Will the high cost of gas put a crimp in your ski plans??

[ski diva]

Will you take fewer trips? Stick closer to home?

I'm fortunate in that I only live about 5 miles from my home mountain, so getting there isn't a problem. But what about those of you who have to drive farther? Will you make fewer trips? And what about airline tickets? You can bet it's going to cost more for us in the east to get to those resort destinations out west. I already bought my airline ticket for the Diva Summit in March, because I figured the price would only go up.

Any thoughts? Plans for coping?

 

[vanhoskier]

Like you, I bought my airline ticket to the Diva Summit too, because I thought it would only go up from there. I paid $261 for non-top roundtrip from Philly to Denver, so that was a good deal.

I get frustrated that here in PA, the skiing isn't that great. But, I also have to look at the bright side - I live 15 minutes from my home hill. I can go there in the evenings, because there's night skiing, and avoid the crowds. So I can get a lot of skiing in close to home.

Will gas prices put a damper on other ski trips? Probably. We'd have to do them "on the cheap," saving costs elsewhere to make up for the gas price. We can drive my little Subie, though, it's better on gas than the Xterra, and will be just as good or better in snow.

We are already cutting back on driving. We don't go out much on weekends (we have enough here to keep us busy), and we consolidate errands. Luckily, we live close to town to it's not far to get anything we need. I can even do it by bicycle.

 

[SkiNurse]

No.

But, I do HOPE that someone other than me can drive once in a while.

 

[Ski Spirit]

If you're a confirmed ski addict, you'll probably do everything you can to make up for it. We've cut down on lunches and dinners out and other discretionary spending........certainly not gas spending as DH bought an SUV requiring premium gas ($4.50 per gallon).....but it REALLY makes him happy..

 

[Jilly]

I don't think its going to crimp our style. We drive about 4 1/2 hours, but we don't do it every week. I try to do a long weekend every other one. Plus the week after Christmas. This year I just might work that week with the ski school to pay for gas this winter. Our local hill(and I mean really small) is only 15 minutes, so that doesn't really count. And I get paid to teach out there, so that pays the gas.
As for the Diva summit, I'm going to use Air Miles, but I think I should book soon as they could change the number of miles needed.
At $ 4.50 a US gal, that's not too bad ladies. Ontario is averaging $1.28/L (X4=US gal). Quebec is worst at $1.38/L. Even Alberta, where the oil is, isn't cheap.

 

[dloveski]

I hope that in Utah, the rising cost of gas will result in fewer single cars in the canyons and that more folks will a) ride the buses and b) carpool. We have a real traffic and parking problem in the Cottonwood Canyons on peak days and it's frustrating to those who cannot find parking and who park on the road and walk a half of a mile, only to find a big parking ticket upon their return. And the fact that many of the cars have only one or two skiers in them makes it even more insane (and I'm as guilty as the next guy--tho I pledge to take the bus more next year in the spirit of savings and lowering my carbon footprint).

 

[abc]

If you're a confirmed ski addict, you'll probably do everything you can to make up for it.

For those who're NOT ski addict, the answer is...

Assuming gas price stay the same or higher come next season, (jeez, this is only JUNE!) I will drive less frequent and less distance, which means I'll ski in the northeast (VT/NH) less.

As for fly away trips, air fair is only a minor part of the cost. Rental car, lodging and eating out adds up to the major share of expense. So I'm guessing I would ski less frequent but stay longer when I do go. That cuts down the "transit" part of the cost for the number of days of skiing.

I'm guessing the increase in air fare will lack behind the cost of driving. So the balance is likely to shift to longer stays on trips out west and decrease visit to VT.

Now if the cost of lodging and food goes up as well, that would means I might cut back on the number of days skiing after all.

I'm not a ski addict, after all. I find enough entertainment in the winter even without skiing. So, given skiing is already pretty expensive (in my eyes) as of now, further increase (gas price or others) would definitely put a dent in my number of days skiiing.

 

[playoutside]

I fear it will impact my season, but I hope I can be creative and still ski 25-30 days. The one thing I am having a tough time with is that I am really trying to be more aware of my gas usage and consume less of it. I am using my car less and riding or walking to get where I need to be. I won't be able to get to a ski area without a car, so I really need to maximize my trips or find others to car pool with. Some of my hopes for next season:

• Try to turn most of my 2-day weekend trips in New England into 3-day trips...that'll depend on the job situation of course...work sure gets in the way some times!
• I also figure that my day trips to places like Belleayre (approx 2 hr drive) may be better as 2 day trips...so now I need to find some cheap, clean lodging!
• I also think that I'll take more advantage of the local areas...they are smaller, but it's much better than sitting in the house all winter!
• I know I also need to be more conscientious about bringing my lunch. Instead of $10 burger, I can buy a couple gallons of gas!!

 

[Acrophobia]

To be honest, probably not!

But I will work a little harder to carpool with people. Finding ski buddies here helps with that! :D

 

[Daria]

Nope will not. We will focus on other areas to conserve. When we drive to our mountain we rarely have to get back in our car until we go home so maybe we will stay longer - that would be a really good thing, especially if there is a storm in the forecast

 

[Shellski]

I can tell you it's had a huge impact on international airfares. We are just about to book next years trip, and it's costing us about an extra $1000 on what we paid last year (for this February..) that's on top of a better exchange rate too!

 

[ScottishGirlie]

The trouble for me is that I view ski-ing on snow as being like one of the basics we need for life i.e. food, shelter and clothing (maybe that should be ski clothing!).

So I'll still get my trips in come what may, I'll just have to look for really good deals though.

But like everyone else, I'm trying to save elsewhere plus I'm trying to take the care out less and when I do, I'm driving at slower speeds to save more fuel.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

'Fraid so, but it's more than the cost of gasoline for me at this point (about 3.5 gals r/t) - it's heating oil (a/k/a diesel), which is pushing $4.50 - and at around 1,100 gallons required per heating season to heat my house.....and due/pre-paid by July 15....or else more $$. 80% of the homes in this state (largely rural) heat with oil. Was 2.59 last winter. Huge crisis pending in this state. Very sad.

I'll likely make the same local trips - but nothing out of the region in my future....:(

 

[bklyn]

I am conserving in every other possible area now so that my 'ski lifestyle' will not be crimped.

 

[SnowHot]

I am conserving in every other possible area now so that my 'ski lifestyle' will not be crimped.

^^^^^
What she said!



My business uses a great deal of diesel during the course of a year. I've been putting my fuel bill on my FFM CC. Bonus! More miles to fly west!

 

[Robyn]

I am conserving in every other possible area now so that my 'ski lifestyle' will not be crimped.

Yep, me too. I'm doing a lot now to conserve gas and ease the pain of this, my lean months for income. Last tank went over 2 weeks even with two roundtrips up to Boulder County thanks to bicycle commuting.

What it will do is essentially guarantee that I will coach next year. So long as gas stays below $6 per gallon coaching 1 day a week will pay for 2 round trips for me (1 coach day and 1 play day).

 

[astridhj]

Sorry girls. No sympathy from me. I live in Norway, where the prices for gas would put you girls off driving. (Maybe not, since I reckon you girls are so ski addicts that you would drive up to the mountain anyway!) So will probably use the car just as much next year as this year, even though it's increasing a lot here as well... But my main cost next year will be my CO trip, which I'm really looking forward to.

But I work in the Oil and Gas industry, so high prices means that I have a lot of work for some years to come. Which is good for me, and it gives me lot of time off and enough money so I can ski a lot.

BTW: A little hello from London. No snow here, so no skiing. Have a great summer everyone.

 

[vanhoskier]

Sorry girls. No sympathy from me. I live in Norway, where the prices for gas would put you girls off driving. (Maybe not, since I reckon you girls are so ski addicts that you would drive up to the mountain anyway!)

Yeah, gas has ALWAYS been way higher in Europe. But, we aren't as prepared because we have poor public transportation in most areas, with a few exceptions.:(

 

[skigrl27]

Won't bother me one bit! Especially now that I am even closer to the mountains!

 

[ski now work later]

Next season I plan to drive to Okemo for about 12+ mid-week ski days. That's 1 hr. 40 minutes each way, and I am worried about gas prices. Even my local hill where I ski on weekends and during holiday periods is 20 miles away, and I'll be back at Smuggler's Notch in late March which is 4 hours away in the Winter when the notch is closed. Sigh.

So far to save $, in addition to cutting back on discretionary spending, I've been bringing my lunch faithfully and reducing our grocery bills with more creative cooking. We usually pre-pay for propane in August and I'm worried about the cost this year. Perhaps our worst nightmare are the soaring air tickets because 3 of our children live out of state and only 1 airlines serves 2 of them. Tickets are now $450 - $750 each with a $100 charge each way for unaccompanied minors. Our son makes 7 round trips a year, his sister 4, and their half-sister another 2. We so wish they lived closer....



I plan to do whatever I can to keep skiing next season as much as I can. In addition to bringing my lunch to the hill, my only non-local ski trips planned are the Summit (air ticket already purchased and condo is rented with a 50% deposit) and Smuggler's Notch, where we already have a week reserved in late March. We're planning to ski the second half of the week and rent it out for the first half.

Sigh.