Cleary: Plenty of options at New England ski resorts

All ski resorts have key events that happen throughout the season that range from benefits held to raise support for breast cancer awareness and food drives, to serious national snowboard competitions, to events just for fun, like attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the largest Santa gathering!Mount Snow in Vermont celebrates the annual “Walk of the Santas” on Dec. 8. Santas will stroll through the resort village attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the largest Santa gathering. All those dressing up as Santa or Mrs. Claus will receive $25 off a one-day lift ticket on Sat. and Sun. Santas will also receive a $25 coupon off another lift ticket to return anytime before Christmas and be issued an official Santa ID card and enjoy discounts on lodging, skiing/riding, food and gifts throughout the resort.Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire has its semi-annual Cares & Shares Day on Dec. 9. Lift tickets will be discounted to $25 with a contribution of 5 non-perishable food items. The event benefits local families and food shelters. Skiers and snowboarders donated 2,000 pounds of food at last year’s event.Waterville Valley in New Hampshire goes pink to raise money for Boarding for Breast Cancer on Feb. 3, 2008. The Pink Rail Jam starts at noon and includes a lift ticket, goodie bags and raffle ticket. The $40 registration fee, auction proceeds, and pledges from Waterville Valley employees will be included in the donation. Last year, over 180 employees pledged, adding to the grand total of $7,780 raised.Killington Resort in Vermont will host more than 100 of the world’s best snowboarders at the finals of the Chevrolet US Snowboarding Grand Prix at Bear Mountain on March 15-16, 2008. This is the premier US snowboarding series that draws the world’s best riders and offers one of the largest overall purses in snowboarding, with award prizes totaling $300,000. This includes a new Chevrolet truck awarded to the overall champion at Killington. The superpipe final is scheduled for Saturday night. “The night finals, combined with a national headlining musical act, will offer our guests an unparalleled on-snow entertainment experience,” said Dave Rathbun, Killington’s director of sales and marketing.There are lots of choices if you are looking to head up north this weekend with expanded terrain at many resorts and more opening each week as temperatures remain cold. This is what to expect for open terrain and lifts if you go:MassachusettsWachusett Mountain, 8 trails and 3 lifts, www.wachusett.comNashoba Valley, scheduled to open Dec. 1, www.skinashoba.comVermontKillington, 33 trails, 5 lifts, www.killington.comStratton Mountain, 26 trails and 3 lifts, www.stratton.comJay Peak, 30 trails and 2 lifts, www.jaypeakresort.comMount Snow, 25 trails and 5 lifts, www.mountsnow.comSmugglers’ Notch, 8 trails and 1 lift, www.smuggs.comOkemo, 34 trails and 6 lifts, www.okemo.comStowe, 12 trails and 5 lifts, www.stowe.comSugarbush, 12 trails and 2 lifts, www.sugarbush.comNew HampshireWaterville Valley, 12 trails and 3 lifts, www.waterville.comBretton Woods, 13 trails, www.brettonwoods.comAttitash, 15 trails and 4 lifts, www.attitash.comLoon Mountain, 8 trails and 3 lifts, www.loonmtn.comMount Sunapee, 12 trails and 3 lift, www.mountsunapee.comCannon, 3 trails and 2 lifts, www.cannonmt.comWildcat, scheduled to open today, www.skiwildcat.comMaineSunday River, 40 trails and 6 lifts, www.sundayriver.comSugarloaf, 13 trails and 4 lifts, www.sugarloaf.com