There is no getting around the fact that skiing is expensive.
A trip to the slopes for a family of four complete with lift tickets, gas, food, gear rentals and a lesson or two and your seven hours on the slopes can easily cost more than a three-credit course at Pierce College ($289) or a monthly lease payment on a 2011 Acura TSX ($299).
The good news: There are plenty of ways to avoid paying full price. Here are nine ways to save money on the slopes this winter:
SKI FREE – FOR A WEEK. Easily the Northwest’s best ski deal, 49 Degrees North offers a week of free skiing at the end of each season. Toyota sponsors the free event, April 2-8 this season, designed to get more people interested in the sport. The ski area on Chewelah Peak about 60 miles north of Spokane also has a free day of skiing Feb. 24. It’s a long drive (six hours from Tacoma), but a couple of days of free skiing will easily cover your expenses. Local lodging ranges from no-frills spots such as The Nordlig Motel (rooms start at $51 per night, 509-935-6704) to places with more accoutrements such as the Mountain View Lodge ($129 per night, 509-935-0707).
EDGE CARDS. The exchange rate isn’t likely to save you a penny when you buy a $96 lift ticket at Whistler Blackcomb this season, but an Edge Card will. Get a card at whistlerblackcomb.com before Nov. 21 and your lift ticket will range from $73 for one day to $62 per day for 10 days. After using your pre-purchased days, you can buy lift tickets at a discounted rate ($53-$79 depending on the time of year). The card also makes you eligible for discounts on lessons, rentals, merchandise, lodging and other activities. Only Washington and Canadian residents can purchase Edge Cards.
GET A JOB. One of the best ways to ski for free is to work or volunteer at a ski area. Whether flipping burgers in the lodge, shoveling snow, working as a liftie or directing traffic in the parking lot, free lift tickets are a standard job perk. Even ski and snowboard instructors for private companies often score free or deeply discounted tickets.
BE A FIFTH-GRADER. In an attempt to introduce more children to skiing and snowboarding Mount Baker allows as many as two fifth-graders to ski free with a paying adult. Visit mtbaker.us for an application and more information.
STAY OVERNIGHT. Most ski areas will cut you a discount on lift tickets – often 10 percent or more – if you stay at a local hotel as part of your trip. Mission Ridge offers discounts for those staying in hotels in Wenatchee and Leavenworth.
WARREN MILLER. If you shell out $10-13 to watch movies such as “Green Lantern” and “Transformers” you won’t be too bothered by the $21 price tag for a screening of Warren Miller’s latest ski flick. “Like There’s No Tomorrow” doesn’t have a recognizable plot either, but it’s not supposed to. Watch some of the best skiers in the world do their thing and leave with vouchers for free and two-for-one lift tickets and other deals. The final South Sound screening for the 62nd Warren Miller movie is Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. at Auburn’s Performing Arts Center.
MILITARY DISCOUNTS. Many ski areas offer military discounts. At Crystal Mountain you can purchase vouchers online good for $55 lift tickets (instead of $65). Militarymerits.com offers discounts for military families to several ski areas including Mission Ridge, Oregon’s Timberline Lodge and Vancouver’s Cypress Mountain. Stevens Pass offers $12 off weekday rates and $7 off on weekends.
GEAR LEASES. You can pay $30 per day or more to rent skis at a resort and buying gear doesn’t always make sense for growing kids. However, at the Summit at Snoqualmie you can rent gear for the entire season for $79 for children 6 and younger, $99 for youth 7-12 and $119 for those 13 and older.
LEARNING PACKAGES. For first-timers 12 and older, the Summit offers three days of group lessons, lift tickets and equipment rentals for $119. White Pass has the same deal for $125, but also offers a $115 version for those 5-12 years old. For those 11 and older, Crystal Mountain has a similar package with longer lessons for $185.
NIGHT SKIING. One of the easiest ways to save money is to ski at night. A night pass typically gets you six-seven hours of skiing for a fraction of the price of a day pass. A night pass at the Summit at Snoqualmie is $39 while a day pass is $59. A night pass is $40 ($22 less than a day pass) at Stevens Pass. White Pass is $20 at night compared to a $58 day pass.
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