What It Costs To Ski At Vail With A Family Of Four
Family ski trips in North America, particularly to "major" destinations, aren't cheap these days—this much is known.
However, if you haven't recently skied at a resort like, say, Vail, Colorado, comprehending just how pricy things have gotten might be difficult.
This recent Reddit post, shared by a father in a family of four, should put things in perspective.
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In case you're just here for the big number, here it is. This family of four spent $9,433.48 for three days of skiing at Vail.
These are the totals for each spending category recorded by the father:
Equipment (includes rentals): $1,035.87
Food: $743.10
Lift tickets: $900.95
Lodging: $3,331.76
Other: $385.19
Ski school: $876.00
Transportation: $2,160.61
Ultimately, the father came to the skiing Subreddit—a message board that facilitates online discussion—for help. "I can't afford to go every year at this price," he wrote. "Is there any way I could get this total to around $5k?"
The first reply noted an oft-analyzed divide between North American and European ski resorts. On our side of the pond, skiing seems to be much more expensive. "I'm positive you can go ski in the Alps next year for less than this," the Redditor wrote.
This Redditor's probably right, particularly if you're flying to the hill either way. A day lift ticket at Verbier 4 Vallées, Switzerland, costs $86 (that's in USD). At Vail, a day ticket costs $269 right now (Vail's lift ticket prices vary day by day).
Of course, in an era ruled by mega-passes, you're not supposed to buy lift tickets at North American ski resorts. Opting instead for the Ikon, Indy, or Epic pass of your choosing will dramatically reduce the cost of skiing, but the point remains: skiing in Europe, as long as you can stomach flights, is cheaper.
A few other factors inflated the price of the vacation. The entire family rented gear and the kids spent multiple days in lessons. The family didn't drive, flying from Atlanta directly to Eagle County Airport near Vail.
And, speaking of flying, ski town airports, as opposed to airports in major urban centers, cost much more to fly into. Costs could've been cut by flying into Denver, Colorado, and taking a shuttle to Vail.
However, there were some successful attempts to bring expenses down. The father rented a Prius, which, in his words, was the "cheapest car I could find." The family only ate out together three times, opting to usually pack snacks instead of dining on expensive slopeside food.
While you can talk about cost-saving minutiae til the cows come home, the greatest factor in this story might've been the decision to ski at Vail in the first place. "You picked to go to a Rolex boutique of a ski resort," another commenter noted.
It's true. Vail, by design, is for the upper crust. The skiable terrain is vast (the back bowls, baby), and the amenities are nearly endless. However, that means you're going to pay a premium that you might not elsewhere.
Where is that "elsewhere," exactly? Any number of smaller resorts throughout North America and Colorado have more affordable lodging and skiing, and, as an added benefit, they might be within driving distance of wherever you live. Flying almost always makes skiing more expensive.
Here's some semblance of a takeaway. A family ski vacation, even as the cost of skiing skyrockets, doesn't need to cost nearly $10,000 (even at Vail). There are ways to trim the fat off your latest trip and make skiing semi-affordable, provided you're not married to the idea of skiing at a destination resort. I'll say this much: Google is your friend (keywords: "cheap skiing").
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