Ski resorts are gearing up for the upcoming season. Buy lift tickets now to save money. Photo by Dan Bayer

Snowflakes are flying in Colorado, y’all.

I sat down to coffee with a group of representatives from three Colorado ski resorts this week, who reminded me that now’s the time to buy lift tickets.

“The earlier you can sort out plans, the cheaper it’s going to be,” Olivia Butrymovich of Copper Mountain told me over muffins at Upper Crust Bakery.

Read more: Find powder and snowy adventures at Purgatory Ski Resort

If you wait and buy them when you get to the mountain, you’ll pay top dollar. These days, lift tickets at most large resorts will set you back close to $200 at the window.

If you buy in advance, you can take advantage of deals. Some resorts offer flex tickets, which allow skiers to buy two-, three- or four-day tickets without designating which day they’ll use them. That means even if you don’t have a hotel or airfare booked, you can lock in lift tickets now.

And the snow Is coming.

Winter Park saw 15 inches of freshies this week, and they’re making more, according to Jen Miller, who handles communications for the resort. The resort officially opened Friday, and although only 20 acres are skiable, more terrain is expected to open in the next few weeks.

“People are excited,” Miller said. “It’s the anticipation of the ski season after a long summer.”

Visitors can enjoy free admission at Texas State Parks this Sunday. Here, a park visitor admires the Big Tree at Goose Island State Park. Pam LeBlanc photo

You can leave the big bucks behind when you head to a state park this Sunday. To celebrate Texas State Parks Day, officials are dropping the day-use admission fee.

That means you can hike at Pedernales Falls State Park, where recent rains have bumped up flows down the limestone slab, or say hello to one of the biggest trees in the country at Goose Island State Park – all without spending a dime.

“Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wants to continue to connect everyone to our beautiful parklands and we hope that Texas State Parks Day will give someone new the opportunity to discover what makes our state parks special,” said Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks.

The state operates nearly 90 parks throughout the state, from Big Bend Ranch State Park near Terlingua to Sea Rim State Park near Beaumont. They offer opportunities to camp, swim, hike, birdwatch, bike and more.

I’m on a mission to visit all of them. So far, my favorites include Hill Country State Natural Area, Martin Dies Jr. State Park, and Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

Reservations are recommended and can be made online.  Parks will operate as usual and will control admissions by their established capacity limits. All other fees will still apply on that day. Visit the TPWD website for a list of activities and events in a park near you.

Visitors can enjoy free admission at Texas State Parks this Sunday. Here, a park visitor admires the Big Tree at Goose Island State Park. Pam LeBlanc photo

You can leave the big bucks behind when you head to a state park this Sunday. To celebrate Texas State Parks Day, officials are dropping the day-use admission fee.

That means you can hike at Pedernales Falls State Park, where recent rains have bumped up flows down the limestone slab, or say hello to one of the biggest trees in the country at Goose Island State Park – all without spending a dime.

“Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wants to continue to connect everyone to our beautiful parklands and we hope that Texas State Parks Day will give someone new the opportunity to discover what makes our state parks special,” said Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks.

The state operates nearly 90 parks throughout the state, from Big Bend Ranch State Park near Terlingua to Sea Rim State Park near Beaumont. They offer opportunities to camp, swim, hike, birdwatch, bike and more.

I’m on a mission to visit all of them. So far, my favorites include Hill Country State Natural Area, Martin Dies Jr. State Park, and Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

Reservations are recommended and can be made online.  Parks will operate as usual and will control admissions by their established capacity limits. All other fees will still apply on that day. Visit the TPWD website for a list of activities and events in a park near you.