In case you've been putting off that winter ski vacation, this recent storm removes all excuses to procrastinate. To be sure, only a few icy inches fell in greater Portland, but ski country got enough to be useful.

It's hardly a blizzard, but my pal, Bill "On the Hill" Swain up at Sugarloaf/USA, sent an email saying that his mountain got eight to 12 inches -- as of early Monday evening -- plus he attached a couple of photos.

A welcome chore in ski country: sweeping the snow off the car at Sugarloaf/USA yesterday
COURTESY SUGARLOAF/USA

No blizzard, but no complaints either: Eight to 12 inches of new snow had fallen at Sugarloaf/USA as of early evening on Monday
COURTESY SUGARLOAF/USA

Just in time for the Loaf's traditional late January white sale on ski-n-stay packages, known as White White World Week.

It's all about having big fun on a budget, and it's been going on at the Loaf for decades. Join in on some zany events including disco parties, the Roaring 20s night, Island Night, Hill-Billy hoedown, turbo tubing, dummy jumps, snow sculptures and more. Ski-n-stay packages, including lodging, daily lift tickets, health club/spa & daily adult Perfect Turn ski school clinics, run as low as $69 per person per night in on-mountain condos. And it's available Jan 21-25.

Two skiers from New Jersey admire the view from Sugarloaf's Upper Narrow Gauge Trail two seasons ago
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Jonesing for nordic? You betcha I am.

And I remember that Sugarloaf is the only mountain in Maine -- and one of only a handful anywhere in New England -- with a large, first class trailside nordic center under the same management.

The Sugarloaf Outdoor Center offers nordic skiing on 100km of superbly groomed trails, a warm, comfortable lodge with magnificent views, skating rink, snowshoeing and more. Midweek nordic ski-n-stay packages start at $49 per person at the Sugarloaf Inn.

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