Shortly after I learned to walk, my parents strapped skis to my feet and deposited me at ski school. What started out as the hobby of a young married couple has now become a passion for their grown children.
But there’s just one problem with this: skiing is expensive!
I devoted much of my early adulthood to figuring out how to pursue my passion while pinching pennies. Here are my best tips to make the most of the mountain while getting the biggest bang for your buck!
The Cheapskate’s Guide to Snow Skiing and Snowboarding
1) Never buy lift tickets at the resort:
At this point, I consider it almost an insult to walk up to the ticket counter at the ski resort and purchase a lift ticket for the day. What? Was I born yesterday?! From season passes to local deals, you can save a small fortune on your lift ticket if you just do a little research.
If you’re really passionate about a particular ski resort or group of jointly owned ski resorts, consider purchasing a season pass. I have a friend who bought a pass to the Heavenly family of resorts this year, and after his fourth day on the mountain, he’s basically skiing for free.
If you can’t commit to just one resort like me, shop for deals via your local sports and grocery stores. I’m also hearing a lot of interesting chatter about finding deals on eBay, but I’ve never tried it personally. Lifttopia is a great site to check out if you’re considering a ski vacation. And of course, don’t forget to check Travelocity’s latest ski offers. The moral here is to plan ahead and do your research!
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2) Never rent gear at the slopes:
Unless you found an amazing online deal, the ski and snowboard rentals at the base of the mountain are generally a terrible deal. Thanks to poor planning, I have paid as much as six to ten times the going rate for ski rentals at the base of the mountain.
It would be easy to convince yourself that you’re paying for the convenience of not hauling your gear up the mountain, but in my experience, the lines at the ski resort’s rental shop are so long that you’ll lose an hour minimum of good skiing time.
Research a deal in a town near the slopes or even in the city where you live and throw your gear in your car. Even my tiny Honda Accord can handle several pairs of skis … so don’t rule out this option, even if you don’t have a ski rack.
3) Never buy gear at the slopes:
If you drop a glove while on the lift and want to buy a replacement, that’s fine. But beyond “emergency gear replacement,” you want to avoid buying ski and snowboarding gear on the mountain.
Use the ski season to demo gear that you’re interested in purchasing and then wait until the end of the season to strike. Some stores will allow you to demo skis and apply the demo fees you accrue all season long toward the purchase of skis. Even better, at the end of the season, they begin to sell off all their old gear. It’s the perfect time to score an incredible deal.
If you don’t live near a good discount sports shop, follow the same model but use the Internet for purchases. Demo ski and snowboard gear during the winter and then begin monitoring sites for sales on what you like. Don’t miss awesome sites like Steep and Cheap (which has one incredible deal a day), Backcountry.com, Sports Basement, and of course, ebay.
Remember, real powder hounds NEVER pay retail.
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4) The lodging controversy:
Okay, I’m probably a little hardcore, but just hear me out. I don’t stay at the slopes when I go skiing. I live in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe is three hours away. I’m on the road by 6 a.m., on the slopes by 9 a.m., done for the day at 4 p.m., and back home by 7 p.m. Now obviously this plan is not for everyone and I understand that. But when I tell people how manageable it is and how much money it saves me, I see them coming around to the idea a little.
By going up and back in the same day, I avoid nearly all of the dreaded Bay Area traffic and I save quite a bit on my lodging. And if you wanted to try this option but prefer not to drive, research if there’s a ski shuttle in your area. In San Francisco, many people take the Bay Area Ski Bus, which also serves other ski areas like Jackson Hole and Salt Lake City. For just $109 you can enjoy a ride up there, a breakfast on the bus, a lift ticket to your resort, and apres-ski snacks on the way home. Even better, you can spend your time watching movies on the bus, instead of driving, and the carbon emissions for your trip will be way less.
Rather stay by the slopes? Check out Travelocity’s top ski deals and save on everything from mountainside ski resorts to nearby hotels.
5) Pack your own food:
This is something my parents taught me oh so long ago and it remains true to this day. The food at ski resorts is insanely expensive — and often not very delicious. My parents packed a full lunch for everyone in our group in watertight plastic bags, and then buried the lunches in the snow near the lodge where they wanted to eat. Come lunch, your drink is cold and your food is waiting on you!
To me, this is a little more effort than I’m willing to put forth and instead I eat a big breakfast on my way up the mountain, a granola bar hidden in my coat midday, and then treat myself to a mid-afternoon beer and snack. Not only do I save a lot of money, I save a lot of time on the slopes too. The lunch rush at the lodge can easily cost you $30 and 1.5 hours.
When it comes to hydration, I stick to the water fountains — which are greener than bottled water and free! But another good idea is to make a one-time investment in a reusable water bottle and fill it up with tap water at home.
How do you plan to save on the slopes this season?
Travelocity Editors
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