With the Colorado resorts (Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone) ready to add a combined 1,500 acres of new terrain by the weekend, holiday skiers and snowboarders are licking their chops and waxing their powder skis and boards.

“We’re within three weeks of the holidays, so this storm couldn’t have come at a better time whether you’re planning on visiting our resorts in Colorado, Utah or Lake Tahoe,” said Vail Resorts’ chief marketing officer, Kirsten Lynch. “The only problem is if you want to ski over the winter break, you had better act now!”

In Colorado, Vail Mountain, one of the largest ski resorts in the world, anticipates opening more than 500 acres of new terrain soon, including Golden Peak and the Riva Bahn Express Lift (#6), Game Creek Bowl and the Game Creek Express Lift (#7), and the Sourdough Express Lift (#14). This would bring the resort’s skiable acreage to nearly 1,400.

Beaver Creek, where they received over a foot of new snow at the top of the mountain, opened 244 additional acres Wednesday bringing the total acreage to 760 acres. Three more lifts are set to open this weekend including Riverfront Gondola Lift (#7), Lower Beaver Creek Mountain Express Lift (#15) and the Upper Beaver Creek Mountain Express Lift (#18).

At Breckenridge, where they will debut Peak 6 this winter representing the largest ski area expansion in recent memory, they’ve opened another 120 acres thanks to over a foot of new snow, with an additional 300 acres expected to open over the weekend.

Kids ski free at Keystone, and those freeloading rug rats will have 600 new acres to explore by the weekend as the resort expands its terrain from 341 acres to well over 1,000.

Canyons Resort, in Park City, UT, already blessed with the light and dry, was further blessed with the biggest snowfall total, weighing in with a healthy 14 inches. Look for more terrain to open there soon.

With up to nine inches of new snow, and more expected this week, and optimal cold temperatures for the West Coast's two largest snowmaking systems, Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood are poised to expand terrain this weekend, providing the most open terrain and the best snow surface conditions at Lake Tahoe.

Lift Tickets

For the lowest guaranteed price on lift tickets to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Canyons, Heavenly, Northstar or Kirkwood (up to 25 percent), guests need only purchase seven days in advance for the Colorado resorts, three days in advance for the Lake Tahoe resorts, and one day for Canyons, Utah. Skiers and riders can call 1-888-216-8538 or visit www.snow.com.

Lodging

Since snow is free, Vail Resorts’ hospitality properties across its mountain resorts are following suit with the ever-popular Ski Free, Stay Free. Guests save up to 30 percent when they book their lift and lodging packages now – by purchasing lift tickets and lodging for three nights they get the fourth day and night free. It can be booked here.