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Outside Magazine December 2001

Steals

By Philip D. Armour

COLD CASH Visit a Southwest national park or monument this winter and you'll beat the high-season heat, crowds, and—with all-time low rates—lodging prices. From November through March, double rooms at the Thunderbird Lodge (800-679-2473; www.tbirdlodge.com), in Arizona's Canyon for $65, a 39 percent savings off the summer rate. Save 44 percent on a double at Grand Canyon National Park's Maswik and Yavapai Lodges (303-297-2757; www.grandcanyonlodges.com) which go for $65 (regularly $118). And the Zion Lodge, in Utah's Zion National Park, offers winter rates of $70 (regularly $97).

REBATE REDUX Mention your 2000 tax rebate check when booking a trip with Austin-Lehman Adventures, and the company will discount your trip by $300 per person if you make your reservation by December 31. The Montana-based outfitter offers more than 40 North American getaways. Our favorite: Kauai Multisport, which includes six days of kayaking, surfing, snorkeling, biking, hiking, and sailing, and digs at both the posh Princeville Hotel in Princeville and the Sheraton Hotel in Poipu, scheduled weekly from December to April 2002 ($2, $195 per person). For details, call 800-575-1540 or visit www.austinlehman.com.

ALPEN GO Engineered, calibrated, and synchronized like their famed watches, the Swiss transportation system ranks among the world's best. Now the prices are as good as the design. Purchase the Saverpass by December 31 (you must travel within six months of the purchase date) and save 15 percent on unlimited access to Switzerland's trains, steamers, and buses. Ride the rails to Zermatt and climb the Matterhorn, take a bus to St. Moritz for windsurfing on Lake Silser, and blow your savings on chocolate. A four-day pass costs $136 per person; eight-day, $187; 15-day, $225; and 30-day, $294. Buy yours from Rail Europe (800-438-7673) or www.myswitzerland.com.

DRIVING FOR DOLLARS To drum up business after Fiji's bloodless coup in 2000, Live Dive Pacific has discounted all 2002 Saturday-to-Saturday trips on the Fiji Agressor, a 106-foot catamaran motor yacht, to $1,995 per person—a $400 savings. The boat cruises between Fiji's two main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, where you'll see manta rays and psychedelic soft corals on as many dives per day as your dive chart allows. On board, you and 15 other passengers have access to satellite phones, fax machines, e-mail, and a photo lab for processing all your underwater shots. For reservations, call 800-344-5662 or log on to http://www.pac-agressor.com.