Cheaper Steamboat lift tickets?

[Edd]

Hi all,

Traveling to ski Steamboat for a week in late March. Liftopia is not helpful for Steamboat tickets so I’m wondering if anyone has suggestions for a less expensive way to buy in advance.

 

[Tony]

You're way too late for Ikon pass which if bought early gave you 5 days at Steamboat for $599 (base pass), plus days at many other places. Late March is also late for best skiing at Steamboat, but that's based on history and you could get lucky. Tony Crocker's website says "Best in state in December/January for highest snowfall, but lowest elevation and worst exposure of Colorado destination resorts" for Steamboat.

 

[Edd]

You're way too late for Ikon pass which if bought early gave you 5 days at Steamboat for $599 (base pass), plus days at many other places. Late March is also late for best skiing at Steamboat, but that's based on history and you could get lucky. Tony Crocker's website says "Best in state in December/January for highest snowfall, but lowest elevation and worst exposure of Colorado destination resorts" for Steamboat.

Thanks, I’m familiar with the Ikon and Steamboat stats. What I’m asking about are typical ways to get cheaper lift tickets there since Liftopia doesn’t seem to offer any.

I also understand that Steamboat is isolated and therefore less motivated than others to offer deals. Just trying to do my research before I pull the trigger for lift tickets on the Steamboat website.

A friend sent me this http://www.skicentral.com/steamboat-lift-ticket-discounts.html

Decent deal relatively speaking but I’ve never heard of that site. Has anyone purchased lift tickets on there?

 

[Ron]

I did a little looking around on that site. Unless you are with a group of 25 and with lodging

https://www.getskitickets.com/tickets/co/steamboat-discount-lift-tickets/?avad=35907_e14e0d721

 

[tch]

I visited last year and the year before with the Ikon/Max passes. Visited with folks who did not. Other than that venue, there didn't seem to be ANY cheap Steamboat tix anywhere. Those guys paid online for minimal discount. SB is WAY expensive in my mind, b/c it doesn't seem to offer any way to get reasonable discount.

 

[Ron]

If you buy the Ikon pass, its quite reasonable. No more expensive than any other resort.

 

[tch]

Ron, agreed. But point was that, other than Ikon pass, there don't seem to be any discounts or ways to get Liftopia, etc. type tix. That means expensive to me.

 

[Ron]

the resort always puts 3 day passes on sale late fall or early in the season but we have never been a high discount location. To add to it, our sales have been up for the past few years so there's little incentive for them to cut rates. I am extremely happy with our current situation though!

 

[focker]

When I looked into Streamboat I found you could get lodging for a very reasonable price but that the lift tickets were quite expensive overall. So you save over other areas on lodging but perhaps pay more for your tickets.

Win some lose some.

 

[raytseng]

Have you locked down lodging already? If you bundle lodging and lift tickets directly with them, potentially there are ski-and-stay deals.

 

[Ron]

This is very true. We have a plethora of lodging options that can be very reasonable. AirBNB is huge here now. Keep in mind, you dont need to be on the mountain here, you can be within 5 miles and still be the base in under 20 minutes.

 

[Edd]

Have you locked down lodging already? If you bundle lodging and lift tickets directly with them, potentially there are ski-and-stay deals.

We went with HomeAway property. In my experience, even ski and stay deals aren’t going to be as good as getting your own place and securing skiing separately. That’s not set in stone, however. If you’re unconcerned with the quality of lodging, you could make out better with ski/stay. This is a group of six forty somethings who like to have some space.

 

[raytseng]

ah yes agree, if you reach a critical mass then getting a house will have economies of scale

 

[EricG]

Swing by the T-Bar, find a SB employee, get them intoxicated and have them give you employee-buddy passes.

 

[skix]

Keep in mind, you dont need to be on the mountain here, you can be within 5 miles and still be the base in under 20 minutes.

How is parking at Steamboat? Is it as hard to find on a weekend as at many other resorts? Any free parking?

 

[Ron]

free parking is at the meadows lot, just grab the shuttle, if you are early, 7:30 ish, try the west lot which is up Mt werner drive and stay right, go up a hill and the lot is on the immediate left.