Heavenly has announced a program that will reward current season passholders for recruiting their friends to ski and ride at Heavenly while giving those friends a price break in the process.

The Heavenly “Refer a Friend” program (www.skiheavenly.com/friend) is open to all adult Heavenly Pass holders, as well as Heavenly College Pass holders. It offers $20 in “mountain money” redeemable at all on-mountain dining and retail establishments for each referred friend who purchases a Heavenly, Heavenly College or Epic pass. And everyone benefits: The referred friends receive a $10 discount on the $379 Heavenly Pass or College Pass. Passholders can refer as many friends as they want, and will be paid for each successful purchase in a one-time payout, approximately four weeks after the end of the promotion.

“Skiing and snowboarding are social sports,” said John Wagnon, Heavenly’s vice president of Marketing and Sales, ”so we’re rewarding our best supporters – our season passholders – for doing what they’d do anyway: Skiing and riding with their friends.”

Heavenly pass holders get access to Lake Tahoe’s biggest mountain, longest vertical drop, most high-speed lifts, most extensive grooming, longest runs and most epic tree-skiing. They also get access to Lake Tahoe’s only zip line – the 3,300-foot-long Heavenly Flyer, the longest zip line in the continental U.S.

Those purchasing a Heavenly pass also receive unlimited half-price tickets at any of Vail’s Colorado resorts including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone. Pass holders also have the opportunity to receive the best travel deals through Heavenly Tahoe Vacations, as well as the option to become a member of the Heavenly Pass Holders Club which offers exclusive tickets to concerts and deals at South Lake Tahoe businesses.

New passes can also be purchased or renewed online at www.heavenlypass.com or in-person seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Heavenly season pass office located at the Gondola.

For the 2008 – 09 season Heavenly will unveil many new improvements under the 10 year master plan. Skyline Trail from the top of Sky Express leading to Nevada has been re-graded allowing for a faster and easier traverse. East Peak Lodge’s upper deck has been enclosed adding 160 more indoor seats. Three new gladed trails have been added, two in Ski Ways glades and one in Powderbowl Woods. On the side of transportation, two new bio-diesel buses and two new compressed natural gas buses have been added to the Heavenly fleet; bringing the total to 10 environmentally friendly buses.

Recently named a “World Saver” by Condé Nast Traveler in the category of leadership in environmental protection, Vail Resorts is committed to providing an exceptional experience while acting as a leader in energy conservation. Heavenly is ranked among OnTheSnow.com’s top ten “no-car needed” resorts and therefore an outstanding choice for those who wish to conserve gas and support the environmental movement.

Hey, gang! Dane and I just got off the mountain (thanks to Kevin and the guys at the Gondola for the lift!) and we’ve got a legitimate two inches up there! Sure, it’s not much, but it sure makes it feel like winter is right around the corner (which it is, snowmaking starts in 27 days!)!

And I found this quote on Harris-Mann Climatology : “The first 45 days of this winter may actually turn out to be a bit colder and snowier than usual from just after Thanksgiving to around the middle of January. Assuming this pattern develops, there is a chance of another brilliant White Christmas, even at the lower elevations.”

Sounds good to me!

As usual, Dane’s video tells the story:

Don’t forget to check out the new snow on our Mountain Snapshots!

And as I said in the video, Heavenly season passes are just $379 right now, and the Epic Pass (our five-resort, unlimited pass) is only $579, but only through November 15.