Depending on your routing, Salt Lake City is a great choice. The four resorts of Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, and Brighton all tend to get big dumps already in December. They are all just a 45 minute drive from the airport. You can get cheap hotel rooms in Salt Lake City. You can get cheap tickets from SFO or LAX if you have to buy the ski trip tickets on your own as part of a pause in a ticket purchased by your work. It's hard to beat the amount of snow and convenience these places offer for quick trips in the early season.