Saturday, November 1st, 2008
Ski Le$$ons
A guide to getting low prices at some of Colorado’s highest mountains.
By Gina DeMillo Wagner
A single-day lift ticket costs $100 at some Colorado ski resorts. Add gear rentals, lodging and overpriced cafeteria food, and it’s easy to think a simple ski vacation will break the bank. Not true. With a little research and the right tips, you can save hundreds of dollars and still enjoy a first class mountain getaway
1 Shop for four packs and buddy passes.
2 Buy a lesson/gear/lift ticket package.
3 Go off-peak. 4 Stay close to Denver.
5 Take a page from the ski bums’ handbook.
6 Go to Vail.
Lesson 1: Shop for four-packs and buddy passes.
IF YOU’RE TRAVELING from out of state, it can be tricky finding discounted lift tickets. If you know which resort you want to visit, contact the ticket office or guest services at least a week in advance and ask about bundles (usually four or more tickets at a reduced rate).
Web sites like www.skicoupons.com and www.getskitickets.com often have leads on discounted tickets. And, if you’re a serious mountain enthusiast, consider joining Mountain Sports Club of
North America (www.mountainsports.club.com): Basic membership is free, and you’ll get discounted lift tickets to dozens of resorts, as well as information on summer sports and activities.
Finally, call around to local retail stores that sell or rent ski and snowboard equipment. They may be offering coupons, four-packs or other discounts that you can’t find at the resorts. The important thing is not to be afraid to ask. Gas stations, grocery stores and clothing stores in Colorado all occasionally offer two-for-one resort coupons with your purchase.
Lesson 2: Buy a lesson/gear/lift ticket package.
SKI SCHOOL ISN’T just for kids. Most resorts offer adult packages that include a lesson, lift ticket and gear rental that totals much less than if you were to purchase them à la carte. Go to www.coloradoski.com, click on “resorts” and look under “learn to ski” for “deals.” Most major resorts offer deeply discounted rates for first-time and intermediate-level skiers and snowboarders. With Arapahoe Basin’s “Guarantee To Ski/Ride” package (www.arapahoebasin.com), for example, you get a season pass to Arapahoe Basin, three lessons and equipment rentals on the day of your lessons for less than $300. If you’re not skiing or riding on a blue square by the end of your third lesson, the resort gives you free lessons until you do.
Lesson 3: Go off-peak.
NOT TO BE confused with off-piste (the term for skiing un- marked slopes), off-peak refers to the less popular ski season days when the slopes are quieter and the resorts drop prices. Everything, from lodging to rentals, is cheaper when you go during off-peak times, such as midweek, early season (before Christmas) or late season (usually late March until closing). You’ll have to check the resort’s Web site to see when they offer off-peak prices. Arapahoe Basin and Loveland have been known to stay open into June in good years. Bonus: Some of the best skiing is in April, during “off-peak” days, when the weather is warm and the snow is still falling.
Lesson 4: Stay close to Denver.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO go deep into the mountains to find great skiing. Slopes near Denver offer all the majesty you expect from the Rockies.
ECHO MOUNTAIN: This brand-new resort just 40 minutes from Denver is a paradise for snowboarders and freestyle skiers. No celebrities here; it’s a down- to-earth mountain full of nat- ural and man-made features such as rails, jumps, pipes, trees and open slopes. Best of all, a season pass costs less than two lift tickets at Vail. www.echomtnpark.com
ELDORA: Perched just over an hour from Denver, Eldora is a favorite of families and locals who like to drive up, ski hard and be home in time for dinner. The resort offers the best cross-country skiing near Denver, plenty of downhill terrain, afford- able ski school packages and full-day lift tickets that cost about 60% of what bigger resorts charge. www.eldora.com
LOVELAND: Loveland is an easy stop off I-70, just east of the legendary Eisenhower Tunnel, which has the highest elevation of any vehicular tunnel in the country. A season pass here is one of the best values in the state when you consider that the resort usually opens in October and has been known to stay open into June. www.skiloveland.com
WINTER PARK RESORT: An hour and a half from Denver, Winter Park offers the experience of a big resort without the big prices. One lift ticket grants you access to several mountains, includ- ing Mary Jane, legendary for its moguls. The resort Web site offers deals on lodging and lift tickets. The best deal for out-of-towners is the “Transfour Pass,” which gives you four days for $199. The card is exchangeable among friends and family, with only one person per day allowed to use it. www.skiwinterpark.com
If you don’t feel like driving, Winter Park is famous for the Ski Train (www.skitrain.com). It departs from downtown Denver and drops you off at the base of the resort just after the lifts open for the day, then takes you back to Denver after the lifts close. Roundtrip tickets start at $50 per person. There’s a café on board, as well as plenty of room for your snow equipment. Best of all is the scenery along the way.
Lesson 5: Take a page from the ski bums’ handbook.
YOU MAY NOT have an old VW bus to sleep in and three jobs to pay for your season pass, but you can take a few pointers from the ski bums. These snow hounds know how to stretch their dollars in cushy ski towns. The easiest tip: Pack your lunch. A bowl of chili can cost you $10 at the lodge.
Feeling more adventurous? Try crashing on someone’s couch. Couchsurfing.com is a nonprofit network for travel enthusiasts who want to connect with and live like a local for a night or longer. Once you register, you can use the “couch search” feature to look for open guest rooms (or couches) in ski towns you want to visit. In exchange for a free place to sleep, you cook a meal for your host, wash dishes or offer your couch for them to crash on when they’re in your neck of the woods.
If that’s not your taste, check into one of the many hostels in Colorado ski towns. The Crested Butte International Lodge and Hostel (www.crestedbuttehostel.com; 888-389-0588), for example, is quiet and near shops, restaurants and bars.
A free shuttle bus stops at the hostel and takes skiers to the mountain. Rooms range from $25 (bunk style) to $110 (private family room), or you can rent one of the apartments for $175-$250 per night.
Lesson 6: Go to Vail.
VAIL HAS A reputation for being the biggest, the best—and the most expensive. No other mountain compares in size and variety of terrain, so skiers pay a premium. But you can still save a few dollars. A week before your trip, visit the Vail Web site (vail.snow.com) and buy your lift tickets through the PEAKS Rewards program, which allows you to buy discounted tickets at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone. You’ll earn points by purchasing food, ski lessons and equipment, which can be redeemed for free lift tickets or lessons. Best of all, you get a card that allows you to bypass the ticket window and hop on the lift. Now that’s high class.
Lodge for Le$$
The best places to find deals on resort stays are online.
VRBO.COM
Vacation Rentals By Owner is an online clearinghouse of condos, town homes and apartments you can rent for a single night or a whole week. Since the rentals are listed by the owners, there are no property management fees, so they’re often offered below the going rate. Sniff around the site and you’re sure to find a good deal.
SKITOWN.COM
This comprehensive resort guide includes links to hotels, B&Bs, condos and more. You can search according to available dates, location and desired rates.
DISCOVERCOLORADO.COM
Check the daily deals for discounted rentals at various resorts. Many of the specials sell out quickly, so jump on the good stuff when you see it. The site also offers deals on dining, spas and equipment rentals.
