Colorado – Colorado is the epicenter of the U.S. ski industry, which also means it is home to some egregiously high lift ticket prices.
Ski resorts like Breckenridge, Steamboat, and Vail feature pricey lift tickets to incentivize buying products like the Epic or Ikon Pass. If you walk up to the lift ticket window at Vail Mountain on January 11th, a day pass will cost $319. They can be cheaper by purchasing it online for that selected date ($285) or buying an Epic Day Pass in advance with the intention of skiing that date ($119 with restrictions on select dates, $140 unrestricted). However, the average tourist who doesn’t live and breathe the ski industry like you and I don’t know these hacks, leading to a pricey day on the slopes.
However, not all ski resorts in the Centennial State feature excessive lift ticket prices. Recently, various ski areas have announced discounts or price freezes on passes, a pivot away from lift tickets that cost a couple hundred dollars. Here are some recent examples of ski areas bucking the trend.
The first example is from Ski Cooper. Last week, Ski Cooper announced to John LaConte of Vail Daily that they are reducing their midweek lift ticket prices. This new price for Monday-Thursday ($45) is less than half what it cost last winter. Lift tickets will be the same price online and in-person, but purchasing online allows guests to load their RFID pass.
Ski Cooper’s spokesperson Dana Johnson explained the change as the result of “the strain of everyone’s financial obligations right now. We hope to relieve some of that strain for our guests so they can afford to enjoy the sports they love without the high price attached to it.”
Over on I-70, Loveland Ski Area has decided to freeze its lift ticket prices. Loveland announced last week to 9News that they were keeping lift ticket prices the same as they were last season. While $119 ($149 for peak winter) for a walk-up lift ticket is very pricey, it’s affordable considering what you would be paying if you went further west on I-70. Their 4-packs are the same price as last season: $269, or roughly $67. They also just became partners with our friends at the Indy Pass.
Like in previous seasons, Purgatory is offering discounted day tickets. If purchased ahead of time, lift tickets are priced as low as $9. Although the cheapest deals mostly center around early and late season, they are still a great value.
If you look further, smaller ski hills in the state offer pretty cheap lift ticket prices. Howelsen Hill, located near the ginormous Steamboat Resort, offers free skiing on Sundays. This deal allows locals to learn the sport without breaking the bank. On other days, lift tickets for North America’s oldest continuously operating ski hill are only $49.
These price changes are a great example of why you should ski Colorado, not Utah.*
Image/Video Credits: Loveland Ski Area, Vail, Ski Cooper, 9News, Purgatory Resort, Howelsen Hill, Colorado Ski Country USA
*This article was written by a former Utah resident who wants to reduce the traffic in the Cottonwood Canyons.
