Nicole Fancher

‘Tis the season to head for the slopes! Especially now, in order to snag incredible early ski season deals. The deals are endless, so browse Web sites of hotels near your favorite ski resorts and search through ski resort sites, too. Be sure to check out TravelMuse's family ski deals in our Ski Issue. Here are just a few more to get you stoked about this season’s savings:

Tahoe for Under $100

Alpine Meadows
The Eldorado Ski Special includes two nights’ stay at the Eldorado Hotel and Casino, an adult lift ticket per person and a $10 dining voucher—at your choice of 10 hotel restaurants including top rated, La Strada. Also enjoy Eldorado’s sprawling casino floor. Rate starts at $89 per person. Valid from Nov. 23 to Dec. 22, 2008. Tel. 800-949-3296, www.skialpine.com.

Homewood Mountain Resort
Homewood Mountain Resort and the Tahoe Biltmore Lodge & Casino offer lakeside lodging and skiing starting at $65 per person. Package includes one-night stay in Tahoe Biltmore’s cottage rooms and one full-day adult lift ticket to Homewood per person, double occupancy. Requires a Sunday through Thursday stay. Available Nov. 11, 2008 to March 31, 2009. Tel. 877-263-7768, skihomewood.com.

Vail/Beaver Creek Treats

Ski and stay at the Antlers at Vail starting at $200 per night in a two-bedroom condo. Book five nights for $998 for four guests including four-day lift tickets per person. Valid for stays from Jan. 3 to 30, 2009, which is a 25 percent savings from peak season stays. Tel. 800-843-8245, www.antlersvail.com.

Third Night Free deal at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek when you book early. Also get a free room upgrade and daily breakfast for two. Rates start at $249 per night. Valid through Dec. 19, 2008. Tel. 866-471-7658, beavercreek.hyatt.com.

Also at Beaver Creek: Fly, Ski & Save

All guests flying into Vail/Eagle County Airport (EGE), 20 minutes from the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, receive a complimentary one-day lift ticket at any of the area slopes. Bring your boarding pass and Hyatt lodging confirmation to any Beaver Creek ticket window, and you'll receive a free same day lift ticket.

And the cherry on top: For those flying into EGE on American Airlines, children ages 2 to 12 fly free with each paid adult. Tickets must be purchased before Feb. 13, 2009 for travel from Dec. 2 to 12, 2008 and from Jan. 4 to Feb. 13, 2009. beavercreek.hyatt.com

Traveling to the airport doesn’t have to be a drain on your wallet, time and sanity. After its New York City debut two years ago, Hitchsters launched its San Francisco edition of the popular Web-based rideshare service on Nov. 11.

Hitchsters matches riders who need a ride to the airport. Simply choose your flight time and Hitchsters hooks you up with a rider (who’s on the same flight as you) and a driver (they’ve partnered with local sedan and limo companies to provide the rides). Other Hitchsters features include Google Maps distance matching and user accounts, which allow riders to see how much money and carbon dioxide they’ve saved.

The benefits? Splitting the cost of gas, meeting cool, eco-conscious folk, and reducing CO2 emissions. According to Hitchsters, riders save an average of $21 per trip and reduce CO2 spew by 30 lbs. Read our TravelMuse article on Carbon Offsetting, in our upcoming issue on Nov. 14, to learn how you can reduce CO2 emissions during your travels.

I’d be totally into this. Why spend $40 on a cab fare to the airport when you can spend $20? That’ll afford you a nice dinner—with your new friend. Sign up with Hitchsters at www.hitchsters.com.

Have you used Hitchsters or rideshared before? What do you think about this new service?