Party! There's probably a good reason this party scene from Sunday River is a little fuzzy. At least with slopeside lodging, no one needs to drive. (Sunday River photo)

A week of partying, skiing, riding, and partying some more. Sounds like an awesome Spring Break, but who can wait for that? Good thing College Week is coming up for many east coast mountains. The ski bum lifestyle is one of the perks of going to college in the northeast, and it only comes this cheap once a year.

Check with this list to see which of your favorite mountains are offering cheap getaways. Just as with the college season passes, you must present a valid student ID with a picture to take advantage of the prices.

PS. I’ll be at the Killington collegiate extravaganza and would be happy to meet up with anybody who needs a ski buddy.

Hunter Mountain (Hunter, NY)

Jack Frost Big Boulder College Week (Blakeslee, Pennsylvania)

Dates: January 2-6

Price: $15 “snow pass,” $10 rentals, and drink specials at local pubs to top it off.

Mount Snow College Week (West Dover, VT)

College Week means friends chillin at Mount Snow. (Mount Snow photo)

Dates: January 2-6 and again January 9-13

Price: $282 for five days of skiing or riding, lodging, parties, and more.

On Thursday, lift tickets are $29.

Learn to ski or ride for free at 9:30 and 11:30 all week long

Sugarloaf Mountain Snowfest Week (Carrabassett Valley, ME)

Dates: January 1-6, 2012

Price: $299 for a five nights of lodging, skiing, and events.

Glass Half Full--but that can be remedied quickly (Sunday River/McLain photo)

Sunday River College Week (Newry, ME)

Dates: January 1-6

Price: $309 for five days and nights of skiing or riding, lodging, parties, music, and more.

$89 for one day of skiing or riding and a one night stay

$39 lift tickets for a day of skiing or riding

*Sunday River’s College Week is sponsored by Red Bull, so it should be pretty awesome!

Killington Resort Collegiate Snowfest and Collegiate Winter Games (Killington, VT)

Snowfest dates: January 1-13

Winter Games dates: January 2-6

Price: Lift tickets are sold at a regular rate. However, the Collegiate Winter Games are free to participate in, restaurants along the Killington Access Road will be offering discounts, and bars will have free cover.

*Collegiate Winter Games is a part of the Collegiate Snowfest and is a chance for college students to go toe warmer to toe warmer in a series of competitions like Mountain Ops, King of the Mountain, and the Sledding Derby.

Smugglers’ Notch College Adventure Break (Smugglers’ Notch, VT)

Dates: January 1-6 and again January 8-13

Price: $69 for a day of skiing or riding, team challenges, races, entertainment, and more.

Tremblant CollegeXBreaks (Tremblant, Quebec, Canada and Montreal, Quebec, Canada)

*CollegeXBreaks sounds like a few of the wildest parties on the east coast. They have a few different options to check out.

Dates: January 1-5

Price: $484  for lift tickets, lodging, and party access.

Dates: January 5-8

Price: $414  for lift tickets, lodging, and party access.

Dates: January 8-12

Price: $484 for lift tickets and party access.

Here are two ways to save during vacation weeks (and all season long!)

Ticket Packs

Many areas sell blocks of three, six, or more anytime tickets.  Yes you pay more up front than you would for one day, but the tickets are good for a whole season, they are often transferable, and buying in blocks offers significant savings.

They seem particularly popular in New Hampshire and here are some examples:

Gunstock in Gilford, N.H. is a good example: with their 6-packs you get 6 tickets for the price of 5 and  their Baker’s Dozens get 13 tickets for less than the price of 10! These are anytime, fully  transferable tickets. An adult 6-pack is  $340, Baker’s Dozen is $675

Cannon Mountain in Franconia, N.H.has the 10 any-day, adult, transferable tickets good all season for  $569, which saves over $100 off the regular window price of $67/day.

Crotched Mountain in Bennington, N.H. offers a 10 pack of tickets for $449.  They are transferable and valid all season long.

Mount Sunapee in Newbury, N.H. has 6 – Packs which can be pre-purchased for the price of 5. Only two tickets can be used per day Dec. 25  through March 6. All six can be used in one day before or after those dates

Pats Peak in Henniker, N.H. has PIC-A-PAC anytime transferable Tickets, a 6 Pac ($336) saves $42,  a 12 Pac ($672) saves  $120, and an 18 Pac ($1,008) saves $216.

Waterville Valley in Waterville Valley, N.H. sells 5 Packs of any-day, non-transferable tickets which $10 a day off the regular ticket price.

Whaleback Mountain in Enfield, N.H. has a 4 pack ($120) for the price of 3, saving $40. (Yes, Whaleback’s weekend/Holiday all day lift tickets are $40 . . . )

There are more deals like this in other states, but you get the idea. If you want to ski several days or with several people over the holiday, this might be your best way to save.

Loyalty Cards:

At this time of year, if you don’t ski enough to justify a season pass but still want to save money, your best deal at many areas is a skier loyalty card. You buy a card up front (some come with a lift ticket) and it gets you a significant discount every time you ski. Some include discounts on lodging, meals, and resort services. Usually they pay for themselves in two or three visits. After that, it’s all savings all the time. Last week we looked at multi-mountain cards. Here are some examples of savings at individual resorts:

Ski Sundown in Canton Center, Connecticut has an $89 Savings Card that gets discounts up to 50% on lift tickets.

Jiminy Peak in Hancock, Mass has a $45 Value Card that saves you $15 off  every ticket and 7th visit free.

At Gunstock in Gilford, N.H. the Take 50 card ($130) cuts the price of a weekend/holiday adult lift ticket to $34.

Hunter Mountain in Hunter, New York offers the  $45 Big Lift Cards which saves 25% on Weekend & Holiday Tickets, 50% on Mid-week Tickets and four free Sunday lift tickets!

Bromley Mountain in Peru, Vermont has the $69 Sun Mountain Card which gets a free lift ticket and $10 off every lift ticket for the season.

Jay Peak in Jay, Vermont has the $99 581 card (named for their average annual snowfall in inches) which gets one free lift ticket and $50 adult tickets for the rest of the season

Killington in Killington, Vermont has the $79 Express card which saves 25-50% on tickets all season.

Mount Snow in Dover, Vermont has the $79 Fan Fare Card that gets 50% off midweek tickets, 10% off weekend/holidays.

Smugglers Notch in Jeffersonville, Vermont has the $89 Bash Badge which gets $25 lift ticket or $15 afternoon tickets all season.

The $79 Stowe Points Card at Stowe Mountain Resort in Stowe, Vermont earns points for each dollar spent at the resort, redeemable for lift tickets.

Stratton Mountain Resort, in Stratton, Vermont offers the $79 X2 direct-to lifts card that pays for itself with the first use, gets $30 off weekday tickets, $20 off Weekend tickets and $10 off holiday tickets.

Single Resort Passes

In Great Barrington, MA, tucked in the Berkshire Mountains is Ski Butternut Resort. This season, Ski Butternut entices college kids with $35 lift tickets on weekends and holidays ($25 savings over the regular price!) and $20 lift tickets Monday through Friday, which is $20 less than a regular ticket. Their $18 tubing sessions are only $10 for students, too. To take advantage of these sweet deals, fill out this coupon and bring it and your valid college ID to customer service to get your cheap thrills!

Catamount Ski Area on the border between South Egremont, MA and Hillsdale, NY is cheap and easy: bring your valid student ID and pay $229 for a full season of unrestricted skiing and riding.

Jiminy Peak Resort in Hancock, MA offers up two deals for two kinds of college students; full-time students pay $299 for an unlimited season pass or part-time students can get in on their twilight/midweek pass for only $229. The twilight pass is good anytime Monday-Friday and after 3 pm on weekends and holidays. You need to bring your class schedule showing 12 credits for full-time and 6 for part time and your school ID to get in on the fun.

Pat’s Peak Ski Area offers a unique service to Boston students. They are bussing students twice a day on Saturdays starting January 15 directly from Beantown to the resort in Henniker and back once the ski area closes. The bus ride plus a lift ticket to ski or ride from 8:30am to 4pm is only $59, so call (781) 849-0200 book in advance. Pat’s Peak also offers a standard no-ride-included unlimited college pass that goes for $319 before November 11 and $369 after with a letter from your registrar and valid photo ID.

Stowe offers two options for part- and full-time students. Full-time students (defined by Stowe as at least twelve credits) can get the Unrestricted Stowe 7-Day Plus Access pass before October 31 for $399 and part timers (at least six credits) pay $599.

Sugarbush Resort is flexible with their college plans: you can get an all mountain pass for $319 plus tax or a Mt. Ellen only option for $219. College students can also become reps for Sugarbush and sell passes on-campus. If you sell ten passes for them, you’ll get one for yourself free and a $15 commission on every pass over ten sold. Plus, if you buy a pass from your friendly campus Sugarbush rep, you’ll get a $10 gift card when you pick up your pass.

Smugglers’ Notch kindly gives poor college kids a break with their pass which includes 20% off at their sport and equipment shops and 50% off single and multi-day group lessons and equipment rentals. The pass itself is $319 before Halloween and $419 after for fulltime students that present their ID.

Shawnee Peak in Bridgton, ME offers something a little different; their $199 college pass is open to full-time, part-time, graduate, online and medical resident students. Shawnee opens December 11.

In Rangley ME, Saddleback Mountain offers a super-inexpensive $99 college pass for a full season. Opening day at Saddleback is December 11.

Wachusett has the UPass which is a little more work for a lot less money. The pass is $189 before October 11 and that gets you a season of any night of the week from 4pm-10pm and Monday through Friday 9am to 4pm. With the UPass you also get $10 off lift tickets if you feel the need to shred on weekend days and holidays. You do need to present your valid college photo ID when you buy.

Multi Resort Passes

In New Hampshire, three areas have teamed up to offer the College Breakout Season Pass. Ski and ride Wildcat Mountain, Gunstock Resort and Mount Sunapee with one pass! Wildcat opens December 18, Gunstock opens December 3 and Sunapee opens November 26. Before December 18, the three-for pass is only $259 for full time students with your valid ID and signed and sealed letter from the registrar.

Mount Sunapee went all-out this year. Not only are they contributing to the awesome College Breakout Season pass, they teamed up with Okemo and Stratton to offer the SOS (get it?) Pass. Full-time students up to age 29 pay $279 before October 11 and $315 after for an unlimited season pass to all three mountains.

The  Higher Ed pass is a four-in-one: for $299 (and a letter from the registrar) , that lets you ski and ride all season at Mount Snow in VT, Attitash and Crotched Mountain in NH, and Jack Frost/Big Boulder PA. Go right to the lifts at Attitash and Mount Snow; bring your pass to the ticket window at Crotched Mountain and Jack Frost/ Big Boulder. Each Higher Ed Pass comes with a subscription to either Freeskier or Snowboard magazine and two discounted $40 Bring A Friend lift tickets that are good Monday through Friday non-holidays at Mount Snow.

Jay Peak teamed up with Mad River Glen and Bolton Valley to offer the Triple Major pass, pay $289 before October 11 and $399 after to hit all three all season. You can also get a Jay Peak-only pass for $269 before October 11 or $329 after. Bring your original registration showing twelve credits and student ID with photo and you’re all set!

In New York, students up to age 22 can hit both Whiteface and Gore all season for $375 (price goes up to $475 after November 19, so get moving!)

Okay, put down your pencils and pick up your wallet. Class dismissed!

Attitash

Season passes, go to full price on October 11. For more information on all the deals go here.

Ski Butternut

Before December 1, buy a 2010-11 Season Pass for: $275 Adult, $225 Jr., $100 Kids, $500 Corporate.

Cranmore Mountain Resort

Cranmore’s Season Passes are $179 for Juniors ages 6-12, and Adult limited Happy Trails passes are $339 (with holiday blackout dates but valid weekends!) These prices are valid through November 30.

Gunstock Mountain

The $259 College pass for Gunstock, Wildcat and Sunapee, has no blackout dates.

These  passes are discounted through November 7: Prime Time Adults  $499; Prime Time Teen  $409; Prime Time Child and Prime Time Senior  $279;  Night $229; Mid-Week $299.

Jay Peak Resort

If you buy before October 11, you’ll get Jay’s best  Season Pass Deals. An Adult Unlimited pass is $629 ($1179 per couple), Seniors are $479 (55-69, $199 for the over-70 crowd). They also have a variety of kid and family-pass options.

The Triple Major (college pass with Jay Peak, Mad River Glen and Bolton Valley ) is $289 if purchased before November 8.

Jiminy Peak

October 15th cut off date for season pass and Value Card savings.  Find all the pass deals here

Loon Mountain Resort

Before Columbus Day Weekend (October 11) season passes valid at Loon Mountain,  Sunday River,  and  Sugarloaf  start at $410 for an adult Bronze Pass, $669 for an adult Silver Pass and $975 for an adult Gold Pass. College passes are also available for $339 through November 30.

Mad River Glen

The MAD CARD ($139 until December 15)  gets you 3 transferable day tickets good any time during the 2010-11 ski season, $5 off any additional full day lift ticket purchased throughout the season (Limit: 1 per Mad Card/Day), buy a Midweek Private Adult Clinic and Bring a Friend Free (not available during holiday periods).

The FAMILY MAD CARD ( $189 before October 15) gets kids ages 12 and under (as of 1/1/11) FREE  SEASON PASSES and all other Mad Card benefits. Go here or call 802-496-3551 for details.

Mount Snow

October 11 is the deadline to save $150 on all Mount Snow  passes
The Noreaster Pass includes Crotched Mountain, Attitash and Jack Frost/Big Boulder in PA for $1049, the Classic Pass (Mount Snow only with holiday blackout dates) is $699 and mid-week passes are $549.

The Higher Education season pass (College Pass) is only $299 and includes Mount Snow, Attitash, Crotched Mountain and  Jack Frost/Big Boulder.

Mount Sunapee Resort

Mount Sunapee has a variety of season pass options, all on sale until October 11.

The Ultrapass includes, Sunapee, Okemo, Stratton and Crested Butte  for $1555 for adults. The adult Peak Pass (Mount Sunapee and Okemo) is $959. There are a variety of cheaper midweek, kid and senior options.

The unlimited SOS College Pass (Sunapee – Okemo – Stratton) is $279.

Okemo Mountain Resort

Okemo has a variety of Season Passes are on sale until October 11 including:

The $1557 Ultra pass for Okemo, Stratton, Sunapee and Crested Butte CO, the $741 Value Pass Plus for Okemo, Stratton and Sunapee with blackout dates, and the $1240 Peak Pass for Okemo and Sunapee.

Sunday One-Day Season Pass $299 for adults ($359 after October 11). This direct-to-lift season pass has four blackout dates, but is valid all other Sundays throughout the season.

Frequent Skier Flex Card $99, plus tax (prior to November 15 and $119 afterward), save: 50 percent on weekday, non-holiday (Monday through Friday), single-day lift ticket rates; 25 percent on weekend and holiday single-day lift ticket rates; 50 percent on single-day lift ticket rates every day in November, and from March 21 through closing day in April. Fifty percent savings will also apply on select Sundays in January and March. Flex card benefits are available at  Mount Sunapee Resort, in N.H. (days, dates and discount values may vary)

Okemo’s 8-Pack and 12-Packs are on sale until November 16. The  8-Pack is a pre-purchase of eight unrestricted, single, full-day lift tickets for the price of seven. The 8-Pack is valid every day of the 20010/2011 season with no restrictions and it is transferable. It may be applied toward the purchase of one or two tickets per day. Pricing is: Adults $557; Young Adults/Seniors $487; Juniors/Super Seniors $375. The Okemo 12-Pack is 12 unrestricted, single, full-day lift tickets for the price of ten. : Adults $790; Young Adults/Seniors $690; Juniors/Super Seniors $530. As an added bonus, 8-Pack and 12-Pack holders can present their valid packs at the Crested Butte, Colo., lift ticket window to save 20% on multi-day lift ticket rates all season long.

Pats Peak

Saddleback is offering a 10-year season pass for $5,000 this season!

Other passes  on sale  include their popular Peak Pass for Honor Roll Students ($59 for Maine residents, $99 for others), Adult Season Pass:   $649,Locals Pass:  $549 . Military personnel and First Responders also get huge discounts on Saddleback passes. For complete information, go here.

Shawnee Peak Resort

Buy College Student Season passes at Shawnee Peak for  $199.

Stratton Mountain Resort

Early Booking Offer: Book any winter 2010-2011 lodging by October 30, 2010, and save 30 percent off midweek, 20 percent off weekends and 10 percent off holidays. Also enjoy special savings on lift tickets, snow school and rentals too. With price protection and a relaxed cancellation policy, it’s all the reward without the risk.

The X2 Card $69 ($79 after November 23) offers a free day of skiing or riding plus $30 off midweek (non-holiday), $20 off weekends (non-holiday), and $10 on holidays.

Sugarbush Resort

College and Graduate passes are discounted through November 1.

College Students and Recent Grads pay $319 for all-mountain passes, $219 for Mount Ellen.

Sugarloaf

Before Columbus Day Weekend (October 11) season passes  good at Sugarloaf, Sunday River, and Loon Mountain start at $410 for an adult Bronze Pass, $669 for an adult Silver Pass and $975 for an adult Gold Pass. College passes are also available for $339 through November 30.

Wildcat Mountain

You can see all of Wildcat’s season pass deals here.