How to Save Money on Skiing and Ski Vacations, and Some Questions to ask about your Lodging

Skiing is so much fun, and shouldn’t everyone have the opportunity to have this much fun in life? Yes, but it is so expensive, skiing. The gear, whilst a fraction of buying a new mountain bike, is expensive enough. Then you add lessons, passes, lodging, air or petrol for driving, parking (in many cases), overpriced junk food and you realize your fun vacation is over $2-3,000 per person. Even a weekend of skiing can add up quickly.

But there are ways to save money. Let’s explore!

Adult Ski Equipment

If you are new to skiing, you might want to try renting first. My caution to you is that renting the base level gear is probably not going to be the most fun experience. Whilst you don’t need high end gear, the boots will make or break you when it comes to skiing.

Some ski resorts rent the absolute bottom of the barrel equipment (some rent the best equipment!) You are going to have sore feet and have a difficult time learning. That is why I recommend buying your own boots. Or finding a seasonal rental if you plan to ski more than once in a year.

Know your foot, and try to find the boot that will work best for your foot size and shape. Are your feet narrow or wide? High or low volume? Are your toes square or more angled? Do you have a high arch or no arch? These are all important pieces of information for boot fitters. And do find a ski shop with actual boot fitters. Of course your resort should have a skilled boot fitter. But ask. Don’t assume.

Do not buy boots online that you have not tried on. Best to buy boots in a shop with a boot fitter. Some of the best Boot Fitters I have experienced are at Footloose Sports in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Why is this so important? Boots can be tweaked in many different ways. You can demo new boots before buying, which is basically renting. In many shops, your cost of demo will go towards a new pair of boots. This will save you money, because believe me, if you buy ill-fitting boots, you are going to have to buy a second pair, and a third pair and on until you find the right fit. Waste of time and money and fun.

Seasonal rentals are far more cost effective and you typically get much better/nicer/lighter equipment. Try Christy Sports in Utah, Sports Basement in the Bay Area and OC, and others.

Boots Over Skis

Buy boots before buying skis. You can always rent skis, and when you are starting out, you will need those beginner skis, but you might advance quickly, so if you decide to rent/demo rather than buy, you can try different skis before making a decision to purchase- and I recommend this after you are confidently skiing Intermediate Blue Runs.

Demo skis are a great way to find the perfect ski. Most larger resorts will offer demos, as will local shops. At some resorts you can ski a range of skis in one day. This is the absolute best way to try different types of skis. When you demo skis, you will receive that demo fee as a discount on your purchase.

You may also be able to find last year’s demo skis for a great price. These sales may happen at the end of the season in May or June, but sometimes there are a few pairs lying around, so be sure to ask!

Children’s Ski Equipment- From one season to the next, your child will need new gear, just like shoes and shirts, ski boots are skis are outgrown and quickly.

There are special programs for children’s ski equipment that allow you to buy and trade-in gear at the end of the season. Check out Sports LTD in Los Angeles. Other options include buying used from local gear exchanges or online or new and on sale from sites/shops like Evo.

Or try kid’s seasonal rentals, available in many shops including Evo as well as your local ski shop. Christy Sports in Utah.

Buy Season Passes Early
If you are reading this in October, the early buy is over. But plan ahead to next year and save up, because around March or April, you can purchase your season pass early. Do your research. Look for 4-pack deals where you can buy 4 day passes for a deep discount. Smaller resorts are going to have better prices. For example, Bridger Bowl in Bozeman, Montana has insane skiing, and is a fraction of the cost of Big Sky. Both offer extreme terrain but the experience will be different. A world class resort is going to cost a lot more, but the local ski hill might just be a better experience all around, and be more cost-effective.

Your Friends with Passes
If you have close friends with passes, they can also get you a discounted day pass. Don’t over-ask, but it’s worth asking as many people never use up their friends’ discount codes.

On the other side of this equation, if you are a pass holder, be generous with your discounts. Every bit helps when day passes are surpassing $250/day.

Become a Ski Instructor or Mountain Host
Some resorts, especially smaller ones, will teach you how to ski and teach. Bigger resorts typically require you to know how to ski well, but will train you. If you have any interest in becoming a ski instructor, reach out to me directly, or visit PSIA web site.
Many mountains will have a host program with fairly easy requirements to fulfill. Work a few hours a week, get a pass.

Lodging
What can I say here that you don’t already know? My advice is buy early. And make sure you will have easy access to the mountain. You want to have a shuttle, or be able to walk to the lifts. If not, you will have to drive and park. Parking can add cost, depending upon the resort. Make sure to ask questions when booking. These extra costs can add up fast and dig in to your budget.

Questions to ask when booking {these are especially important if you are at a resort like Mammoth Mountain in California where there are only a handful of true ski-in/ski-out homes}:

• Can I walk to the chair lift? How long will it take? {If you have children, will the children be able to walk comfortably?}

• Does the resort charge for parking? How far will I have to walk for the free parking?

• What advice can you give me for getting to the lodge/chairlift?

• How far are the restaurants from the space? Will I need to drive or is it walkable? Is there a shuttle that runs during dinner? What about grocery stores?

• What is the best place to store my skis? Lockers at the hotel/condo/home? Lockers in the lodge? Is there room in the condo/hotel/home for all our equipment?

Lessons
Booking a higher level group ski lesson can sometimes lead to a small group or even a default private lesson. While I think private lessons are the best investment, it’s a steep investment at most resorts {north of $1,000 for a full day.} Some resorts, such as Mammoth Mountain, offer a 1 hour- early bird lesson. That might be better than a group lesson for 2-3 hours. Honestly, having an instructor one-on-one with whom you interact is so much better than being in a group. So if you have the chance, book a private, and to save money, book that one-hour early bird.

If you are a first timer, I highly highly recommend finding a mountain that offers a free first timer lesson or go to a smaller local resort to take your first timer lesson before taking lessons at the big resort.

Also, of course, sign up for my online ski school and get as much practice in as possible before hitting the snow. It will make a huge difference! We focus on movements that you will need to make whilst skiing. If you have those movements memorized, your muscle memory, then your first time skiing will be so much better, trust me!

I am so excited for ski season, y’all! Let’s goooooo!

namaste,
~Tonya

Tonya is a PSIA Alpine Level 2 Certified Ski Instructor, AASI Level 1 Snowboard Instructor and Children’s Specialist. She is a certified Dharma + Spiritual Life Coach, Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, MBA and former professional cyclist. She practices and coaches using yoga and Ayurveda principles. Follow along for more like this.