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Budgeting for a short family ski trip, what's realistic?

marzNC

Angel Diva
Food for thought when thinking about planning a family ski trip . . .

For a family with growing kids in school, a few days on the slopes may be all that fits in the schedule during the ski season. In particular a family mainly has fun on groomers and doesn't live within driving distance of any slopes so that the trip has to start with a flight. Step 1 to coming up with the a more affordable trip is to pick a resort that isn't a "destination resort" in the sense of the well known resorts on the Ikon, Mountain Collective, or Epic passes. Step 2 is to find lodging that isn't slopeside. After that, each family's situation will be unique in terms of warm outerwear (rent or buy), gear (rent or own), lessons, and so on.

Here's a cost breakdown for a trip to Brian Head for a parent with two kids--a tween and a teen--who skied before but don't own their own boots or skis. They went to Brian Head in Utah, flying to Las Vegas, and rented a car.

February 2024
 

BReeves215

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This is a tough topic. Best advice I can give is to plan WAY in advance to secure flights, rental car (if needed) and lodging. We live in Atlanta, with no large hills anywhere nearby, and decided early on to travel west for our 2 children’s spring breaks in early March. We decided lessons for the kids were a much higher priority than ski-in ski-out so planned accordingly. Also economized by having all breakfasts and dinners at the condo. More than once we packed 40-50 homemade frozen meatballs in a carry on to save time and money at dinner. Despite the fact these were high 4-figure trips, and we forewent other vacations to rationalize it, I still consider it money well spent based on the memories created and the fact the children are solid skiers, well set to ski with friends as adults.
 

BReeves215

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Also we took advantage of a program in Utah called (at the time) 5th and 6th grade passport, which meant multiple days of free lift tickets. Don’t know if that still exists
 

Sheena

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yep, that still exists for Utah. Also a few other states.
Well, it still exists. Though not free. It's $80 now in believe, but it's 3 days at each Utah resorts. Still a great deal and savings on lift tickets for 4-6th grade kids.
 

Eera

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This is a tough topic. Best advice I can give is to plan WAY in advance to secure flights, rental car (if needed) and lodging.
This! Because any skiing location is destination for us; living in the tropics, I literally plan 2 years in advance - watch the flight price cycle, find the most appropriate lodgings and see how far out they have to be booked so I can jump in as soon as I can.

Saying that I don't think I've ever managed to get a family ski trip done for a four figure sum once you factor in flights etc. We are immensely privileged that we are in the position that we can afford to do so.
 

Sheena

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Upon further reflection, it's still a bit of stocker shock to think of $2000 for 2 days of skiing for one adult and 2 kids. Obviously not including airfare. Though something like this may be helpful for a family who plans other types of vacation or does a Disney vacation and think that skiing is too expensive.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Planning ahead for a family ski trip with kids is key. It helps if the school schedule comes out before May for next school year. In NC, school starts in August and ends in late May or early June. In New England, schools usually don't start until after Labor Day in early September. Waiting until September or October can mean the best value condo/house options are already taken. Fifteen years ago, booking lodging by Thanksgiving was early enough.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Since the topic of "passports" for kids was brought up . . .

Idaho has a ski passport for 5th and 6th graders, which is open to students from anywhere. While Schweitzer is on Ikon (recently acquired by Alterra), there are several other ski areas/resorts in Idaho that are starting to be better known. In particular, Tamarack and Brundage because they are on the Indy Pass.

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Amie H

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Brian Head is a GREAT choice because at certain times of the year, you can stay quasi-slopeside (free shuttle from hotel to lifts) at Brian Head Lodge for like $99, sometimes with free lift tickets included for part of your stay. Rooms have a mini fridge and microwave so you can prepare your own food if you plan ahead.

But as the author described going President's weekend, plus they had some discounts available, what they paid was not bad. If staying in Cedar City, pro tip: there is a Sinclair gas station that sells some pre-made hot food to go. When I noticed the line for the chicken fingers, I had to try. VERY tasty - sort of like Cane's.

I'm so glad they did ski lessons! The Navajo side at BH is great for parents with younger kids.

The main problem with flying into LAS is no guarantee of an AWD vehicle (but that is a problem at lots of car rental areas around the US.) Also, you have to schlep all your gear on a shuttle bus.

Finally, one thing the author didn't mention as a warning to other parents who are ski trip planning: have contingency plans if there is a storm and you cannot drive up to the ski area on a scheduled ski day. Getting to BH proper from Cedar City could be cancelled easily is a storm blows in.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Didn't realize that ski passports can go on sale before the fall. Probably a good idea for parents to get on the relevant e-lists.

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scandium

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This! Because any skiing location is destination for us; living in the tropics, I literally plan 2 years in advance - watch the flight price cycle, find the most appropriate lodgings and see how far out they have to be booked so I can jump in as soon as I can.

Saying that I don't think I've ever managed to get a family ski trip done for a four figure sum once you factor in flights etc. We are immensely privileged that we are in the position that we can afford to do so.
Last time I went to Japan (from New Zealand, pre Covid when flights weren't as expensive) with my mother it was 4 figures just for flights! Although we are both working adults, we are bound by school holidays, so encounter similar flight expenses
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
For American parents flying to the Rockies for a ski vacation during a school break (around Christmas, in March for spring break), the traditional large airports are Denver, Salt Lake City, or Reno to ski in Colorado, Utah, or around Lake Tahoe respectively. There are smaller airports near a few destination resorts served by major airlines, such as Hayden for Steamboat or Eagle for Vail/Beaver Creek, but the airfares are noticeably higher. I noticed when Southwest started flying to Bozeman in Montana and later on, Boise in Idaho.

While Big Sky is a great destination resort in Montana, there are also other places that are good for a family ski vacation, especially if kids are old enough and parents are energetic enough to not need slopeside lodging. Bridger Bowl is 20 minutes from Bozeman. There are a few ski resorts on the Indy Pass.

Boise airport is the closest major airport to Sun Valley. That's been around as a premier ski resort since the 1930s. Sun Valley is on Ikon and the Mountain Collective. Although you don't hear about it as a family ski destination much.

Since I'm researching Tamarack and Brundage for an upcoming trip, I came across a blog based in Idaho. What's different from many blogs about ski trips is that the family includes beginners and intermediates (tween, adult), as well as teenagers who enjoy advanced terrain. For this season they did a driving trip to Brundage, Tamarack, and Schweitzer. Brundage and Tamarack are on the Indy Pass. Schweitzer is on Ikon and is now owned by Alterra.

March 3, 2024
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Last time I went to Japan (from New Zealand, pre Covid when flights weren't as expensive) with my mother it was 4 figures just for flights! Although we are both working adults, we are bound by school holidays, so encounter similar flight expenses
How long did the trip last? Alway fun to read about plans for family ski trips from New Zealand or Australia that are 2-4 weeks long in January since that's during the long summer break for schools.
 

Eera

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
How long did the trip last? Alway fun to read about plans for family ski trips from New Zealand or Australia that are 2-4 weeks long in January since that's during the long summer break for schools.
It works out really well: generally my company has compulsory shutdowns which last from around the 24th December until maybe the second week in January, plus the kids are off until late January /early February and the husband does 7/7 shifts as a fitter in the mines so he can take 2 weeks' leave and literally have five weeks off.

Speaking for my family, we have always tried to go somewhere for a holiday and ski at the end of it so we aim for four weeks or so - it's basically the big family vacation of the year; when we skied in Japan we would spend a while in Seoul or Hong Kong or wherever there was a change in aeroplane. Last trip we spent a week in Fiji before connecting to Vancouver (except that trip was cut short under tragic circumstances); next year we are going via Hawaii. I hope this doesn't come across as bragging: we are very, very fortunate that we can do this - even though the kids don't seem to appreciate it as much as I'd like.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
It works out really well: generally my company has compulsory shutdowns which last from around the 24th December until maybe the second week in January, plus the kids are off until late January /early February and the husband does 7/7 shifts as a fitter in the mines so he can take 2 weeks' leave and literally have five weeks off.

Speaking for my family, we have always tried to go somewhere for a holiday and ski at the end of it so we aim for four weeks or so - it's basically the big family vacation of the year; when we skied in Japan we would spend a while in Seoul or Hong Kong or wherever there was a change in aeroplane. Last trip we spent a week in Fiji before connecting to Vancouver (except that trip was cut short under tragic circumstances); next year we are going via Hawaii. I hope this doesn't come across as bragging: we are very, very fortunate that we can do this - even though the kids don't seem to appreciate it as much as I'd like.
Chances are good that your kids will come to appreciate the trips in another decade or two.

My father was a professor who didn't teach during the summers. He also took three sabbaticals teaching in other countries for an entire school year while I was in school. We did family trips that were 4-10 weeks more than once when I was in K-12 grades. The summer when I was 11 we were in Europe from early June to mid-August. We had a car the entire time and drove through multiple countries in western and Eastern Europe (Soviet era). By the time I was in college, I appreciated international travel enough to ask if I could take a semester off during my sophomore year when my father was going to teach in Singapore. My mother supported the idea since that meant she could spend Jan-Jul traveling the world too. Having a background traveling abroad turned out to be useful when I was working and had business trips to other continents.

I spoiled my daughter (and myself) by doing spring break ski trips staying at Alta Lodge when she was a tween. Although the fact that kids 12 and under are free during late season meant I was getting a good deal for slopeside lodging complete with breakfast and dinner . . . and a free kids' program 4:30-8:15. Now that she's a young adult with a full-time job, she appreciates those trips much more than she did then.
 

Eera

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@marzNC What a wonderful set of experiences!

I'm learning to temper my expectations of what I think my kids will find awesome at their age and go a lot easier with them in tow
 

scandium

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
How long did the trip last? Alway fun to read about plans for family ski trips from New Zealand or Australia that are 2-4 weeks long in January since that's during the long summer break for schools.
12 days; for the 24/25 season we are aiming for a full two weeks!
 

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