Money Saving Ski Tips

[ski diva]

As you've probably heard, we're officially in a recession. Yet as we all know, skiing isn 't cheap. So if you have any tips for cutting your ski costs, post 'em here. Every little bit helps.

Here's mine:

1) If at all possible, buy a season pass. It drops your cost per day considerably. If you can't do that, try to ski on special discount days, sucha s "Ladies Days," "Vermont Days," etc.

2) Bring your lunch. A great way to save and eat healthy. Food at ski areas can have the double whammy of being both expensive and not very good for you. Bring your own, and you can win both ways here.

Anyone else have any tips?

 

[SkiBam]

A few tips:

1) It probably goes without saying, but carpool to the hill.

2) If you're buying a season's pass, try and buy it early. This tip is unlikely to help for this year, but keep it in mind for next. I bought my Tremblant pass at the end of May (before their June 2 cutoff date for the cheapest rates) and not only got the lowest price possible for the pass, but also got a bunch of other goodies (the best one, in my opinion, being 20 free coffees or hot chocolates - which, given that I bring my lunch, means I'm not paying anything for a day on the slopes).

3) Become an instructor. This one's probably not for everybody, but by teaching a couple of days a week, I cover most of my ski-related expenses - except for big trips.

Unfortunately though, however way you cut it, skiing IS an expensive habit!

 

[playoutside]

If you don't have a pass, join a ski club to gain access to their discounts which usually include special club days and discounts on everyday tickets. Many clubs belong to state ski councils which increase their buying power even beyond the club.

If you don't live close to your mountain join a club that has a house/lodge. Weekend rates are far cheaper than cost of hotel and sometimes include meals and a cook -- which makes life very nice after a day of skiing.

If you buy a season pass, check the website for your mountain to see what other benefits you get. Mine gives me discounts on lift tickets at other resorts, lodging discounts and on-mountain retail discounts.

 

[cyn]

We found that last season we didn't do much better than break even on our season's passes. Also, we felt restricted to skiing at Mt Snow where we'd bought them.
This year, we're going back to our old system. At Mt Snow, a "Fan Fare" card costs $99, and gives you 50% off during the week, 25% off weekends and 10% off on holidays.
As AAA members, we can download a free coupon for the "Wachusett passport." There are two passport levels: the regular one gives you $8 off each lift ticket, and the "passport plus" which costs $20, gives you $10 off each lift ticket and every 5th ticket is free. Not a bad deal.

I'm not back to skiing yet, but DH has already been a couple of times and has taken advantage of these.

 

[altagirl]

Learn to backcountry ski - then you don't need to buy a lift ticket at all! (Of course, it also requires some new gear, but... I guess that depends on if you were buying new gear anyway and how much your pass would have cost.)

 

[DawnSuiter]

We're letting the resorts decide where we ski this year. We're fortunate to have about 6 local places to go, so in addition to our ski passes for which DH & I go on overnight trips once per week, we're going to the other places when they offer a deal. Our hills/resorts off ladies day on Thursdays, half price days, BOGO coupons from our Warren Miller showing, plus a season long BOGO schedule at two of them, a few favors to call in from another resort, and so on. This month there are lots of food drives....Sunday for instance, a gently used coat or 12 cans of food will get you an all day pass at a local place too.

If there isn't a deal we don't go... Tues or Wed its $60 for our family of 3 to ski all day locally, Thursdays it costs $40 ...

We almost NEVER eat at the resort just because the food isn't really up our alley... we bring cereal bars, thermos with coffee or soup and we eat before we get there and after we leave. Not much money savings, but we do eat better food that way.

I am starting to look into Courtesy Patrol.. maybe for next year. I've also been invited to be an instructor but I don't know that I can budget that much of an investment of my time. Both are good ways to ski on the cheap or free.

 

[michpc]

I'm sure everyone knows this already, but you can get discount tickets to so many resorts if you buy ahead at local ski and outdoor shops. They're usually not huge, but it adds up if you ski a lot and don't have a season pass!

 

[Robyn]

In addition to instructing, consider coaching. Generally working with motivated kids and parents and some great perks (proform) depending on the program. I also get paid.

If you have to buy lunch look for early or late eater specials. I know as a passholder at Copper I get a discount if I eat before 11:30.

 

[TUSSC]

A lot of local ski shops offer discount tickets. Around here, I know that Buckmans Ski Shop offers ~10 - 25% discounts for ski tickets to many of the PA ski resorts (https://www.buckmans.com/buckmans-ski-snowboard/PA-Ski-Resort-Lift-Tickets.aspx) plus has discount days at most of the PA mountains (https://www.buckmans.com/buckmans-ski-snowboard/08-09-Discount-Days.aspx).

Check your local ski shops for similar deals.

 

[geargrrl]

another one is become a National Ski Patrol volunteer. DH originally joined a local patrol for the family pass benefit - full season passes for the whole gang. He's been at it 15 years now, patrols one weekday a week and we still get family passes for all of us. The kids get them too until they graduate college.

gg

 

[DawnSuiter]

another one is become a National Ski Patrol volunteer. DH originally joined a local patrol for the family pass benefit - full season passes for the whole gang. He's been at it 15 years now, patrols one weekday a week and we still get family passes for all of us. The kids get them too until they graduate college.

gg

DH has suggested this for us... I can't help but worry that somehow skiing will become a chore/job, not to mention the amount of blood, injuries, fear & even general bad attitudes that would likely become a regular part of each ski day... anyone else think like that?

 

[geargrrl]

DH has suggested this for us... I can't help but worry that somehow skiing will become a chore/job, not to mention the amount of blood, injuries, fear & even general bad attitudes that would likely become a regular part of each ski day... anyone else think like that?

That has not been our experience. For our family - both my sons have been through the student patrol program too - it's been more about community service, learning new skills, cameraderie, fun. Sure there are some sucky days - mostly due to weather. The truly awful accidents are far and few between. There's a lot more helping a rider with a blown up knee down the hill or a little kid who's lost and cold than dealing with blood and gore.

It's not for everyone. The training, esp. the first year, is very intense. If you can't handle medical stuff, forget it. You don't have to be a fantastic skier, but you do need to be strong and have a good handle on any conditions, any time. It's been a great experince for us. If you are curious at all, stop by the local patrol shack, talk to the gang and see if you can hang half a day with them to see what they really do. Hint: it's not like TV. Oh, and not all areas give out family passes either.

from 2005

 

[DawnSuiter]

You make it sound much more encouraging.
DH was a patroller for quite a few years here... it's his own stories he's told me over the years that really haunt me for sure. I'm sure he now wishes he hadn't colored so many of them so well... but still, they hang with me. ;)

 

[jaydog]

I'll put in another plug for the volunteer patrol. It is, more than anything else, FUN. Blood and gore is very infrequent. Most of the work is opening and closing the hill. If you don't fancy the medical part, you can always be a mountain host/ambassador. Different resorts have different volunteer programs.

Another idea: if you don't want to instruct, coach, or do patrol, you can get a part time job doing something like ticket scanning, rentals, or the like. The resort I work at gives all employees a free season pass, even if they only work one shift a week. And on top of that, we get a certain amount of reciprocity with other local resorts.

ETA: oh yeah, free group lessons for employees, too. It's how I learned to ski.

 

[abc]

Learn to backcountry ski - then you don't need to buy a lift ticket at all!

Or x-c ski.

If you're lucky to be living in the colder part of the country, you don't even have to drive to ski, just out your back door...

 

[SkiBam]

I'll also put in a plug for x-c. Avid downhiller that I am, I'm also very keen about cross-country - and am fortunate to live right in the middle of a fabulous x-c area. A short walk from my door brings me to a vast network of trails, some track-set, others not. A season's pass is something like $30, although I pay more to belong to a local x-c club.

I only know a few other people who, like me, are passionate - and pretty good at - both kinds of skiing. I'm often asked if it's hard to switch, but as soon as I put one set of gear on, I'm in that mode. I think the two complement each other and make me a better skier in both. And believe me, on a beautiful Saturday morning, a snowy trail through the woods is a lot less crowded and a lot more peaceful than the local ski hill - not to mention a fraction of the cost.

 

[abc]

I'm often asked if it's hard to switch

That's hilarious!!!

I've not been asked about that (and know quite a few who are very much into both kind of skiing). I think the two are so different it's more like walking in heels and running a 100 metre dash in cleats: the "switch" is total! Same goes for the difference/similarity of road vs. mountain biking, or whitewater vs touring kayaking. The skills cross over, but the mindset is totally different!

And believe me, on a beautiful Saturday morning, a snowy trail through the woods is a lot less crowded and a lot more peaceful than the local ski hill

Bravo!

 

[SkiBam]

The skills cross over, but the mindset is totally different!

You're absolutely right. The only thing I sometimes do (very absentmindedly, of course) is try to press on the front of my downhill ski binding to open it. And I've also tried to press on the back of my x-c binding - and given that there isn't one, that's tough!