Ski deal weekend!

It's a Colorado tradition: every labor day the big sports retailers sell last year's gear at 40% to 70% off in huge parkinglot sales. If you need something, and you don't have a line on a pro deal, you better get it now.

The Sports Authority's holds its annuall Sniagrab sale. Saturday, September 1 through Monday, September 3 at the Sports Authority. Several ski resorts will also offer preseason pricing on their ski passes at Sniagrab.
Colorado Ski & Golf has it's own upstart version called Ski REX. REX also offers 40 - 75% discounts on last season's ski equipment, and also allows skiers a chance to buy season passes for the 2007 - 2008 season. Parents might want to check out the Junior Trade-In program, which allows youngsters age 4 - 18 to swap out outgrown ski equipment every year for a fee.

So, what about those season passes, and the awesome four-pack deals?

Most passes go on sale Labor Day Weekend.

Four-packs

Vail's $129 four-pack gives skiers four non-transferable days (restricted during peak holidays, not that you'd want to ski then anyway). You can pick them up at Colorado Ski & Golf or REI.

Copper/Winter Park also have non-transferable four-packs. They cost $119 for Copper or $129 for Winter Park. They're not good during Christmas week. Copper/WP also have a transferable fourpack for $179. New pass purchasers can visit Front Range Christy Sports stores beginning Sept 1.

Season Passes:

Vail's Summit Pass (formerly known as The Buddy Pas) provides unlimited lift access at Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin, the most skiing and snowboarding in Summit County, with no date restrictions, at $379 for adults, $299 for teens and $189 for children.For just $40 more for adults ($20 more for teens and $10 more for children 5-12), the Colorado Pass provides the benefits of the Summit Pass plus ten days at Vail and Beaver Creek (Vail and Beaver Creek days are restricted Nov. 23-24, Dec. 27-31, 2007 and Feb. 16-17, 2008).
Pass renewals are available at coloradopass.com and new passes are on sale this weekend beginning Friday at Colorado Ski and Golf (Aurora, Arvada, Colorado Springs and Littleton), REI (Denver Flagship, Fort Collins, Lakewood, Englewood, Boulder and Colorado Springs),

Copper/Winter Park have the Rocky Mountain Super Pass: $389
Offers unlimited skiing at Copper Mountain and Winter Park. .

NEW! Rocky Mountain Super Pass Plus: $489 70

“The Plus” pass offers skiers unlimited access to Winter Park and Copper along with six unrestricted days at Steamboat and free skiing and riding at Steamboat Friday afternoons.