. We'd ski all day and party all night. It was the greatest time of my life -- except my wedding, of course. (Hi, honey!)
But then it just seemed to come to an end. Nobody was doing ski free promotions anymore, naked skiing was out, and we all had to graduate and work for a living. But skiing free is back, baby.

The no-holds-barred fun begins in Steamboat. Sure you gotta pay for lodging, but who wants to day-trip all the way to The Boat anyway?

Kids get free tickets at Sunlight, Crested Butte and Copper (with a truckload of restrictions tacked on of course). At Aspen you get the fifth day of skiing and lodging free. That is if you could afford the first four. And in Vail, fifth and sixth graders get some free passes.

And while you can't beat the deals on season passes, we're hoping they resurrect the Pow Pow Platter -- three days at Copper, Steamboat or Winter Park for just $99 -- but it's not certainly that this train will be rolling anytime soon.