US lift & Ski Schol Pricing horrendous.

[Iain Miller]

Was thinking about going to Heavenly (Lake Tahoe) Late Dec/Early Jan (added
on to a visit to my in-laws in Southern California over Xmas) so I've been
working out a few figures. Two 5 day adult lift passes and two kids in Ski
School for 5 days it will cost over $1550 - well over £1000.

Add to that the cost of ski hire (for the adults) accomodation, food,
travel etc etc & I think they can keep it.

The cost of the equivalent (Lift passes & Ski school) in Austria is a bit
more than half that figure. I checked Squaw & Mammoth & their prices seem to
be no better.

Skiing in the States is just getting too expensive - seemingly bordering on
a rip off in comparison to European prices - unless anyone can recommend a
cheaper way ......

I.

[Terry Morse]

Iain Miller wrote:

> Was thinking about going to Heavenly (Lake Tahoe) Late Dec/Early Jan (added
> on to a visit to my in-laws in Southern California over Xmas) so I've been
> working out a few figures. Two 5 day adult lift passes and two kids in Ski
> School for 5 days it will cost over $1550 - well over £1000.

A "slightly restricted" season pass to Heavenly is $299, which
includes 5 additional lift tickets to Vail Inc's Colorado areas.
Assuming just seven days of skiing at Heavenly, that's less than $25
per lift ticket.

The "blackout" dates for the season pass are the holidays, which
includes the week after Christmas. The non-restricted pass is $498.

http://www.skiheavenly.com/skiing_riding/lift/seasonpass/
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://www.terrymorse.com/ski/

[Iain Miller]

"Terry Morse" > wrote in message
...
> Iain Miller wrote:
>
> > Was thinking about going to Heavenly (Lake Tahoe) Late Dec/Early Jan
(added
> > on to a visit to my in-laws in Southern California over Xmas) so I've
been
> > working out a few figures. Two 5 day adult lift passes and two kids in
Ski
> > School for 5 days it will cost over $1550 - well over £1000.
>
> A "slightly restricted" season pass to Heavenly is $299, which
> includes 5 additional lift tickets to Vail Inc's Colorado areas.
> Assuming just seven days of skiing at Heavenly, that's less than $25
> per lift ticket.
>
> The "blackout" dates for the season pass are the holidays, which
> includes the week after Christmas. The non-restricted pass is $498.
>
> http://www.skiheavenly.com/skiing_riding/lift/seasonpass/
> --
> terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://www.terrymorse.com/ski/

Thanks for that, the figures I had for a 5 day pass were actually slightly
lower than these - its the $500+ for each of the kids in Ski school thats
the killer!

Also your maths is a bit off ;-). A $300 pass would equate to $25 a day for
12 days use. For the 5 days we want its $60 a day. By comparison, a 5 day
pass in Austria is almost exactly half the price.

rgds

I.

[Johannes]

Hi

On Fri, 5 Sep 2003 02:23:04 +0100, "Iain Miller" >
wrote:

>Skiing in the States is just getting too expensive - seemingly bordering on
>a rip off in comparison to European prices - unless anyone can recommend a
>cheaper way ......

Differnt is: at the US ski the rich, at europe the masses.
I made Last Season a daytrip to Zermatt. (Iwas at resort nearby). I
hear a US Boy talking with someone. He said this trip to Zermatt is
cheaper than a trip to Colorado. And Zermatt is one of the expensivst
resort at Switzerland.

Johannes Müller

[terry morse]

"Iain Miller" > wrote in message >...
> "Terry Morse" wrote:
> >
> > A "slightly restricted" season pass to Heavenly is $299, which
> > includes 5 additional lift tickets to Vail Inc's Colorado areas.
> > Assuming just seven days of skiing at Heavenly, that's less than $25
> > per lift ticket.
>
> Thanks for that, the figures I had for a 5 day pass were actually slightly
> lower than these - its the $500+ for each of the kids in Ski school thats
> the killer!

All day ski school can be expensive.

> Also your maths is a bit off ;-). A $300 pass would equate to $25 a day for
> 12 days use.

Actually, it's $299 for 12 days, or $24.92 per day.

>For the 5 days we want its $60 a day. By comparison, a 5 day
> pass in Austria is almost exactly half the price.

No doubt about it, Austria is cheaper. Even Alta, UT is $42 per day.
If you're looking for inexpensive skiing in the Tahoe area, bookmark
this web page:

http://www.slidingonthecheap.com/deals/

This is the bible for lift ticket discounts. I ski at Sugar Bowl and
never pay more than $35 per day.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://www.terrymorse.com/bike/

[Iain Miller]

> > > A "slightly restricted" season pass to Heavenly is $299, which
> > > includes 5 additional lift tickets to Vail Inc's Colorado areas.
> > > Assuming just seven days of skiing at Heavenly, that's less than $25
> > > per lift ticket.
> >
> > Thanks for that, the figures I had for a 5 day pass were actually
slightly
> > lower than these - its the $500+ for each of the kids in Ski school
thats
> > the killer!
>
> All day ski school can be expensive.

So it seems - but I don't see why it should be nearly 3 times the price it
is in Europe.

If you're looking for inexpensive skiing in the Tahoe area, bookmark
> this web page:
>
> http://www.slidingonthecheap.com/deals/
>

Thanks for that - there isn't anything on there for 2003/4 yet & besides,
most of the "offers" tend to exlude the holiday periods

When you add it all up & add in Accomodation, food & Adult ski hire, 5 days
skiing at Heavenly would cost something approaching $3000 for a family of
4 - which is way way too expensive & doesn't include any travelling costs.

rgds

I.

[InMyTree]

Lift tickets and probably lessons (I've never take them so I don't really
know) are more expensive in the US, however, equivilant class accomodation
and price for other things such as ski hire or just general expenses seem to
be a lot lower.. overall, a week's package ski holiday in the US only works
out slightly more than a weeks holiday to Austria (from the UK).. not bad
going really..

"Iain Miller" > wrote in message
...
> Was thinking about going to Heavenly (Lake Tahoe) Late Dec/Early Jan
(added
> on to a visit to my in-laws in Southern California over Xmas) so I've
been
> working out a few figures. Two 5 day adult lift passes and two kids in Ski
> School for 5 days it will cost over $1550 - well over £1000.
>
> Add to that the cost of ski hire (for the adults) accomodation, food,
> travel etc etc & I think they can keep it.
>
> The cost of the equivalent (Lift passes & Ski school) in Austria is a bit
> more than half that figure. I checked Squaw & Mammoth & their prices seem
to
> be no better.
>
> Skiing in the States is just getting too expensive - seemingly bordering
on
> a rip off in comparison to European prices - unless anyone can recommend a
> cheaper way ......
>
> I.
>
>
>

[Iain Miller]

>
> Thought about Western Canada at all? Just a few hours from South Cali by
> plane. Remember to convert from Canadian $, its much cheaper.
>
> http://www.silverstarmtn.com/
>
> http://www.sunpeaksresort.com
>
> http://www.skifernie.com/
>
> Avoid Whistler or Banff, same as the US, expensive and crowded.

Thanks for that, I'll give it a look but it may price itself out on the cost
of actually getting there from Sothern California

To recap we will be staying with my in-laws in Sothern California. The
ridiculous fact is that it would be more expensive for us to drive up to
Tahoe or Mamoth (using a borrowed vehicle so only paying for Gas) & stay for
6 nights and ski for 5 days than it would be to take a completely seperate
trip to Austria for a week later on in the season (including flights from
the UK etc).

I.

[n g]

Iain Miller > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for that, I'll give it a look but it may price itself out on the
cost
> of actually getting there from Sothern California
>
> To recap we will be staying with my in-laws in Sothern California. The
> ridiculous fact is that it would be more expensive for us to drive up to
> Tahoe or Mamoth (using a borrowed vehicle so only paying for Gas) & stay
for
> 6 nights and ski for 5 days than it would be to take a completely
seperate
> trip to Austria for a week later on in the season (including flights from
> the UK etc).
>

Stupid, isn't it? And they still don't understand why skier days are down...

Get your inlaws to check what travel packages are available to BC. You can
fly to a major airport like Kelowna or Kamloops and get a resort shuttle to
the mountain in most cases. I ride the lift almost everyday with someone
from Washington state or thereabouts who tells me its cheaper (and better)
to ski & stay in BC than it is to ski at home.