The 10 most-affordable ski spots in North America

by Katie Hammel on

Skiing, like polo and yachting, is a rich man’s(or woman’s) sport. The equipment is expensive, and in order to participate, you need to go to a specific place. In the case of skiing, this means paying ski lift fees and traveling to a pricey ski resort. The costs can add up and make it prohibitively expensive for less affluent ski enthusiasts.

But there are some less expensive ski resorts. Ski.com has put together a list of the top ten affordable ski spots in North America.

Keystone, near Denver, makes the list because of the many extras it offers, such as night skiing included with a lift ticket on the day of arrival, plus access to nearby resorts like Vail and Breckenridge. Steamboat in Colorado is on the list thanks to affordable ski-in/ski-out lodging and convenient shuttle services. And Winter Park, also in Colorado, is praised as catering to a “moderate demographic, no luxury properties.”

Whistler-Blackcomb, near Vancouver, is normally a very pricey destination. But in an attempt to lure visitors before the Olympics, it is offering some fantastic deals right now. Airfare to Vancouver can be expensive, depending on where you fly from, but you can save money by flying into Seattle and taking a train to Vancouver.

Jackson Hole (Wyoming), Banff(Alberta, Canada), and Lake Tahoe round out the western top ten with plentiful deals, discounts, and special offers that help keep prices low. On the east coast, Stowe(Vermont) and Lake Placid in New York offer excellent mid-week prices.

Last chance for Telluride deal closing in

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Circle October 30, 2009 on your calendar. Do it twice. That’s the date the Telluride Ski Resort 2009-2010 season pass sale closes – you have until Friday to lock in a savings of up to 50 percent. With plenty more people hitting the slopes this year, expect demand to be high, so you’d be out of your mind not to lock this in early.

To pick up the biggest win, buy a 4Pass, which cuts the season pass price in half at a cost of only $998 a person. And, if cash is tight, only half the amount is due up front. If you’re going solo, the price of a pass drops from $1,850 to $1,198 – still a pretty steep decline.

If you plan to spend a lot of time out at Telluride this year, jump on this deal – by Friday.

Skiers eager to return to Colorado slopes

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The travel market may be in the tank, but things are looking good for Vail Resorts. Season passes for their slopes were up 13 percent last month. Sure, some of the deals have probably helped, but the market has definitely changed over the past year. In 2008, travelers were feeling the fresh sting of the financial crisis, and job cuts were looming. Everyone became more cautious, because they didn’t know if they’d fall victim to the cruel lottery to come.

Now, it looks like the worst is behind us (though nobody can be sure), and we’re all looking for a little bit of relief. For skiers, this means biting the bullet, paying what’s necessary and hitting the powder. Mark Kelley, a 59-year-old skier and real estate broker from Denver put it best: “I have always gone skiing, even during difficult times.” He continued, “I am more inclined to cut down on my spending on the mountain than to not go skiing at all.”

Ski resorts are predicting an increase in bookings this season, thanks to eager skiers who were stuck at home in 2008. And, since flights are still fairly inexpensive, they hope to draw city-dwellers from across the country. Vail Resorts, which has five ski properties, is hoping they’ll succumb to their urges.

Robert Katz, the CEO of Vail Resorts, told Bloomberg News, “This year the economy is still struggling but there is more confidence that it’s not getting dramatically worse.” He explained, “The economic issues that we faced last year started right at the beginning of ski season and got worse until the end of the season.” Now that conditions have turned, he’s hopeful that skiers will end their hibernation.

Starwood Hotels, the third largest U.S. hotel company, reports an up-tick at its ski resorts from 2008, with its St. Regis Aspen Resort “pacing better” and holiday bookings “close to being filled,” according to K.C. Kavanagh, a company spokesperson. The Dakota Mountain lodge in Park City, Utah, a Hilton Waldorf Astoria property, is also looking good.

Meanwhile, the rest of the lodging industry continues to suffer, with occupancy in the United States down 57 percent through August this year, its lowest level since at least 1987.

Get married at Colorado’s Keystone Resort and get free season ski pass

by Katie Hammel on

Skiing couples looking to get married on a mountain should look into Keystone Resort in Colorado. Couples who host a wedding at the resort between November 30, 2009 and November 30, 2010 will receive complimentary passes for the 2010-2011 ski season.

In addition to months of free skiing, the Keystone Wedding Pass Promotion includes a free one-night resort stay with champagne and strawberries, the services of a dedicated wedding coordinator, discounted room rates for guests, and a special cake on the couple’s one year anniversary. There are several different packages to choose from. All include rental of chairs, tables, linens and serving ware, rehearsal space, and shuttle service around the resort for guests.

Multi-course dinners with open bar range from $75 to $150 per guest and there are all several venues available. Venues hold anywhere from 80 to 350 guests and include a majestic lodge overlooking the mountains or an intimate gourmet restaurant reached by gondola.

The resort opens for the season on November 6 and offers trails for skiers and snowboarders of all levels.

Pricing is out for Telluride ski season

by Tom Johansmeyer on

It’s hard to think about the slopes right now. The sun is beating down, and sweat is a part of daily life. But, there are a few people out there whose minds still drift to mountain tops and a chill in the air. Well, we just got a step closer to ski season: Telluride Ski Resort has announced its season pass rates for the coming winter. And, they’ll look pretty familiar. The resort has decided not to raise rates this year. In fact, you could spend less this year, depending on how you buy.

Four adults can purchase their season passes together during the annual Pass Sale and get an extra year’s reprieve. An individual will spend $1,198 for the full season, but if four get together, they can pay the 2007 rate of $988 a person. The only catch is that you need to do it between August 3, 2009 and October 30, 2009.

The savings is stretched even further when you realize that you get more for your money this year. Gold Hill Chutes 2-5 are opening this year, terrain that skiers have been dying to access, with chutes dropping 1,600 vertical feet. To “control the terrain,” as they say, the resort has enlisted the help of two WWII howitzers.

Take THAT, terrain!

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The resort‘s CEO, Dave Riley, says, “Our goal is to create attractive pass options for our core customers.” Yeah, the savings pretty much drives that message home. He continues, “With new terrain opening this year, and Revelation Bowl and Palmyra Peak opening the last two seasons, this is a wonderful opportunity to experience what Telluride has to offer.”

Are these just words? Well, when you consider that an single adult pass represents a savings of 35 percent relative to regular season prices, and the deal for four will cut the price almost in half, Riley’s putting his money where his mouth is.

Now, if only winter would hurry up and get here!