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Other stories in "Skiing, alpine"

• A jumpin' joint
  A Norwegian village in southwest Wisconsin has a longtime love affair with ski jumping.
• Fun in the fast lane
  Need speed? Here's where to ski or snowboard in the Upper Midwest.
• Class on the slopes
  Alpine skiing is more fun when you learn how to do it better.
• Downhill in Thunder Bay
  For a ski weekend, this friendly city belongs on the Eh list.
• Winter in Wausau
  There's skiing, dining and sightseeing right in this modest paper town.
• Ski the UP
  At snow-blessed Michigan resorts, skiers and boarders get the drift.
• Cruising at Whitecap
  In corner of Wisconsin, the ski resort has the woodsy charm of the mountains.
• King of the hills
  On Minnesota's Iron Range, Giants Ridge offers first-class skiing at great prices.

Bargains for beginners

Free or cut-rate ski and snowboard packages make it easy to learn.

When you’re a beginning skier, it’s nice to catch a break.

Alpine ski areas want to foster lifelong skiers and snowboarders, so most offer great deals to first-timers. Places are limited, so reserve in advance.

In Duluth, Spirit Mountain offers free Learn a Snow Sport days on Sundays in January. Skiers 13 and older get free equipment, conveyor lift and a 1½-hour lesson, a $45 value. 

At Trollhaugen, east of the Twin Cities, adults who buy lift ticket and rental get a free beginner's lesson any time.

And adults who want to learn to snowboard can go to camp on designated Sundays and get four hours of training, lift ticket, equipment rental, lunch with the instructor and a well-deserved post-camp drink for $90.

Ski Brule near Iron River, Mich., offers free lift, rental and lesson to first-time skiers on Fridays, snowboarders on Fridays and Wednesdays and Nordic skiers Sunday. Reserve in advance.

Tyrol Basin near Madison offers free group lessons to beginners with purchase of lift ticket and rental. At Christie Mountain near Rice Lake, Wis., beginner or advanced ski and snowboard lessons are nearly free — they’re only $2 and held every hour on the hour.

Fourth-graders in Michigan get an especially good deal. With a free "Cold Is Cool'' Ski & Ride Passport, they get up to three free lift tickets at 20 resorts.

And every beginner age 7 and older can use a Discover Michigan Skiing voucher to get a skiing package of lesson, equipment rental and lift ticket for $30 and a snowboard package for $40. The vouchers are good at 23 ski areas in January.

Nearly every ski area offers steep discounts on beginner packages. Look under "Lessons'' on web sites.

For more about learning to ski or snowboard, see Class on the slopes.

For a list of ski resorts in the Upper Midwest, see Fun in the fast lane.

Last updated on February 8, 2013