By Jay Lloyd

WHITE HAVEN, Pa. (CBS) — This week, skiers and snowboarders are already on the slopes in Vermont and Colorado.  Can Pennsylvania be far behind?

In the meantime, here’s a quick word of advice for the novice.

Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to be flopping around in the snow like a beached whale, trying to get up after taking a spill on skis?  I learned all about it the hard way, nearly four decades ago.

The lesson is, take a lesson!

As the ski season opens to the north and west, Pennsylvania ski areas have bundled up a package to get first-timers on the snow with as little embarrassment as possible.

“The package would include a lift ticket, lessons, and rental equipment,” explains Linda Irvin, director of the Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association.

For one deeply discounted price, a beginning skier or snowboard rider can take the plunge into a sport that changes the dread of winter into eager anticipation.  It opens vistas on scenic mountain panoramas and an exhilarating lifestyle.

Just slide over to www.skipa.com and start planning for something new, before the serious snow flies.

“Jay Lloyd’s Getaway” Main Page