Increasing Access to Skiing and the Mountains

[tomahawkins]

What are some cool things your local areas are doing to help lower income (future) skiers get into the mountains and on the slopes?

Here in Bellingham, WA, Mt Baker offers a free rope tow everyday and a discounted beginner lift ticket (i.e. Chair #7 on a White Salmon only day, which IMHO gets you some of the best terrain on the mountain). They also run their 5th Grade Ride Free Program every year, giving free season passes to all 5th graders. And the Komo Kids and Winter Ride Programs, supporting kids from 7 years old to high school.

I'm curious what other mountains are doing and how well these programs are received.

 

[newboots]

IIRC, when Vail took over Okemo a children's program (making it more accessible; I don't remember the details) was nixed.

They also nixed the Senior/Midweek pass, which was quite inexpensive, but the uproar caused them to change their mind. For awhile, you couldn't sign up for it on the website because it couldn't be found there! Now the Epic pass has such an option, anyway.

 

[Mister Tea]

In northern lower Michigan. Boyne Mountain, Boyne Highlands, and Nubs Nob all have a free beginner area. The magic carpets and one chair that services the easy terrain at each area are free to everyone.

"Hey, kids. Give it a try. The first one's free."

There's also the Petoskey Winter sports park that has a free rope tow.
Last I looked at the Summit Village at Shanty Creek, lift tickets were something like nine dollars. The "big" hill has a midweek season pass for $159
Snowsnake was under ten bucks the last time I looked.
Cabefae (aka THE MIGHTY C) had a Sunday afternoon deal of $40 for a family of four. Not sure if they still do that, but a midweek pass is $179.
Even the "destination resorts" can be cheap around here.. I buy a midweek pass at Boyne Highlands for $240. Last season that worked out to less than $8/day.

It's no wonder that the industry calls the resorts around here "feeder hills". Meanwhile, you can pay upwards of $100/day to ski a 500' vertical hill. Go figure.

 

[tomahawkins]

For gear Bellingham has the Komo Kulshan Ski Club Ski Swap, which starts today.

 

[Mister Tea]

And in the category of "get them hooked when they are young" the leader in the clubhouse is Mulligan's Hollow.

Lift tickets are $20 on weekends.

Adults ski free with children.

Yes, you heard that right.

Rates – Mulligan's Hollow

 

[Bad Bob]

In the Inland NW Lookout Pass has had a free ski school for kids for a very long time. Rock on Lookout Pass.
My Speed Bump, 49° North, has a good deal for all beginners. 3 all day lift tickets, 3 days of rental, and 3 group lessons for $100. No age limits on this one. Think it costs me more than that to teach part time there.

 

[Wilhelmson]

We always have our small hills with good prices or deals.

The best family deal at least was Bretton Woods. Kids get free season passes with a seasonal rental. Lodging used to be inexpensive maybe not now.

 

[4ster]

Snowbasin used to have the “Learn & Earn” program: 5 lessons, equipment & beginner lifts for entry level skiers at a very reasonable cost. Full season pass for the rest of the season once they complete the course. There wasn’t much if any profit margin but definitely built some loyalty.
I believe the program is still in place but not in its original form.

 

[raisingarizona]

For most lower income families and young single folks skiing just isn’t going to be on the top of their list for activities. It’s an expensive pia!

if I hadn’t grown up skiing since I was 10 at the local rope row hill that was 5 miles up the road I sure has hell wouldn’t try to get into the sport as an adult. There’s plenty of fulfilling outdoor activities that aren’t nearly as expensive and all consuming the way skiing is. Even if you have 20 dollar lift tickets everything else it takes to go skiing can break the bank for people already barely keeping their heads above water.

Besides, ski areas are already way too crowded. The experience is dwindling so much that the price tag is no longer worth it. I’d much rather go hiking somewhere away from crowds then stand in lift lines to ski dangerously crowded ski runs.

 

[Wasatchman]

Snowbasin used to have the “Learn & Earn” program: 5 lessons, equipment & beginner lifts for entry level skiers at a very reasonable cost. Full season pass for the rest of the season once they complete the course. There wasn’t much if any profit margin but definitely built some loyalty.
I believe the program is still in place but not in its original form.

Learn and earn is an insane deal. Best deal that I know of in Utah. I think they capped the number for people that can sign up for it because it is becoming so popular.

 

[Wasatchman]

For most lower income families and young single folks skiing just isn’t going to be on the top of their list for activities. It’s an expensive pia!

if I hadn’t grown up skiing since I was 10 at the local rope row hill that was 5 miles up the road I sure has hell wouldn’t try to get into the sport as an adult. There’s plenty of fulfilling outdoor activities that aren’t nearly as expensive and all consuming the way skiing is. Even if you have 20 dollar lift tickets everything else it takes to go skiing can break the bank for people already barely keeping their heads above water.

Besides, ski areas are already way too crowded. The experience is dwindling so much that the price tag is no longer worth it. I’d much rather go hiking somewhere away from crowds then stand in lift lines to ski dangerously crowded ski runs.

Yeah, I got my friend into skiing 20 years ago and he now has kids. He's deciding if he should get his kids into skiing and asked my advice. I told him as much as I love the sport it's not a no brainer for me to recommend it anymore given cost, risk, and crowds. I gave him what I think were the pros and cons and I think he has decided he will pursue other winter activities with his kids.

 

[Philpug]

I told him as much as I love the sport it's not a no brainer for me to recommend it anymore given cost, risk, and crowds. I gave him what I think were the pros and cons and I think he has decided he will pursue other winter activities with his kids.

That truly is a shame. Yes, the industry is at a bit of crossroads in it's growth and next phase but you had a great opportunity to be an advocate of the sport and mentor their progress by setting them up for success.

 

[dbostedo]

Outside Pittsburgh we have a feeder hill for the feeder hills. I.e. a very small place much closer to the population center, mainly for learning/practicing, versus going to the "big" places (Seven Springs, Blue Knob, Wisp, Laurel, Hidden Valley).

It's about 150' vertical, and lift tickets are under $25 - and like $15 for kids. 1-hour private beginner lessons are under $40. It's where I learned back around 1990.

 

[4ster]

Learn and earn is an insane deal. Best deal that I know of in Utah. I think they capped the number for people that can sign up for it because it is becoming so popular.

When we first implemented the program it was such a good deal that we enticed snowboarders to learn how to ski. They figured they could get through the lessons & then have a season pass on the cheap. The result was many of those snowboarders became full time skiers which to me was the best thing to come out of it. .

Outside Pittsburgh we have a feeder hill for the feeder hills. I.e. a very small place much closer to the population center, mainly for learning/practicing, versus going to the "big" places (Seven Springs, Blue Knob, Wisp, Laurel, Hidden Valley).

It's about 150' vertical, and lift tickets are under $25 - and like $15 for kids. 1-hour private beginner lessons are under $40. It's where I learned back around 1990.

In the Ogden Valley (Utah) area we have Nordic Valley which has always been a place where local families could go & learn in a bunch of different programs & pass options. Even though the place has night skiing & over 1500' of vertical it is dwarfed by Snowbasin, Powder Mountain & all the other world class skiing Utah is known for.
the area has been beginning to expand & the prices are going up. Hopefully it can maintain some of it value oriented learning programs & local flavor that the other resorts are loosing.

 

[dovski]

Growing up in Edmonton, skiing was super accessible and affordable. My elementary and Jr. High school included both Nordic and Downhill skiing as part of the physical education curriculum. Local hill was about 5-10 min walk from my house and Elementary school, they would hold a ski swap every year where you could get gear super cheap. It was actually more expensive to buy hockey gear and play hockey than it was to ski. As a result pretty much everyone regardless of economic class got to ski at least a couple times a year. For those who wanted to continue hills, gear and lessons were very accessible. Even going to the mountains did not break the bank.

I don't get back to Canada as much as I used to but my sense is that skiing is still much more accessible there than it is in the US. We certainly take advantage of the savings when do our family ski trips to Banff and interior BC.

 

[fatbob]

It's really hard. Seems to me the "big resort" experience in the US is to assume families are all splurging big on vakay and exploit that as much as possible.

I look at the kids working in Walmart or fast food in Colorado or Sacremento thru Reno and wonder if they ever had the chance never,mind geographic proximity. I guess barring parents that were keen the best chance was school or youth group trips.

In the UK skiing is very much a middle and above income thing. You're laying down $1300 per week to get out for a week in the Alps all told probably as a beginner so you need some strong peer encouragement. Or if you are local to a dry slope or a fridge maybe you have a working class chance.

And the ethnic make up still lacks diversity



PS even if you love skiing you have to admit it's an administrative and logistic ballache - there's no such thing as just deciding to go skiing that day unless you live slopeside with a season pass. I guess that's why the folk in Aspen, the Beav, DV, Canyons etc do.

 

[Slim]

Our small non profit ski hill has a family program: $180 season pass and cheap full season equipment rental for 1 or more members of the family(kids and adults). Free lessons. Scholarships are also avaible.
It is also right in the middle of the city, so many kids can walk or bike there, or an easy drop off.

It’s the Chester Bowl Improvement Club:

 

[Carl]

Yeah, I got my friend into skiing 20 years ago and he now has kids. He's deciding if he should get his kids into skiing and asked my advice. I told him as much as I love the sport it's not a no brainer for me to recommend it anymore given cost, risk, and crowds. I gave him what I think were the pros and cons and I think he has decided he will pursue other winter activities with his kids.

I've had the same conversation with people. It's been such a great activity for me when I was younger and now with family. Both my daughter's were on skis at 5 years old and they are avid skiers as adults. But I can understand the hesitancy for people to get their family involved because it is such a big expense overall. It wasn't that way when I was growing up. Lift tickets were $6-12 depending on the mountain. I also played golf growing up for $4-5 for 18 holes on a really nice public course. I could earn that from one of my lawn mowing jobs that took 45 minutes.

 

[pchewn]

Cooper Spur on Mt Hood offers a family season pass (4 people) for $450. It includes rental gear.

 

[East Coast Scott]

If you don't live near a ski mountain I agree with everyone else that thinks it is a very expensive sport. If you are within driving distance I think It is doable. I've looked around at many mountains out of curiosity and I see season passes from 599 to 1000. Some mountains offer free passes for 12 and under. Once ski equipment is purchased you just need the season pass. If you cannot save up for that then no, this is not a sport for you.

If you have to travel and stay overnight, now we start talking a big expense. For many people, slope side is not in the budget. Start looking at hotels and the rates go sky high during ski season. If you don't have a season pass just to ski 4 or 5 days for one person is anywhere from 400 to 900 depending on the mountain (I'm not talking small no name hills).

So I think if we are all being honest, the type of skiing the people on this site do, it is pretty much not attainable for the majority of the population. Especially for families.