Now that the Wall Street mess means Americans will be living off their year's supply of dried lentils and making holiday beverages out of Sterno, Utah's ski resort owners have been wetting their SmartWool long johns.

Who, during these dark days, can afford bourgeois delights like skiing? (Not to mention that if you break a leg, most healthcare plans now recommend amputation to keep costs down.)

So, Utah's ski industry will be delighted to hear that TheStreet.com suggests Utah as the place to ski on the cheap.

Even East Coast snow riders -- the new, industry-approved term combining skiers and boarders -- can frolic in the state whose license plate proclaims "Greatest Snow on Earth." Even better? They can do so without spending much more than they would on a trip to upstate New York or New England.

The thrifty guide recommends avoiding Park City where:

Lodging tends to be expensive, and the resorts are generally costly . . . On-mountain and downtown dining and services also tend to be pricey.