How much did a ski trip cost your family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Breckenridge - April 2023 - $4500. We have military Epic Passes so that brings the cost down a lot. We get a condo (walking distance to slopes) and eat a lot of meals at condo.

Wow…cheap. How many in your group? For us to fly to Denver, for family of four, it’s about $2,800 ($750 for each RT fare). I don’t think we could do Break for less than $7500.

Two adults, one teen - this year is projected to be around $5100 because FCPS’s break is a week earlier and the condo price is higher. Our epics are somewhere around $159/season. The military price can’t be beat.

Really?!?! Where is that advertised? I have to see it to believe it. We have a condo at Breck and get the Epic Breck Local pass. This year it was $649 for an adult. We're on auto renew, so we're guaranteed the lowest price. We still manage to spend about 4k/trip with $0 for lodging and the adults own their own gear. We rent gear for 2 kids and the youngest does a few days of ski school. We eat most meals in the condo, a couple lunches on the hill, and maybe one dinner out. Yesterday lunch on the hill for 3 of us was $90! It was gyros that weren't hot enough, a bowl of chili, and cokes, nothing fancy. Coming back to the condo today for lunch. I am also baffled by the folks that spend $2500 for a week of lodging. I think to rent our place it's closer to $6k/wk, depending on the week (ski in/ski out).

This is the Active Duty Military price. Epic has a very generous active duty military ticket price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Breckenridge - April 2023 - $4500. We have military Epic Passes so that brings the cost down a lot. We get a condo (walking distance to slopes) and eat a lot of meals at condo.

Wow…cheap. How many in your group? For us to fly to Denver, for family of four, it’s about $2,800 ($750 for each RT fare). I don’t think we could do Break for less than $7500.

Two adults, one teen - this year is projected to be around $5100 because FCPS’s break is a week earlier and the condo price is higher. Our epics are somewhere around $159/season. The military price can’t be beat.

Really?!?! Where is that advertised? I have to see it to believe it. We have a condo at Breck and get the Epic Breck Local pass. This year it was $649 for an adult. We're on auto renew, so we're guaranteed the lowest price. We still manage to spend about 4k/trip with $0 for lodging and the adults own their own gear. We rent gear for 2 kids and the youngest does a few days of ski school. We eat most meals in the condo, a couple lunches on the hill, and maybe one dinner out. Yesterday lunch on the hill for 3 of us was $90! It was gyros that weren't hot enough, a bowl of chili, and cokes, nothing fancy. Coming back to the condo today for lunch. I am also baffled by the folks that spend $2500 for a week of lodging. I think to rent our place it's closer to $6k/wk, depending on the week (ski in/ski out).

https://investors.vailresorts.com/news-releases/news-release-details/202324-epic-passes-sale-now-offering-skiers-and-riders-best
They are no longer on sale for the current season - you need to buy them in the fall prior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are going to Whistler over break. Family of 3

Flights: $2100
Condo in village: $2300
Shuttle RT: $150
Epic pass: $1560 for 2 adults and 1 child (we always buy early for lowest rate)
Food: will be cooking in and eating out and I’m estimating $500

So basically 7k.

Above was a late booking 2 months ago so if we had planned earlier, might have been able to get flight prices down a little to $1500.

But I would say there is no way you can go out west for a week for less than 6k.

Good luck with that. Whistler is pretty expensive. Could save some by buying groceries on your way and eating ramen.

[Anonymous]

This thread has inspired me. We’ve had a standing invitation to stay with family in Vail for ages and keep putting it off due mostly to hassle and cost (even with free lodging.) But my kids are teens now and I think we need to just suck it up and go. What do you think is the minimum amount of time it’s worth it? 4 nights okay? 5?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Breckenridge - April 2023 - $4500. We have military Epic Passes so that brings the cost down a lot. We get a condo (walking distance to slopes) and eat a lot of meals at condo.

Wow…cheap. How many in your group? For us to fly to Denver, for family of four, it’s about $2,800 ($750 for each RT fare). I don’t think we could do Break for less than $7500.

Two adults, one teen - this year is projected to be around $5100 because FCPS’s break is a week earlier and the condo price is higher. Our epics are somewhere around $159/season. The military price can’t be beat.

Really?!?! Where is that advertised? I have to see it to believe it. We have a condo at Breck and get the Epic Breck Local pass. This year it was $649 for an adult. We're on auto renew, so we're guaranteed the lowest price. We still manage to spend about 4k/trip with $0 for lodging and the adults own their own gear. We rent gear for 2 kids and the youngest does a few days of ski school. We eat most meals in the condo, a couple lunches on the hill, and maybe one dinner out. Yesterday lunch on the hill for 3 of us was $90! It was gyros that weren't hot enough, a bowl of chili, and cokes, nothing fancy. Coming back to the condo today for lunch. I am also baffled by the folks that spend $2500 for a week of lodging. I think to rent our place it's closer to $6k/wk, depending on the week (ski in/ski out).

This is the Active Duty Military price. Epic has a very generous active duty military ticket price.

AD/Retired - we do auto renewal as well. It is an amazing deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread has inspired me. We’ve had a standing invitation to stay with family in Vail for ages and keep putting it off due mostly to hassle and cost (even with free lodging.) But my kids are teens now and I think we need to just suck it up and go. What do you think is the minimum amount of time it’s worth it? 4 nights okay? 5?

I’d do 5 at least. We have younger kids but when we go to Breck we never ski the day of arrival or departure. The slopes are only open from 8:30-4 ish, which doesn’t generally work with our travel plans. For us, a week is the minimum.

[Anonymous]

I'd say about 6k on average for a family of 4. We'll go to CO or Utah or wherever. I stalk the early buys for lowest prices. It's expensive, that's for sure. We have no problem flying Frontier or SW.

[Anonymous]

We live in Co now and spent $2k on 2 nights at cooper with lodging and food. We spent $80 for 4 pieces of pizza and fountain sodas at the lodge for lunch one day. Food prices are where they really gouge you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Went to Aspen. Family of 5 was approximately $25k. It was fun but everything is so expensive.

This is why i ski Wisp and Timberline, which I can barely even afford.

Wisp? seriously? you need to get out west and realize it is totally worth it.

Wow. Work on your reading comp.

PP, can you afford driving to Vermont?

I second that. If you want decent skiing ( still eastern) , try Vermont. The most budget friendly is Smugglers Notch ski resort. It is not part of any passes, but more than west VA hills, and far better snow especially end of January early February..

The east coast has no snow. We have a family place in VT and were there over Christmas. It was very bleak. They are making snow on a few trails and the bunny slopes (when it’s not raining). If going wasn’t free, I’d be very upset to have spent money there. The mountain was empty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are drastically understating the Food cost. No one is feeding a family of 4-5 people, especially with kids or teens, 3 meals a day plus snacks on $500 for a week. You’re spending at least about double that.

+1
Even getting groceries costs 20-25% more than at home!

But if you're only budgeting for 20% more, $500 is plenty. That would mean the equivalent of a $2500 budget at home.

I suppose if it only includes a couple meals out. We only spend 1.3k/mo on groceries at home for 4 people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Breckenridge - April 2023 - $4500. We have military Epic Passes so that brings the cost down a lot. We get a condo (walking distance to slopes) and eat a lot of meals at condo.

Wow…cheap. How many in your group? For us to fly to Denver, for family of four, it’s about $2,800 ($750 for each RT fare). I don’t think we could do Break for less than $7500.

Two adults, one teen - this year is projected to be around $5100 because FCPS’s break is a week earlier and the condo price is higher. Our epics are somewhere around $159/season. The military price can’t be beat.

Really?!?! Where is that advertised? I have to see it to believe it. We have a condo at Breck and get the Epic Breck Local pass. This year it was $649 for an adult. We're on auto renew, so we're guaranteed the lowest price. We still manage to spend about 4k/trip with $0 for lodging and the adults own their own gear. We rent gear for 2 kids and the youngest does a few days of ski school. We eat most meals in the condo, a couple lunches on the hill, and maybe one dinner out. Yesterday lunch on the hill for 3 of us was $90! It was gyros that weren't hot enough, a bowl of chili, and cokes, nothing fancy. Coming back to the condo today for lunch. I am also baffled by the folks that spend $2500 for a week of lodging. I think to rent our place it's closer to $6k/wk, depending on the week (ski in/ski out).

https://investors.vailresorts.com/news-releases/news-release-details/202324-epic-passes-sale-now-offering-skiers-and-riders-best
They are no longer on sale for the current season - you need to buy them in the fall prior.

Wow!!! Awesome for you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live in Co now and spent $2k on 2 nights at cooper with lodging and food. We spent $80 for 4 pieces of pizza and fountain sodas at the lodge for lunch one day. Food prices are where they really gouge you.

2k is a lot for two nights- at least for me, but it’s the pizza and sodas that would get me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People are drastically understating the Food cost. No one is feeding a family of 4-5 people, especially with kids or teens, 3 meals a day plus snacks on $500 for a week. You’re spending at least about double that.

I exclude the cost of food when I calc trip cost. Ubers, checked luggage, air fare, rental car, accommodations, activities all count. If we stayed home, we would spend a lot on take-out so it’s a wash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Co now and spent $2k on 2 nights at cooper with lodging and food. We spent $80 for 4 pieces of pizza and fountain sodas at the lodge for lunch one day. Food prices are where they really gouge you.

2k is a lot for two nights- at least for me, but it’s the pizza and sodas that would get me.

Eh, we are on vacation. It is expensive to transport food to the mountain and then up the mountain. Do I text my mom and say "Guess how much a bacon cheeseburger is at Mid-Vail?". Absolutely! If you have an Epic pass, you do get 20% off food, so that helps.
We have a car and stop at Trader Joe's in Denver. Buy a lot of heat and eat stuff that we don't buy at home. We eat out one night, get pizza another, the other 3 nights are Orange Chicken, or other "5-ingredient dinners from Trader Joe's!" Lunch is a combo of on the mountain/leftovers from dinner. We pack kind bars, m&ms and other snacks from home.

[Anonymous]

It's crazy expensive even if you go cheap and Airbnb it (family of 4 $12K - $18K). It is some great skiing though so we go once a year.