Most Expensive Window Rates and Value

[Wilhelmson]

It seems that at least half of the mountains in the Northeast now charge over $100 for a day ticket at the window. The most expensive I could find was Stratton at $115.

With the understanding that pre-ordering a nonrefundable ticket online would save some money, what are the highest weekend/holiday WINDOW rates and best values?

Disclosure: I have a season pass so this is just for fun.

I would put Cannon at $77 and Wildcat at $85 high in the Northeast value category.

The extra $50 or so for Stow or Sugarbush can be worth the money given the right conditions (their windows rates are not readily available online).

Jay at $84 is a great (relatively speaking) deal, but a bit too far of a day trip destination for many of us.

Bretton Woods at $93 is a tough sell unless the mountain is 100% open, although imo it has one of the better family environments and is a beginner/intermediate mecca.

 

[Doug Briggs]

I'll bite.

https://www.vail.com/plan-your-trip/lift-access/tickets.aspx


So $169 would appear to be the window price.

 

[Rod9301]

You guys are lucky, of course except that it's the East.

Squaw charges 169!!!

 

[Bigtinnie]

Aspen/Snowmass expensive but great value. No lift lines!

 

[Chris_MI]

Window price at Heavenly is $156. You can almost always save 20% buying them on-line and even more for multi-day.

 

[at_nyc]

Did anyone notice one of the banner ads on this page is “Private Jet Charters”?

Probably a “real time ad” deemed this crowd would be potential audience?

 

[Doug Briggs]

Did anyone notice one of the banner ads on this page is “Private Jet Charters”?

Probably a “real time ad” deemed this crowd would be potential audience?

Quite likely focused on your past views on the internet. Where you flying to?

 

[Sibhusky]

I'm not getting how most expensive can ever be a great value.

Really, to get value worth $156, I'm thinking you'd have to go to one of the huge ski multi-village areas of Europe. And none of them cost that much. Therefore, $156 is not a good value. Nor is anything over, get this, $81.

http://unofficialnetworks.com/2016/02/10/the-10-most-expensive-lift-tickets-in-europe/

The tickets here are under that price, but please don't come. I had to park 1.5 blocks further away than usual yesterday (Wednesday) because the schools were out.



.
.
.
.
My ad is for a Honda.

 

[focker]

I never have and never will pay more than $90 for a lift ticket...

 

[SShore]

Come to Maverick Mountain outside Dillon, MT (a really fun mom and pop place to ski). Since today is a POW day they lowered their tickets from $38 to $28 bucks. Now that is VALUE!

 

[Doug Briggs]

Come to Maverick Mountain outside Dillon, MT (a really fun mom and pop place to ski). Since today is a POW day they lowered their tickets from $38 to $28 bucks. Now that is VALUE!

I wish it were closer. The transportation costs will kill me. I could use a powder day.

 

[SSSdave]

Lift tickets at Soda Springs Ski Area west of Donner Pass for this holiday week is showing $50 walk up lift tickets.

http://www.skisodasprings.com/plan-your-trip/tickets-passes/tickets-passes-soda-springs/lift-tickets

Into January liftopia.com web buys drops that down to $45 with some days as low as $20. Terrain is limited but can't beat the price in our region especially with mid winter packed powder and enough snow depth. Frugal families with beginner and novice skiers could have real snow fun without getting their wallets hammered.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Not a complaint, but curiosity, @SSSdave . Why always blue?

 

[SSSdave]

Why use default black text? Because it is simple to leave it so, indeed true. Because everyone else does. Ok why do people feel a need to flow along like others? Maybe being a little different even for something so trivial tends to reflect something about my coming of age during the late 60s?

That reflected on, tis easier to notice my posts on long thread pages.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Got it. Like I said, curious. My favorite color is red.

Ski on.

 

[DanoT]

AFAIK all of the day tickets at resorts in western Canada, not named Whistler, are under $100CDN which means they are $50-$70US. AND at many places the online purchase knocks up to 40% off, AND none of the resorts raise prices during busy holidays, AND none of them are crowded (except when it snows and then people drop what they are doing and pour out of the woodwork to ski for 2-3 hours.

Whistler is the most expensive ski resort in western Canada and is also the most crowded, gets the most rain, (plastic garbage bags with WB logo and arm and neck holes already cut, for $1) fog, and wind, and most of the people who go there don't go for the extreme terrain. So why do they go there?

 

[Jacob]

I'm not getting how most expensive can ever be a great value.

Really, to get value worth $156, I'm thinking you'd have to go to one of the huge ski multi-village areas of Europe. And none of them cost that much. Therefore, $156 is not a good value. Nor is anything over, get this, $81.

http://unofficialnetworks.com/2016/02/10/the-10-most-expensive-lift-tickets-in-europe/

I think the thread is meant to be two separate questions. What are the most expensive rates? What are some great values?

The thing to keep in mind when looking at the prices for European resorts, and the thing that is really a kick in the teeth for destination skiers in North America, is just how huge the ski areas are in the Alps.

I was in Val d'Isere last week, and my 6-day pass was €285 (which is $56.33 per day at the current exchange rate). That gave me access to about 90 lifts spread out between 7 different base areas and two glaciers. Plus, I got one free entrance to the indoor swimming complex in town.

It's the same story with St. Anton, which is covered by the Arlberg area lift pass. That gives you access to 88 lifts spread out between 9 different bases. http://www.skiarlberg.at/en/regions/austrias-largest-ski-resort

 

[dbostedo]

AFAIK all of the day tickets at resorts in western Canada, not named Whistler, are under $100CDN which means they are $50-$70US. AND at many places the online purchase knocks up to 40% off, AND none of the resorts raise prices during busy holidays, AND none of them are crowded (except when it snows and then people drop what they are doing and pour out of the woodwork to ski for 2-3 hours.

Whistler is the most expensive ski resort in western Canada and is also the most crowded, gets the most rain, (plastic garbage bags with WB logo and arm and neck holes already cut, for $1) fog, and wind, and most of the people who go there don't go for the extreme terrain. So why do they go there?

There was a thread on here somewhere where someone shared the results of some research that said the area of the resort was the number one (or close to it) factor people consider.

 

[trailtrimmer]

AFAIK all of the day tickets at resorts in western Canada, not named Whistler, are under $100CDN which means they are $50-$70US. AND at many places the online purchase knocks up to 40% off, AND none of the resorts raise prices during busy holidays, AND none of them are crowded (except when it snows and then people drop what they are doing and pour out of the woodwork to ski for 2-3 hours.

Whistler is the most expensive ski resort in western Canada and is also the most crowded, gets the most rain, (plastic garbage bags with WB logo and arm and neck holes already cut, for $1) fog, and wind, and most of the people who go there don't go for the extreme terrain. So why do they go there?

More terrain, no driving after après ski, walk to lift from lodging, shuttle directly from airport so no car rental. There is whistler bowl, harmony, blackcomb glacier, etc. The upper elevations typically ski great.

Dollar value I'd do Lake Louise, Sunshine, Kicking Horse, norquay. However I'd be driving all over the place to do it in who knows what kind of weather and if the highway will be open. I go to Whistler, I'm there and it's round the clock fun when I'm not sleeping.

 

[at_nyc]

Did anyone notice one of the banner ads on this page is “Private Jet Charters”?

Probably a “real time ad” deemed this crowd would be potential audience?

Quite likely focused on your past views on the internet. Where you flying to?

Nah, that was on my work computer. I don't do travel planning there. In case my boss go through the list of web site visited. (yes, the company collects it)

None of the ads reflects anything personal related to me, unlike when I browse at home.