 Poster: A snowHead
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Getting back to the topic of US lift prices, I have just been skiing today at Bridger Bowl in Montana, and the turn up on the day ticket price was $54, which is pretty good value by US standards. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Lechbob wrote: |
| Capitalism may be an alien concept in UK where everything is expected to be provided by government who have an infinite source of borrowed funds. |
UK public debt is 90% of GDP. USA federal debt is 80% https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_debt which does not include state or city debt which can be substantial e.g. Detroit and San Bernardino filing for bankruptcy.
Facts can be a bummer.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Alastair Pink, nice, how was it ? I wished we had spared a day to go when skiing Big Sky last year but things were tight really. Next time we will definitely spare a day.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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As said above, if you go to the US you need to plan ahead for lower cost flights and lift tickets.
We are heading out to Colorado today but bought our lift tickets months ago......$530 for a season pass.....so we are heading out there again in March.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Jake43,
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Still a pain to us folk who have paid through the nose to be in huge queues at weekend because the snow is good and all the locals come up for the day. Cousin thinks it is funny when she shows me her local rate cost.
I know they have to get a base of cash up front (Note- they get my money same time as you with the early bird discounts) but still think it is too much out of kilter
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Reminds me of season tickets on the railways! When I have to travel to London it costs me £55 return. Those people with season tickets are doingt eh same journey for £10. That's less than 8p a mile. Now a discount for being a frequent traveller is one thing, but an 82% discount? And my God do the season ticket holders moan!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| dogwatch wrote: |
| Lechbob wrote: |
| Capitalism may be an alien concept in UK where everything is expected to be provided by government who have an infinite source of borrowed funds. |
UK public debt is 90% of GDP. USA federal debt is 80% https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_debt which does not include state or city debt which can be substantial e.g. Detroit and San Bernardino filing for bankruptcy.
Facts can be a bummer. |
Yes socialist extravagance has crossed the pond, Obamacare......next the U.S. will being paying another 50% in taxation to match the UK's disincentive to work to fund freeloaders.
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| Bones wrote: |
| Alastair Pink, nice, how was it ? I wished we had spared a day to go when skiing Big Sky last year but things were tight really. Next time we will definitely spare a day. |
Very nice! Good snow, wide pistes with very few people on them compared to European resorts, and some nice runs with trees either side. The only downside was that it was very cold and there was a fair amount of wind which you really felt on the chairlifts as they were fairly slow with no bubble canopies. (Oh, and of course the chairlifts have no safety bars either, which I'm OK with as I've been to US resorts before, but it might prove a bit of a surprise to Brit skiers for the first time! lol)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Skiing in America just isn't in the same league as Europe imo.I enjoyed it but it was inferior in pretty much every way.
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Amazing powder, virtually no lift lines, empty pistes, lifties who do an amazing job, ski patrol keeping idiots off the mountains and families safe, resturent staff who give great service...... This is what you get in America.
How anyone says it doesn't compare is beyond me.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| FullyTucked wrote: |
| Skiing in America just isn't in the same league as Europe imo.I enjoyed it but it was inferior in pretty much every way. |
@FullyTucked, are you a troll or just ignorant?
Skiing in North America brings many things that typical Alpine resorts don't offer. Skiing in Alpine resorts brings many things that typical North American resorts don't offer. Both types of skiing have their own merits and demerits. To brush aside an entire continent's skiing as 'inferior in pretty much every way' puts you in the Donald Trump school of utterly non-critical thinking.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
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Trees..... What's so great about having trees? Something to run into and something to provide tree wells. Otherwise, what's the advantage? A bit more visual contrast on a duff weather day but that's about it
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@foxtrotzulu, trees are great when the weather closes in, but that's not the main reason that I love tree skiing so much.
On a piste, or even on an open mogul field, you can pretty much turn wherever you want. With trees, you have to follow the line of the mountain and turn where the hill dictates. Many tree lines are skied pretty regularly and develop stunningly large moguls, as the same line gets skied all season with no opportunity to bash out the irregularities. The combination of huge, steep moguls and little freedom to choose where you turn presents a fantastic technical challenge to an upper intermediate skier like me and I find it enormous fun to grapple with that challenge.
If you love to make big, fast, effortless turns with a disengaged mind (don't we all sometimes?), tree skiing isn't for you. But, if you get a chance, you should try it some time - you might surprise yourself.
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| Bones wrote: |
Tend to ski North America most years, if you compare total costs we find its not much different. 4x4 rental pushes the price but worth it imho. |
How can that possibly be true?
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You know it makes sense.
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| Bones wrote: |
Tend to ski North America most years, if you compare total costs we find its not much different. 4x4 rental pushes the price but worth it imho. |
How can that possibly be true? |
Sorry Frosty I should have been more specific, I meant excluding the vehicle hire tbh. But we find for us its invaluable these days.
The rest is through savvy searching, negotiating etc. Flights are the most expensive obviously, rooms are cheaper, eating out generally cheaper. Deals can be had on lift tickets.
We don't tend to stop for a decent large lunch as such, as its not needed after breakfast we find.
In previous years the exchange rate has been better than this, so helps. If we were heading to Canada this time it would be cheaper as its 2-1 again. But decided to put that trip off until next season. Last year our daily total spend worked out about £130 pp. excuding the 4x4 hire - another £550 inc. full tank of fuel. That was skiing Utah, Wyoming and Montana Seeing the wolves and Bison too, was a bonus.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| Bones wrote: |
Tend to ski North America most years, if you compare total costs we find its not much different. 4x4 rental pushes the price but worth it imho. |
How can that possibly be true? |
We almost always price up a European and a North American trip and the prices are typically very close for DIY travel.
We have to travel in school holidays, which significantly adds to the cost in Europe, and we're not prepared to put up with French nonsense like beds in the hallway so we have to ignore much of the cheaper accommodation. We also like to ski off piste, so need a guide in Europe but not in North America.
This year at Easter was typical. The all-in cost at Whistler including passes, food, accommodation, transfers, ski hire, etc was about £80 more per person than Val d'Isere, a trivial difference on a total cost of more than £1K per person. The Whistler accommodation was much nicer, too.
We chose Val, but not because of price - I was a little worried about snow certainty in Whistler late in the season.
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Poster: A snowHead
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In contrast to the reasonably priced lift tickets at Bridger Bowl I mentioned previously, on the way back to Denver I called into Steamboat Springs for an afternoon's half day skiing. This cost $105 from 12:15 (the full day ticket would have been $149!!). I'm glad that I've had the chance to ski there ( it's a great ski area), but at those prices I don't think I'll be returning soon!
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FAQ
Slow chairs are good, keeps the slopes empty, and I know a lot don't have safety bars - no problem.
