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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2020
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DENVERPOST.COM
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THE DENVER POST
Tips for cutting ski day costs Country USA ($35), which gives you 2-for-1 deals or 30% discounted lift tickets at 11 smaller ski areas across Colorado. Keep in mind Gems Card use is blacked out Dec. 19 to Jan. 2. Another option many resorts offer is a more affordable weekday pass. Sure, you’ll hate yourself when it snows a foot on a Saturday, but let’s face it, it’s a trade-off to not have to fight I-70 traffic and weekend lift lines. Also, check the website of each resort for “locals” days that feature lift ticket discounts.
Tip 3: Get free skiing for your kids.
A skier enjoys the sunshine while riding the lift at Eldora Mountain near Boulder. Smaller ski areas offer less-expensive alternatives to major resorts. Helen H. Richardson, Denver Post file By R. Scott Rappold Special to The Denver Post
You hear it all the time from non-skiers, ex-skiers and would-be skiers: “Skiing is too expensive.” ¶ It’s true, skiing can be expensive. If you take a flight into Aspen, book a slopeside condo, rent skis, pay for a lesson and buy the family lunch at the on-mountain restaurant you can drop thousands of dollars before you’ve even mastered parallel turns. But skiing also can be surprisingly affordable. Just ask the ski bums of the world who ride every day but only earn minimum wage washing dishes by night — if they have a job at all. As the aspens drop their final leaves and the nighttime air has a marked chill to it, it’s time to plan for the season. From a ski bum who regularly hits 100 days on the slopes but hasn’t had a fulltime job in years, here are some tips to having a great season without taking out a second mortgage. You’ll sacrifice convenience to save a few bucks, but powder days are so worth it.
Tip 1: Buy a season pass – now!
If you’re planning to ski more than a few days this winter, you’ll want a season pass. If you’ve waited this long, you’ve missed early-season prices, but if you wait until the season begins to buy one you’re in store for quite a sticker shock. Daily lift tickets at major resorts can run $200 or more for an adult, so a pass pays for itself quickly.
Yes, it’s a gamble: Will my hill get the best snow this year? Fortunately, conglomerate offers like the Ikon and Epic passes come with bonus days at many other resorts across the state, country and world, so you can follow the best snow. Or if you prefer smaller, more locals-focused ski areas, you can get a pass at Loveland for $439 or Monarch Mountain for $479, with bonus days at each other as well as Copper Mountain, Purgatory, Powderhorn, Sunlight and many other smaller ski areas across the country.
Tip 2: Buy a midweek pass, four-pack or Gems Card.
Maybe you’re not planning a 100-day season because, unlike this correspondent, you have a day job or higher priorities than sliding on snow all the time. Many ski areas offer four-day passes that let you ski for half the daily ticket price. Or you can buy a Gems Card from Colorado Ski
The ski industry knows that children are the future, so resorts are keen to get them hooked early while still letting mom and dad ski without breaking the bank. Colorado Ski Country USA offers the 5th Grade Passport, which includes three days at 21 ski areas for just $40, as well as the 6th Grade Passport, with four days at each for $99. New for the 2020-21 winter season, however, both passes are good for weekdays only. If you’d rather ski at the five Vail Resorts mountains — Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte, which aren’t part of Colorado Ski Country — you can register for the Epic Schoolkids Pass, which offers four free days at each resort for kids from kindergarten to fifth grade. Register for these passes now, since they’re only offered for a limited time.
Tip 4: Buy a college, senior or military pass.
Many resorts offer discounts for college students, senior citizens and veterans. For example, Monarch Mountain’s $479 pass is $389 for veterans, $289 for college students, $199 for retired military and just $20 for “super seniors,” those older than 68 whose knees still hold up on the slopes.
Tip 5: Buy used gear.
Ski towns are full of trust funders, professional riders and gear snobs who get new skis or snowboards every year. Their old gear, perfectly usable unless mangled by rocks, can be found in gear shops and ski swaps for a fraction of what new gear would cost. Look for gently used boots and clothing too. Also, check outdoor shops (REI, Wilderness Exchange, Mountain Equipment Recyclers, Gearonimo) along the Front Range for sales of last year’s rental gear that may be in especially good condition because of the shortened 2019-20 season.
Tip 6: Get season-long rentals for the kids.
Kids grow so fast they can outgrow their skis and boots in one season, so many parents opt to rent gear for the entire season rather than buying. Reserve your rentals early as shops usually run CHEAP » 7
