Industry News
When considering a last-minute ski trip to ring in Christmas and New Year, there are several factors to keep in mind before pulling the trigger. Housing accommodations could be booked up, but there is a good chance you will always be able to find a vacation home or hotel. Restaurant reservations may be hard to come by. However, you can always try your luck walking in or finding another option. The one unavoidable element in the equation is the absurd cost of single-day, walk-up holiday lift tickets.
With the holidays upon us, major ski resorts all across the United States are preparing to accommodate millions of visitors. If you are planning to be one of those visitors but made this last-ditch effort on a whim, you should know what you are getting into regarding the price of purchasing a single-day lift ticket at the resort.
Here are some of the highest prices throughout the country.
California
- Heavenly: $283
- Mammoth: $259
- Northstar: $294
- Palisades: $289
Colorado
- Aspen: $264
- Beaver Creek: $329
- Steamboat: $299
- Vail: $329
Utah
- Snowbasin: $219
- Powder Mountain: $239
- Deer Valley: $319
- Park City: $328
Other
- Mt. Bachelor: $224
- Sun Valley: $255
- Big Sky: $272
- Jackson Hole: $269
Other (east coast)
- Killington: $199
- Sugarbush: $195
- Okemo: $207
- Stowe: $239
These numbers show the value of purchasing a season or multi-day pass or buying in advance online. At the rates listed above, a season pass could essentially be “paid off” after just four days on the mountain. Mega-passes like Epic, Ikon, Indy, and Mountain Collective offer different price points, resort accessibility, and perks. Unfortunately, they also either sell out or stop selling passes early in the season.
With inflation on the rise, the price of a day of skiing has also increased dramatically, especially during a busy holiday weekend. So, if you are spending hundreds on a last-second-lift ticket, do yourself a favor; pack a lunch, maybe some car beers, and your own water and snacks to start the new year with a couple of extra bucks in your pocket.
You should do a follow-up on prices even with a multi-resort pass. One of the “benefits” of my Epic Tahoe Value pass is half-price lift tickets at Okemo. I’ve been running in circles for two months trying to buy said half-price tickets to Okemo. Differing responses from all sorts of people at Vail Resorts. Finally, after communicating with a half-dozen people over two months, got the answer that this “benefit” only applies to tickets bought at the window at walk-up rate.
Well crap, if they’d have told me that two months ago I would have bought a different pass in the first place. Or bought an Epic day pass for less two months ago. Or, if I was smart, I would have planned to go to a different (non-Vail) resort. Fool me once….next year Ikon or Indy.
Whistler/Blackcomb $299 cad to ski on rocks