Prices at Keystone..

[bettei]

I just returned from a week at Summit county, skied at Copper, Breck and Keystone. We had a 3 out of 5 day ticket to the later two, but still cost $77 a day. Pricey, in my book. We had coupons for Copper for $44. That is more like it.

Anyway...I had rented a equipment package for the grandson for $22 a day in Frisco. That was everything, skis. boots and poles. On Thursday I gave them back, since the weather was terrible last week, we weren't sure we were even going to try it on Friday. But we did end up going, his grandpa dropped out, so he wore his boots and he only needed skis for that last day. So I figured, how bad could it be to rent at the base of River Run Keystone for just skis?

Well, it cost $30 for the low end sport skis :mad: What a rip IMO. When it comes time to take the little guy with us who is 5, it won't be at any of the Vail owned resorts. Nobody but the Rockefellers can afford to take families there anymore. :mad:

 

[Kimmyt]

If you're looking for more inexpensive Summit County resorts, I would try A-Basin or Loveland. There's plenty of terrain to occupy you for a day.

Also, resort rentals will ALWAYS be more expensive than non-resort.

FWIW, there's a resort near me (in PA, mind you, and it's not big, even by PA standards), that charges $70 for a day ticket. Now THAT is WTF. At least with Vail you're getting terrain. I'm not getting that here in PA. So I just don't go there, or if I have to go I only ski 1/2 day since the terrain can only occupy me for a few hours anyway. You find out ways to get around it, but I understand your anger. Aren't Aspen tickets $98 this year? Crazy!

Anyway, there's alot of tips on how to save $ in the 'skiing on the cheap' thread in the Resorts forum. Good luck!

K.

 

[Jilly]

If you come in off the street to ski Tremblant its $75/day. No discounts etc. So $77 for western mountain to me isn't bad!! I guess it just your perspective. Like kimmyt says $70 for PA is too much. I agree based on my tickets at Tremblant. Skiing is still cheaper than golf based on the $/hour spent.!

 

[persee]

Indeed the lift tix just keep getting more and more expensive. I know of a few places in the east that are still reasonable to ski, but avoid the places that don't work out for a high ticket price and find discounts otherwise. The high cost of lift tix will probably push us to buy a pass somewhere next year if the early buy pass prices are good at an area we think we could enjoy skiing regularly.

 

[Kimmyt]

The Boy had the Colorado (Vail Resorts) season pass last year, it cost him around $400 or something for the year? It gave him unlimited skiing at Breck, Abasin and Keystone. 10 days at Vail/BC, not including blackout days. It also gave him discount prices on non-blackout days for buying people tickets I think.

I went out to visit him over Christmas and I got the 4 of 6 ticket pass, and ended up spending almost as much for 4 days of skiing as he did for his season pass. So the season pass may be the way to go, if you ski >10 days, the price seems to be worth it, and with the Vail pass (I know there are others like this where there's a group of resorts) you don't necessarily have to stay at one resort.

K.

 

[Robyn]

Well, yeah, if you rent at the base of the resort you are going to pay more for convenience. But that's pretty typical anywhere. I'm sorry that you are frustrated with Vail Resort's pricing. I know that I hate that if I buy a meal there, even though I'm there all season and bring others in to ski I pay out the nose. But, KimmyT is right, you are getting terrain that you don't get at smaller mountains. I usually have my out of town guests rent in Denver. We can pick up on Friday afternoon, drive up the mountain, ski 2 days and drop off Monday before noon and only pay for 2 days.

As far as passes go, if you are going to be in Colorado during the sales period in the fall and you expect to ski more than 6 days it is worth buying the season pass. If you're not going to ski more than 4 days you can get 4 packs at mountains like Copper and Keystone/A-basin. But, you have to be present to purchase (at least the first year) so you can't do it from your home in PA.

 

[bettei]

I think I paid $86 for that last extra day lift ticket plus the $30 just for the skis. So it was a pricey day IMO.

I am from the midwest, and only ski 5 days a year out west. So a ski pass for me isn't doable. If I lived near a resort that I could go more often, then yes, that would be the way to go.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

If it's any consolation, things are not much cheaper at Sunday River, Maine, with regard to lifts/rentals, etc. And given the choice between CO and ME - well, no contest. This is a pricey sport, no doubt about it. Hunting down the deals take some serious homework. The "Skiing on the Cheap" thread here has been very useful . A lot of us have to absolutely squish pennies. It's definitely getting harder...

 

[SnowHot]

On our recent trip to Summit County. We had two friends with us who didn't have lift tix lined up in advance.

We got an great deal with some resort employees who joined us for the days we were than that hooked our friends up with some bargains (44.00 ish IIRC)
Except for the day at Keystone. There was not a deal to be found. The discount they did find was $3.00. Dropped an 86.00/tix to 83.00.

Makes my 309.00 season pass at Abasin with the 5 tix for Keystone and Breck sound like a Dream Bargain!!!

 

[Gina23]

yep you need to find one of us around here with the season pass who will get you a "buddy pass"

45 bucks for a vail lift ticket!!!!!!

anyway, i was at breckenridge this past weekend and some random stranger asked me if i would get her a buddy pass........ WTF? NO. Get out of here.

 

[lucine]

Randomness is bizarre. I can't imagine someone panhandling that way. well, yes I can imagine it. but I would be surprised!

BTW you only get four of those 45 buddy passes after that you can "bring a friend" but that prices changes with the whim of the resort.
And you only get those 4 buddy passes if you renewed in the spring.

 

[SnowHot]

I can't thank those who helped us enough. Like I said, My husband and I were pretty well set in advance, but the two friends with us needed the kindness of our Diva and Bear friends.
Thank you thank you thank you!!!

 

[Robyn]

You get 4 $45 passes if you renew in the spring and 6 ski with a friends that changes based on whether it's high season or not. Toward the end of the season I wouldn't be opposed to someone asking me (like last weekend or two at the big resorts) because by then I generally know if I'm going to use them or not but this is far too early to make that determination.

 

[abc]

That's why I haven't been back to Summit County for the past 10 or more years. And from what I recall, the last trip I went, I ski at Copper more than anywhere else because of the discount (and A-basin because of the lower window price). Given these two are as good a place as the rest, I would be satisfied to JUST ski there!

Aspen is another expensive place. Had it not for ESA, I doubt I would ever bother to try. Now that I've "ticked it off the list", I seriously doubt I'll ever go back (unless I hit upon a deal, that is). It's good skiing. But there're simply other places that are just as good for a lot less.

I'm a much bigger fan of UT. Same or better skiing for a lot less.

I don't ever pay window price at the east. I live here. I can hunt for deals. For example, anyone want to go to Bellerye this Sunday? It's one of their "flex date" and it's only $20 if you buy it from Potter Brothers! Best part, it's forecast to snow tomorrow AND Saturday, so the condition should be pretty darn good at Belleryr!!!