https://www.hometogo.com/media/ski-price-index/
My assessment is, this is what you'd pay if you didn't make an effort to find a deal.
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Ski area affordability
https://www.hometogo.com/media/ski-price-index/
My assessment is, this is what you'd pay if you didn't make an effort to find a deal.
I think that's the right assessment. It's still super interesting to see the range of "retail" prices on here. I'm surprised you can get lunch for $10.87 at Vail. I think that would get you an order of fries and a cup of water at the Lunch Rock in Winter Park.
Thread Starter
TS
I think the article said it was a burger and fries. Might depend on which restaurant you were using.
The Summit at Snoqualmie is more than Sun Valley and Squaw? 
Some of those equipment rental prices don't look right to me, unless those are strictly for beginner packages. I've rented from a good many of the places on the list and would agree with the prices for the Vail spots, Aspen, W/B, DV, and Steamboat. But the Taos and JH prices shown here are WAY lower than what you can truly find for decent equipment. I always am very thorough about renting equipment and have a good feel for what it costs at most places. Two years ago, I paid $55/day at Taos for skis only from the cheapest place I could find (which included in town!). The prices at the resort were even higher.
Methodology
Total Cost = Equipment Rental + Lift Pass + Lunch + Accommodation
The official websites of each destination provided data on the price of ski equipment rental and lift passes for the upcoming 2017-18 winter season. The equipment rental price includes mid-level skis, boots, poles and a helmet for one day. The lift pass price is for one full day.
The lunch price includes a hamburger with fries and a soda at a mid-range restaurant on the ski slopes. The data was provided by online menus. The accommodation price is the average price per person to stay in a 4 person vacation rental found on HomeToGo in the resort, between the dates of December 16, 2017 and April 15, 2018. Our own metasearch data provided this information.
Please note that this is a forecast and that prices may change between now and the upcoming season. When prices for 2017-18 were not available from the resorts, we based our price forecasts on last season’s prices. Prices are excluding sales tax.
That is better than I thought at first. Very poor that they don't include taxes, since those are typically steep in resort towns, and do vary a lot.
The lift ticket prices are not so useful, since many resorts try everything they can to get people away from the ticket window.
The vacation house rental is a decent one though, and the lunch line seems even more cut and dried. The don't mention what constitutes 'in the resort' for lodging though.
Total Cost = Equipment Rental + Lift Pass + Lunch + Accommodation
The official websites of each destination provided data on the price of ski equipment rental and lift passes for the upcoming 2017-18 winter season. The equipment rental price includes mid-level skis, boots, poles and a helmet for one day. The lift pass price is for one full day.
The lunch price includes a hamburger with fries and a soda at a mid-range restaurant on the ski slopes. The data was provided by online menus. The accommodation price is the average price per person to stay in a 4 person vacation rental found on HomeToGo in the resort, between the dates of December 16, 2017 and April 15, 2018. Our own metasearch data provided this information.
Please note that this is a forecast and that prices may change between now and the upcoming season. When prices for 2017-18 were not available from the resorts, we based our price forecasts on last season’s prices. Prices are excluding sales tax.
That is better than I thought at first. Very poor that they don't include taxes, since those are typically steep in resort towns, and do vary a lot.
The lift ticket prices are not so useful, since many resorts try everything they can to get people away from the ticket window.
The vacation house rental is a decent one though, and the lunch line seems even more cut and dried. The don't mention what constitutes 'in the resort' for lodging though.
The whole thing looks pretty questionable to me.
I second that.
There is no way I found Aspen that much more expensive than Whistler, Mammoth etc.
In fact Bill I thought Sun Valley was pretty pricey for on mountain eating.
Whoever researched that info must have used the first price of data they could find on the internet.
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A couple of examples of questionable:
They list Sun Valley lift tickets as $80. No prices for this year are on the website, but window tickets were up to $139 last year over the holidays. Maybe it was $80 the first few days when only one lower lift was open, or maybe they are only quoting a Dollar mountain ticket.
They are listing lodging for Aspen at about $250, which is per person for four people sharing an accomodation (apparently a condo but they don't say one, two bedroom, etc.) I know Aspen is expensive but I think it is possible to do a lot better than $1000 a night total.
I don't eat lunch on the mountain but the $11 quoted for Sun Valley seems low. They say they got prices from online menus but I couldn't find any.
Not to beat a dead horse, but this article seems more useless and inaccurate than the much discussed resort rankings.
They list Sun Valley lift tickets as $80. No prices for this year are on the website, but window tickets were up to $139 last year over the holidays. Maybe it was $80 the first few days when only one lower lift was open, or maybe they are only quoting a Dollar mountain ticket.
They are listing lodging for Aspen at about $250, which is per person for four people sharing an accomodation (apparently a condo but they don't say one, two bedroom, etc.) I know Aspen is expensive but I think it is possible to do a lot better than $1000 a night total.
I don't eat lunch on the mountain but the $11 quoted for Sun Valley seems low. They say they got prices from online menus but I couldn't find any.
Not to beat a dead horse, but this article seems more useless and inaccurate than the much discussed resort rankings.
And yet we wonder how to attract new people to the sport....
I remember the first day I went skiing well.. Christmas vacation.. we were driving our parents nuts at home as usual.. and mom piped up.. "Why don't you take the kids to the ski hill tomorrrow.. they know how to skate.. maybe they'll like skiing too".. So Dad did.. packed us in the car the next morning.. we picked an resort from a few in the area (Devils Elbow.. because it sounded cool) and drove there got rentals and a lift ticket.. Dad had skis with straps that they wouldn't let him use on the hill.. so he got rentals too.. we all had a blast and were skiing the blues and attempting the blacks by the afternoon. I can't image it would have been more than $100 for the 4 of us... This would have been in the 90s.. As soon as i got a set of wheels and my license i was skiing every weekend on $20 used skis and ill fitting boots.. lift tickets were generally $20~$30 for the day.. Those same resorts now are $80+
Thinking about my situation now.. if I were to take my kids on a whim to try a new sport, i dunno.. hang gliding.. and it costs us $200 a day.. each.. there is no way i'd be in it for a long haul..
And i know people are like.. ooooh.. get on the web.. do some research.. jump through 5000 hoops the brilliant marketing department setup to justify their existence and you can get better deals.. screw that noise.. how about fire the marketing people, offer tickets for i dunno $8/hr and have a tip jar at the ticket window for patrol where you can put the change from your 4 hour ticket..
I can understand private hills being all exclusive and crap.. you don't want the general public at your door because your 600' of vertical is more special than the place open to the public next door.. fine.. but for all that is good i can't understand why a walk up ticket is sooooooo damn pricey.. you think that after the seasons passes and stuff, the walk ups would be financial gravy.. and maybe that's the issue..
Something is wrong when i can get my kids a ski pass for grade 5/6 for $30/yr that lets them ski at just about any resort in Canada 3 times *EACH* (a few you need to purchase an adult ticket as well, but not all) Not that i'm complaining.. it's good at like 100 resorts.. that's 300 days of skiing.. for $30!!! Yet if you don't know about this and walk up.. your in for a $100 day..
I bought season passes to the local hill this year for the family... one because i've got a new job and making a few more bucks.. so it's worth it for me.. but 2.. they get it.. lessons are the same price as the other local hills.. but they're 1.5 hours.. not a 45 minute lesson.. Saturday nights.. a ticket is $20 (4:30~10). They run as a community organized not-for-profit and are fantastic.. and do their best to cater to everyone..
The big areas.. screw em.. i still ski a few but i cash in air miles that i get for free buying groceries for lift tickets.. it's win win.. i eat.. i ski.. and if i buy with my credit card i get 1.75% cash back.. it's like they're paying me to ski.. oh and i pack a lunch and sometimes BBQ & beers in the parking lot. Made a nice venison dish a few years back that a few of the locals almost mauled me for..
Maybe I'm a cheap ass.. but I work too hard to be dropping $80 for a lift ticket $30 for lunch and $50 for après on the off chance that i get to go skiing.. which.. in the past few years has been about 10~15 days..
Still don't get these walk up prices though... like WTF..
I remember the first day I went skiing well.. Christmas vacation.. we were driving our parents nuts at home as usual.. and mom piped up.. "Why don't you take the kids to the ski hill tomorrrow.. they know how to skate.. maybe they'll like skiing too".. So Dad did.. packed us in the car the next morning.. we picked an resort from a few in the area (Devils Elbow.. because it sounded cool) and drove there got rentals and a lift ticket.. Dad had skis with straps that they wouldn't let him use on the hill.. so he got rentals too.. we all had a blast and were skiing the blues and attempting the blacks by the afternoon. I can't image it would have been more than $100 for the 4 of us... This would have been in the 90s.. As soon as i got a set of wheels and my license i was skiing every weekend on $20 used skis and ill fitting boots.. lift tickets were generally $20~$30 for the day.. Those same resorts now are $80+
Thinking about my situation now.. if I were to take my kids on a whim to try a new sport, i dunno.. hang gliding.. and it costs us $200 a day.. each.. there is no way i'd be in it for a long haul..
And i know people are like.. ooooh.. get on the web.. do some research.. jump through 5000 hoops the brilliant marketing department setup to justify their existence and you can get better deals.. screw that noise.. how about fire the marketing people, offer tickets for i dunno $8/hr and have a tip jar at the ticket window for patrol where you can put the change from your 4 hour ticket..
I can understand private hills being all exclusive and crap.. you don't want the general public at your door because your 600' of vertical is more special than the place open to the public next door.. fine.. but for all that is good i can't understand why a walk up ticket is sooooooo damn pricey.. you think that after the seasons passes and stuff, the walk ups would be financial gravy.. and maybe that's the issue..
Something is wrong when i can get my kids a ski pass for grade 5/6 for $30/yr that lets them ski at just about any resort in Canada 3 times *EACH* (a few you need to purchase an adult ticket as well, but not all) Not that i'm complaining.. it's good at like 100 resorts.. that's 300 days of skiing.. for $30!!! Yet if you don't know about this and walk up.. your in for a $100 day..
I bought season passes to the local hill this year for the family... one because i've got a new job and making a few more bucks.. so it's worth it for me.. but 2.. they get it.. lessons are the same price as the other local hills.. but they're 1.5 hours.. not a 45 minute lesson.. Saturday nights.. a ticket is $20 (4:30~10). They run as a community organized not-for-profit and are fantastic.. and do their best to cater to everyone..
The big areas.. screw em.. i still ski a few but i cash in air miles that i get for free buying groceries for lift tickets.. it's win win.. i eat.. i ski.. and if i buy with my credit card i get 1.75% cash back.. it's like they're paying me to ski.. oh and i pack a lunch and sometimes BBQ & beers in the parking lot. Made a nice venison dish a few years back that a few of the locals almost mauled me for..
Maybe I'm a cheap ass.. but I work too hard to be dropping $80 for a lift ticket $30 for lunch and $50 for après on the off chance that i get to go skiing.. which.. in the past few years has been about 10~15 days..
Still don't get these walk up prices though... like WTF..
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Right! I think the Vail prices are accurate except for lunch. They failed to mention you have to go across I70 to McDonalds for that $10.87 price.
Just double checked my Steamboat cost from last March. Hard to compare because we chose a slope side accommodation that is known to be pricey but the lodging and lunch listed seems low unless you are getting a slice of pizza and a soft drink.
@Sibhusky I received an email from Whitefish yesterday. If I book by Nov. 20th I can get 25% off.
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List looks quite believable.
Colorado is generally wicked expensive to ski unless, like me, you own your own equipment, buy a season pass and have places to stay for almost nothing. Without all that Vail is just EXTREMELY expensive on day to day basis.
Colorado is generally wicked expensive to ski unless, like me, you own your own equipment, buy a season pass and have places to stay for almost nothing. Without all that Vail is just EXTREMELY expensive on day to day basis.
Thread Starter
TS
I'm reading all this and I think the price info is pretty good for here. I know you can get cheaper lift tickets, and the hamburger might be on the low side by a buck or so, but generally, it's right. So all these other places are even worse than they look? Means here is that much better.
Of course, the affordability might come with a side order of fog.
Of course, the affordability might come with a side order of fog.
Just for comparison, I did a price check on a trip to St. Anton that I'm thinking about doing. Keep in mind that these are prices for Feb 3-10, which is in the middle of the high season. (Typical ski trips in Europe are 7-night stays with 6 days of skiing.)
A 6-day lift ticket will cost €275, which is $324.94 at the current exchange rate. So that's $54.16 a day. There aren't really any online discounts or price gouging at the window, so that's the rate you pay no matter how you buy your tickets.
A 7-night stay in a single room in a nice B&B in the middle of town that's within walking distance of the lifts looks like it's going to cost €529.20, which is $625.40 ($89.34 per night).
My typical lunch when I'm in St. Anton, which is a large schnitzel, fries, and a large soft drink, usually costs about €20 ($23.64).
So, skiing solo but with my own gear, staying in the middle of town, and eating a large lunch, I'd expect to spend $167.14 a day.
A 6-day lift ticket will cost €275, which is $324.94 at the current exchange rate. So that's $54.16 a day. There aren't really any online discounts or price gouging at the window, so that's the rate you pay no matter how you buy your tickets.
A 7-night stay in a single room in a nice B&B in the middle of town that's within walking distance of the lifts looks like it's going to cost €529.20, which is $625.40 ($89.34 per night).
My typical lunch when I'm in St. Anton, which is a large schnitzel, fries, and a large soft drink, usually costs about €20 ($23.64).
So, skiing solo but with my own gear, staying in the middle of town, and eating a large lunch, I'd expect to spend $167.14 a day.
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For me the red flag on the credibility of the report came as soon as I read that they quoted a lift ticket price for Banff. Banff is a town, not a ski area. There are 3 vastly different ski areas in the region.
Skiing is expensive.
Alert the media.
Alert the media.
An "Epic Burger" is about $18.00, Fries $6.00, Soda $6.00, Thats $30.00 for a burger, fries & soda at a Vail resort. While that is one glaring error from the $11.00 from a Vail Resort, it is an important one considering that Vail resorts get a large percentage of the traffic for US resorts.
$7.75 for lunch at Whistler? I'd love to know where that is.
If you are American, you get a 20% discount at all the Canadian resorts with currency exchange.
Lake Louise/Banff - $161
Whistler - $202
They really should add the cost of a second meal, it can be hard to find lodging to prepare your own food and save money.
If you are American, you get a 20% discount at all the Canadian resorts with currency exchange.
Lake Louise/Banff - $161
Whistler - $202
They really should add the cost of a second meal, it can be hard to find lodging to prepare your own food and save money.
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