The ever-frugal Arthur Frommer fills us in on an awesome pre-season deal today: free skiing at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. Unlike some other "free" deals, this bargain is refreshingly without a catch. All you've gotta do is rock up to the resort's ticket window between now and December 15 and ask for a pass. It's that easy.

Of course, today's base is only 19 inches, but this being the Rockies, snow is in the forecast. Temps are low enough to keep the white stuff on the ground, too, so conditions should only improve as we inch toward the ides of December. Just FYI, on the 16th a ticket will set you back $39.

The only real problem with this deal is that Crested Butte is hours from anywhere. There is an airport in Gunnison, 30 miles south, but you can be sure you'll be paying steep prices for the flight in. Hey, at least the lift tickets are cheap.

Related Stories:
· Skiing Without Charge: "A Cheapskate's Delight" [Frommer's]
· Crested Butte Mountain Resort [Official Site]
· Skiing coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: absolutwade]]]> pbb 2007-11-27T16:15:02-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/1/30/135622/203

Earlier this month skiing phenom Bode Miller told 60 Minutes:

There's been times when I've been in really tough shape at the top of the course. If you ever tried to ski when you're wasted, it's not easy.

Now the folks over at Noobsports have taken Bode to task, scientifically speaking.

According to the noobsports site, yesterday, a test subject apparently ski'd three runs  of varying difficulty at Crested Butte Mountain Resort first sober, then wasted (defined as six drinks in two hours). The site promises to post digital photos as well as a detailed answer to their thesis: Is skiing wasted hard?

noob claims there is ample opportunity for a "Sonny Bono moment" if skiing wasted does turn out to be that hard.

We are still waiting for the results to be posted, then we will know once and for all if skiing wasted is a good idea or a bad idea--um, wait, we think we already know the answer to that.

Next question.

Related Stories:
·   Crested Butte Mountain Resort Info [TripAdvisor]
·   Be Like Bode [Deadspin]