January 20, 2010
Find a deal on lift tickets
by Tony Chamberlain/
It seems logical enough that during a serious recession like the one we’re in, our fave slopes would be thinned out just a bit. And that that would mean a better bargaining position for customers and lower prices.
While there are places where that’s happening — usually the flight destination places out West — New England, over the last season and so far this one, is seeing just the opposite effect: People who are staying of the Rockies in droves are piling up on local ski resorts around New England.
At the end of last season, I spent a day calling the New England resorts to try to get the threads of thinking behind the numbers. And while it wasn’t a banner year, it was much much better than expected, given the economy tanking.
The consensus is that, while there has been no expansion in the sport for decades, on a good season, people will come skiing and riding. It’s all about passion. In other words, snow conditions trump economics every time.
When planning a ski or board destination trip, remember that there is real competition out there, and that resorts deals will vary widely, as will the surrounding lodging. So, it pays to take time and shop. One very useful website is Liftopia.com, which has listed nearly 90 resorts with all the deals available.
As we might expect, the best deals are in the West, where discounting is nearing 20 percent. That goes also for the second-tier ski areas in the East, where the recession is most likely to be felt.
If there is one overarching rule to shopping in ski country, it is never buy retail. The lowest rung in chumpdom is reserved for any fool who would pay full price for a lift ticket. It’s bad enough that you’re going to pay seven bucks for that loaded potato at lunchtime and your kid has to have the triple-black-diamond T-shirt for $30.
When it comes to lift tickets, though, shop thoroughly and aggressively. Look for lift/lodging packages, look for two-for-one deals. There’s even one deal – at Saddleback in Rangely, Maine, where, if you can produce proof that if your kid made the honor roll, he or she gets a season pass for $49.
So there are deals to be had. When traveling west, check out the ski and travel packages. Instead of the Vails and Aspens, also check out the Coppers, Wolf Creeks and Mary Janes of the world. For some of those travel/ski packages, check out Expedia.com.
If you have family, remember there is very strong discounting for groups, and check out what the rate is for seniors, if you have gramps along, and how the discounting is done for younger kids.
Another tip that could work once a year: Instead of going to the resort during the highest-priced holiday vacations, see if you might pick a non-holiday period and take the long weekend. I would use these as rewards — “All 'A's gets you two days” was my motto, and we’d leave on a Thursday night and return Monday night. This felt like a full ski week, especially since the two weekdays gave us Bretton Woods, Cannon or Wildcat all to ourselves.
My rationale was — and still is — if your kids hold up their end of the bargain, the family experience of a good fat ski weekend is well worth missing a couple of days in class.
