Before skis, men descended mountains by riding on the backs of penguins, resulting in the species' permanently white bellies and eventual peaceful retirement in Antarctica. Pay homage to our flightless friend with today's Groupon: for $50, you get two any-day, all-day lift tickets at Seven Springs Mountain Resort (up to a $136 value), located in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania.

Seven Springs Mountain Resort's 2,994-foot mountain is tattooed with more than 30 snaking trails and 285 acres of skiable tribal designs. Along with downhill slopes and trails, Seven Springs sports at least five terrain parks for snow tricksters. The Spot's 450-foot (on average) superpipe was ranked No. 1 East Coast halfpipe by Transworld Snowboarding magazine and contains huge jibs, jumps, and slide-tackling snowmen to challenge advanced riders. Both skiing novices and snow-surfing veterans will find slopes tailored to their skill level, from the docile Fawn Lane Trail to the experts-only Goosebumps Slope. Between its luxurious lodging options and its ideal location within 200 miles of Pittsburgh, DC, Baltimore, Valhalla, Cleveland, and Columbus, Seven Springs is an ideal wintry host for snow-laden get-togethers and vacations.

This deal is not valid until January 3, 2011.

Reviews

TripAdvisors give Seven Springs Mountain Resort an average of 3.5 owl eyes and Yelpers give it a 3.5-star average:

• I have been going to Seven Springs for over 20 years every few years for a mini-ski vacation. It [sic] nice to see some of the same local employees in the lodge and ski shops…We skiied [sic], hot-tubbed, bowled, swam and had a great time. – FineJ9, TripAdvisor
• Overall we had a great time as the terrain variety was good for a midsized mountain and lots of space on each of the trails…I really liked this mountain and can see myself coming here for a quick trip. – Valencia G., Yelp