How much did a ski trip cost your family?

[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 think it is worth it for 3 days of skiing if that is all you can manage (4-5 days is better). That usually means a 5 day trip total

[Anonymous]

We like deals in this family.

Family of 4, 3 skiers, going to Park City

Airport parking about $80
Flight to Salt Lake $425 + miles for the rest
Lift tickets $500 max for 5 days of skiing - Epic Pass $1,500 for 5 days
Food estimate $400 groceries, $60 * 5 = $300 for lunches on mountain. 2 * $80 for dinners = $160 > $860 total
Lodging $1,400 for 7 nights on points and deals for nice resort
ski/snowboards amortized cost for 3 is $75/year (cheaper to buy, pass down to younger sibling, then sell)
Uber $100 RT


Total $4,440

*cheap learn to ski programs during 4th and 5th grade so no lessons needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We like deals in this family.

Family of 4, 3 skiers, going to Park City

Airport parking about $80
Flight to Salt Lake $425 + miles for the rest
Lift tickets $500 max for 5 days of skiing - Epic Pass $1,500 for 5 days
Food estimate $400 groceries, $60 * 5 = $300 for lunches on mountain. 2 * $80 for dinners = $160 > $860 total
Lodging $1,400 for 7 nights on points and deals for nice resort
ski/snowboards amortized cost for 3 is $75/year (cheaper to buy, pass down to younger sibling, then sell)
Uber $100 RT


Total $4,440

*cheap learn to ski programs during 4th and 5th grade so no lessons needed.

A lot of your cost is reduced due to miles and points though so the cost above is not the true cost of your trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We like deals in this family.

Family of 4, 3 skiers, going to Park City

Airport parking about $80
Flight to Salt Lake $425 + miles for the rest
Lift tickets $500 max for 5 days of skiing - Epic Pass $1,500 for 5 days
Food estimate $400 groceries, $60 * 5 = $300 for lunches on mountain. 2 * $80 for dinners = $160 > $860 total
Lodging $1,400 for 7 nights on points and deals for nice resort
ski/snowboards amortized cost for 3 is $75/year (cheaper to buy, pass down to younger sibling, then sell)
Uber $100 RT


Total $4,440

*cheap learn to ski programs during 4th and 5th grade so no lessons needed.

A lot of your cost is reduced due to miles and points though so the cost above is not the true cost of your trip.

DP but yes it’s 2023 and everyone travels with miles and points. Is that a joke?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Vermont had a rough Christmas, but for most of November, had more snow than most resorts out west.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We like deals in this family.

Family of 4, 3 skiers, going to Park City

Airport parking about $80
Flight to Salt Lake $425 + miles for the rest
Lift tickets $500 max for 5 days of skiing - Epic Pass $1,500 for 5 days
Food estimate $400 groceries, $60 * 5 = $300 for lunches on mountain. 2 * $80 for dinners = $160 > $860 total
Lodging $1,400 for 7 nights on points and deals for nice resort
ski/snowboards amortized cost for 3 is $75/year (cheaper to buy, pass down to younger sibling, then sell)
Uber $100 RT


Total $4,440

*cheap learn to ski programs during 4th and 5th grade so no lessons needed.

A lot of your cost is reduced due to miles and points though so the cost above is not the true cost of your trip.

DP but yes it’s 2023 and everyone travels with miles and points. Is that a joke?

I’m the PP above and I actually am high tier for Marriott, car rentals, and have a credit card with lots of points.

Of course some people use miles and points but OP is asking for cost all in. She didn’t ask for “relative cost” with miles and points. And even if she did, there is such a wide variety and spread in miles and points for different airlines, times, locations, availability, etc…. that it would be very difficult to even replicate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Vermont had a rough Christmas, but for most of November, had more snow than most resorts out west.

How is northern Vermont (Burlington area/Stowe) for skiing in mid to late March?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Vermont had a rough Christmas, but for most of November, had more snow than most resorts out west.

How is northern Vermont (Burlington area/Stowe) for skiing in mid to late March?

Mid March can be awesome and is probably your best bet of any time during the season for good snow conditions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Vermont had a rough Christmas, but for most of November, had more snow than most resorts out west.

How is northern Vermont (Burlington area/Stowe) for skiing in mid to late March?

Mid March can be awesome and is probably your best bet of any time during the season for good snow conditions.

Agree. And don’t forget Bolton valley. Closer and cheaper than Stowe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Preach. We just spent 4 days in Vermont, not for free. It rained/dense fog for 3 of them. We skied 2 of those 3 days, which was okay but not fun. The 4th day it got cold and everything froze solid. About 30% of the runs were open and most had rocks and bare spots. The rain kept the crowds down but today was crowded with people who could not handle the ice. It’s the risk of early season skiing in New England but I think we are done with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We like deals in this family.

Family of 4, 3 skiers, going to Park City

Airport parking about $80
Flight to Salt Lake $425 + miles for the rest
Lift tickets $500 max for 5 days of skiing - Epic Pass $1,500 for 5 days
Food estimate $400 groceries, $60 * 5 = $300 for lunches on mountain. 2 * $80 for dinners = $160 > $860 total
Lodging $1,400 for 7 nights on points and deals for nice resort
ski/snowboards amortized cost for 3 is $75/year (cheaper to buy, pass down to younger sibling, then sell)
Uber $100 RT


Total $4,440

*cheap learn to ski programs during 4th and 5th grade so no lessons needed.

A lot of your cost is reduced due to miles and points though so the cost above is not the true cost of your trip.

DP but yes it’s 2023 and everyone travels with miles and points. Is that a joke?

Not me.

[Anonymous]

We loved skiing in Vermont. I liked that better than traveling to Colorado, and avoided the drama of flying post 9/11. The one time we did fly to Vermont, we encountered fierce turbulence and will never fly that route again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We loved skiing in Vermont. I liked that better than traveling to Colorado, and avoided the drama of flying post 9/11. The one time we did fly to Vermont, we encountered fierce turbulence and will never fly that route again.

Turbulence can occur anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Rockies:
Airfare 2200
Lift passes-we get a deal 800
Rentals 650
Condo 4200
Rental car 1400
Food and whatever other junk 2000?

[Anonymous]

Last year was Aspen for 2nd week in January. Two adults, one kid. Business class flights with some points, Suite @ Hotel Jerome, ski school, 1 adult ski lessons. We did have free breakfast through American Express but Dinners out every night. $35K total. Totally worth it but this place WILL get you- you have to pay attention to the prices otherwise it really adds up. Also, I noticed at a few "top" restaurants they really jack up the wine more than most places.