There is still about two months left to ski in South America. But if you haven't been fortunate enough to ski or ride during the summer months, the winter itch is probably just now starting to surface. If it hasn't yet, it will soon. I've encountered a few triggers lately that have made my mind wander into winter. The most significant of which are trailers for ski movies from companies like TGR and Matchstick Productions. (If you haven't seen these yet, you can check them out on our Facebook Page). Though each trailer is only a few minutes long, they already have me fantasizing about the places I want to ski and the cool new gear I want to buy. Unfortunately, that list of gear will undoubtedly grow as soon as this year's gear guides start hitting newsstands.

If your current fantasies are taking place on a mountaintop somewhere, we're here to help. This time of year, while a bit counterintuitive, is the perfect time to start shopping for a winter vacation. At Ski.com, we already have a huge amount of specials loaded and ready to go for this ski season in all the most popular places. Because the resorts want to encourage you to book early, these deals offer significant savings on things like lift tickets and lodging. However, the only catch is that they expire as early as August 31. For example, to celebrate 50 years of operation, Crested Butte is offering our customers $50 off lift tickets and 50% off lodging. That means you can get four nights of lodging and three days of skiing or riding on 1,167 acres of some of the best terrain on the planet for just $274 per person.

In addition to saving money, another huge advantage of planning your vacation now is availability. Booking early ensures you get your first choice on the most desirable lodging and flight options. This is especially nice for the holiday travel period, when things tend to book up faster.

Whether you know exactly when and where you want to go this year or you'd like to see what the best options are, give us a call at 800-299-0656. Ski.com offers the travel industry's largest selection of lodging, lift tickets and more. Our Mountain Vacation Specialists average 15 years in the business and can easily help you narrow down your choices, find the best dates of travel and book the vacation that's perfect for you.

Please enjoy your summer, but don't stop thinking about winter!

D.S.