2016 winter or spring break ski trip out west -- any way to do this more affordably?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is expensive everywhere. The best deals we've gotten are when Easter (and spring break) are in mid April and resorts have significantly reduced their prices.

A few options to consider:

Stay in Salt Lake City and drive to different resorts each day. There are at least 8 within about 45 minutes. Nice hotels in Salt Lake can be quite inexpensive. That way you can also book airfare and hotel together on a site like expedia which does tend to save money.

You can do the same thing in Colorado by staying in Dillon/Silverthorne/Frisco and driving to Breck, Keystone or Copper.

Try Tours de Sport for package deals.

Stay at lesser known resorts. Solitude/Brighton in Utah might be worth looking into.

Good idea but these resorts are expensive. You could consider Monarch, Granby Ranch or Eldora for more low key experience. We have skied at Monarch near Salida, CO, and loved it. Small mtn., all runs end in the same place so if you send your tweens or teens up on their own they will show up eventually. There is no glam scene at these resorts though. Great snow and nice runs. Maybe small for the expert skiers though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why go out west if you're all beginners?

+1
Stay local for skiing, go out west in the summer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why go out west if you're all beginners?

Are you kidding? Skiing in powder is so much easier than skiing on the rocks and ice of eastern mountains. On the other hand skiing the east is so hard, it makes you a better skier--so that when you finally get out west, you think you've died and gone to heaven.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why go out west if you're all beginners?

Are you kidding? Skiing in powder is so much easier than skiing on the rocks and ice of eastern mountains. On the other hand skiing the east is so hard, it makes you a better skier--so that when you finally get out west, you think you've died and gone to heaven.

Beginners don't ski powder. They ski groomers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is expensive everywhere. The best deals we've gotten are when Easter (and spring break) are in mid April and resorts have significantly reduced their prices.

A few options to consider:

Stay in Salt Lake City and drive to different resorts each day. There are at least 8 within about 45 minutes. Nice hotels in Salt Lake can be quite inexpensive. That way you can also book airfare and hotel together on a site like expedia which does tend to save money.

You can do the same thing in Colorado by staying in Dillon/Silverthorne/Frisco and driving to Breck, Keystone or Copper.

Try Tours de Sport for package deals.

Stay at lesser known resorts. Solitude/Brighton in Utah might be worth looking into.

I'm not sure why driving to different resorts every day makes sense. In Colorado most resorts charge the most if you're going for just one day. Plus, if you're renting equipment, it's easier to stay in one place. I'd rent a condo in a ski town. They're not all expensive. Then buy your lift tickets online and in advance, and for more than one day, to get the cheapest deal.

You clearly haven't skied park city over Christmas. A cheap room goes for around 500 a night. A cheap decent room in salt lake is very cheap. As in 150-200 a night. By purchasing a multi day pass you maybe save 10 a day.

[Anonymous]

The only way to do this a little cheaper would be to go in April, the last few weeks the resorts are open. It would be a little more affordable, but not cheap at all.

A place to stay that is walkable to the ski lift is by definition a luxury, so that's going to be expensive.

If you all are beginners, I would really recommend you just go Snowshoe in WV instead.

[Anonymous]

Yes - just do something like Snowshoe until you're all at least skiing blues.

[Anonymous]

Agree...if you're a beginner there's no reason to dump a lot of cash to ski out west. Timberline in Davis, WV is a great local option as is Canaan Valley. Both offer great skiing, lots of natural snowfall, and are affordable. Also, every winter is different, but I believe the New England resorts actually have better skiing than a lot of the resorts out west this year. If you're set on going out west Durango Mountain Resort (formally Purgatory) is good for beginners to intermediates. The only minus is it's expensive to fly into unless you fly into Albuquerque, but then you have a 4 hour drive to Durango.

[Anonymous]

OP, I agree w some of the posters; I would recommend a test run skiing much closer to home, before you shell out the $$$ for a big trip out west. You need a ton of gear, ie, the correct clothes, etc, before you even address the rental of gear. Ya know what - you may not like skiing, and it would be a brutal way to discover that! Start small, the see perhaps if you still have interest out west. As a skiing family of 5, a trip out west will ding you easily $5,000 at a minimum to start...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree...if you're a beginner there's no reason to dump a lot of cash to ski out west. Timberline in Davis, WV is a great local option as is Canaan Valley. Both offer great skiing, lots of natural snowfall, and are affordable. Also, every winter is different, but I believe the New England resorts actually have better skiing than a lot of the resorts out west this year. If you're set on going out west Durango Mountain Resort (formally Purgatory) is good for beginners to intermediates. The only minus is it's expensive to fly into unless you fly into Albuquerque, but then you have a 4 hour drive to Durango.

Why do this instead of just flying to Denver?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why go out west if you're all beginners?

Are you kidding? Skiing in powder is so much easier than skiing on the rocks and ice of eastern mountains. On the other hand skiing the east is so hard, it makes you a better skier--so that when you finally get out west, you think you've died and gone to heaven.

Agree. I learned in the east. You have to develop good technique to ski on the ice in the east; however, I really didn't improve until I went out west and skiid on the deep powder. Last time I checked, it was faster and cheaper to go to Colorado than it was to get to the Vermont ski areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I agree w some of the posters; I would recommend a test run skiing much closer to home, before you shell out the $$$ for a big trip out west. You need a ton of gear, ie, the correct clothes, etc, before you even address the rental of gear. Ya know what - you may not like skiing, and it would be a brutal way to discover that! Start small, the see perhaps if you still have interest out west. As a skiing family of 5, a trip out west will ding you easily $5,000 at a minimum to start...

Agree. I budget $1000-1200/day of skiing out west for normal times and higher at Christmas. And that's for a family of 4 with no rentals and no lessons. Lift tickets alone tend to run about $300-400/day. Lunch on the hill is about $80 (I grew up having to take my lunch to the hill and refuse to do it anymore). Breakfast and dinner depends on condo v hotel room. Hotel or condo ranges from $250-$600/night. Plus airfare of course.

The only real way to make it less expensive is stay off site or go to smaller resorts. But if you are going to go to a smaller resort you might as well save the airfare and drive to Snowshoe.

A fun option might be Jackson Hole. There are some less expensive lodging options in Jackson since summer is their peak season. But lift tickets at JHMR are expensive - no getting around it. And airfare to Jackson isn't cheap, but it's super convenient since you are right there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why go out west if you're all beginners?

Are you kidding? Skiing in powder is so much easier than skiing on the rocks and ice of eastern mountains. On the other hand skiing the east is so hard, it makes you a better skier--so that when you finally get out west, you think you've died and gone to heaven.

Agree. I learned in the east. You have to develop good technique to ski on the ice in the east; however, I really didn't improve until I went out west and skiid on the deep powder. Last time I checked, it was faster and cheaper to go to Colorado than it was to get to the Vermont ski areas.

I drove to Killington last year in 8 hours. That was as fast, and definitely cheaper, than getting to the ski areas in CO, between getting to the airport (in enough time for my skis and luggage to actually make the flight with me - which I've learned the hard way at Dulles is at least 90 minutes in advance), flight time, getting the rental car (the rental car place at DIA is practically in another state), and driving 1.5-2 hours. Granted you are only in VT at the end of the 8 hour drive but it's not a bad option for beginners.

[Anonymous]

Seriously - if you are all still beginners just do WV or PA. Even the overhead/cost of VT is overkill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why go out west if you're all beginners?

Are you kidding? Skiing in powder is so much easier than skiing on the rocks and ice of eastern mountains. On the other hand skiing the east is so hard, it makes you a better skier--so that when you finally get out west, you think you've died and gone to heaven.

Agree. I learned in the east. You have to develop good technique to ski on the ice in the east; however, I really didn't improve until I went out west and skiid on the deep powder. Last time I checked, it was faster and cheaper to go to Colorado than it was to get to the Vermont ski areas.

I drove to Killington last year in 8 hours. That was as fast, and definitely cheaper, than getting to the ski areas in CO, between getting to the airport (in enough time for my skis and luggage to actually make the flight with me - which I've learned the hard way at Dulles is at least 90 minutes in advance), flight time, getting the rental car (the rental car place at DIA is practically in another state), and driving 1.5-2 hours. Granted you are only in VT at the end of the 8 hour drive but it's not a bad option for beginners.

According to the GPS, the route that supposedly takes slightly over 8 hours goes straight through Philly and NYC. So, if you go in the middle of the night, in perfect weather, with no stops to speak of, maybe. But not with three kids in the middle of the winter.