The life of a snowflake starts with delicate, atmospheric crystal formation and ends with sudden mangling beneath the snowboards of teenagers. Frolic in nature's snowy beauty with today's Groupon: for $22, you get $45 worth of online transportation booking and fees from RenoTahoeSkiTrips.com.

RenoTahoeSkiTrips.com facilitates snow holidays with convenient transportation and booking services to ski resorts in the Reno-Lake Tahoe area ($45+; prices vary by location).

With six pickup locations sprinkled throughout the bay area, luxury motor coaches stand ready to whisk ski-mounted bipeds away to suitable grounds for frolicking. Departure times range from 4 a.m. to 5:20 a.m., with continental breakfasts served en route to ease stomachs into the day, and the 8:30–9 a.m. arrival allows transportees ample time to utilize the free WiFi to send vacation-themed emails to envious relatives.

Snow-gambol and cavort among the slopes until closing time, when the buses draw powder-sliders down to the pickup area with snacks. The return trip allows riders to rest their tired gams and enter raffles to win prizes, and it is augmented with movie showings. Riders can expect to be home between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., with jealous non-ski boots waiting to greet them upon their arrival.

The schedule lists when trips are available for each resort during the regular ski season. Though this Groupon is only valid for transportation costs, RenoTahoeSkiTrips.com also offers discounted lift tickets, equipment rental, ski lessons, and booklets on how to knit a snowball.