Dreams are made of this: freshly-groomed corduroy in Vail, Colorado. Photo: welove2ski.com

Snowfiends dreaming of a ski holiday in Canada or America should stop dreaming, and start booking. The summer season of ski-holiday discounting is coming to an end, and many of the best deals will be gone by August 31.

For several years, Whistler in Canada has led the charge when it comes to summer offers. Price cuts of up to 60% are up for grabs on accommodation, and the resort is also offering free lift passes and ski hire for children under 12. Add in the not-so-expensive airline prices currently available, and that makes for some interesting deals.

For example, Erna Low is currently offering a week at the Coast Blackcomb Suites over February half-term, arriving Feb 14, for £1,140pp, including flights and transfers, based on a family of four sharing a suite. That’s room-only by the way – so you’ve got to add food costs on top. But with British-run chalet-hotels in top French resorts going for as much as £1,550pp, half-board, during February half-term, a Whistler holiday no longer looks expensive. Although you will of course have to be sure your family is ready for a nine-hour flight before you go…

Meanwhile, Ski Independence has a week from February 14 at the Delta Whistler Village Suites for £1,134pp, only, including flights and transfers, based on a family of four sharing a two-bedroom suite – and including a $50 breakfast voucher.

If you don’t mind flying in on a Wednesday, Crystal has a week in a self-catering apartment (allocation on arrival), from February 18 for £975pp, room only, including flights and transfers, based on two sharing.

But it’s not just Whistler that’s offering come-hither deals. On top of early-booking accommodation discounts, the buzzing Colorado resort of Breckenridge is offering British skiers £125 off each holiday booked before August 31. As a result, one week from February 14 at the Beaver Run Resort in Breckenridge, starts from £1,110pp including flights and transfers with Ski Independence. The price is based on a family of four sharing a room with two queen beds, and does involve changing planes in Chicago.

Upmarket properties in Vail are it, too. With Skiworld, one week from January 17 at the Lodge at Vail currently costs £1,759pp, B&B, based on two sharing.

Bear in mind that September 1 is also the last day Vail Resorts is likely to offer its season-long Epic Pass at the knock-down price of $729. The pass gives you unlimited skiing not just in 11 American resorts, including Vail, Breckenridge and Heavenly, but also five free consecutive days in the Three Valleys in France (home to Courchevel, Meribel, Val Thorens et al), Verbier in Switzerland, and Niseko in Japan. After September 1, prices are likely to rise.

We’ve seen plenty of other North American ski holiday offers about. Check out the deals pages of the tour operators above – and at Inghams – for more. And bear in mind that last-minute discounts are much harder to find for North American resorts because of scheduled airline pricing policies: flight prices tend to rise sharply the closer you get to the date of departure.

Sizing up the terrain on Peak 6, Breckenridge. Photo: © Jeff Affleck