Inflation rate in skiing

[fatbob]

Prompted by locking down some elements of a forthcoming trip to US over the holidays I am driven to reflect on how much long haul skiing may no longer be an affordable luxury. Thinking back to 19/20 season the cost of everything bar megapasses seems to be way up

Flights - not bad maybe 10-20%
Accomodation - at least 50%
Eating out - I'd guess up 30% or more
Rental cars - The real killer over 100%

My perception is as well that hardgoods are well up in price perhaps more clearly because far fewer deals on new old stock around.

Anyone got a take on individual elements? Looking like the destination skier is really starting to get whammied. Does it look as bad from within the bubble? Does anyone care? People are rich enough to afford it so make hay while you can? Even if that turns into families trading down two trips to one or one to "not this year" then "not the next" and becoming lost?

I realise that despite the inflation all the expectations are for all time lows in service/openings as a whipsaw of the accomodation issue.

Further I recognise that these may not be ski specific elements and indeed the main drivers of inflation that I identify may hold across all tourism and business trips etc but skiing is already on the spendy end of the spectrum of vacations.

 

[Bill Miles]

I noticed the Motel 6 in Mammoth is up to $120 or so. Don't know why I checked since I only go there late season.

 

[DanoT]

I think, other than gasoline and Whistler, skiing in western Canada is still the best value in North America.

 

[TheArchitect]

I'm seeing similar price increases in accommodations and rental cars. I tend to go to the same hotels whenever possible but with the increased pricing I'm at least looking at other options. As for hardgoods, if I want it I'm buying it and doing so quickly in case supply chain or mfr issues means we get early 'out of stock' notifcations that remain there for the rest of the season.

 

[James]

Will rental cars come back down again post covid insanity?

Meanwhile, the tech industry in the US has laid off like 100,000 workers this year.

 

[fatbob]

Will rental cars come back down again post covid insanity?

Meanwhile, the tech industry in the US has laid off like 100,000 workers this year.

Not escaped my mind along with investment portfolios/401Ks hammered by stock falls. When you're bleeding at what point does skiing become the thing you amputate? (I mean not for the crazies here but the general skier, the one who really funds the whole pony show).

 

[my07mcx2]

Both lodging rentals and condos have gone up but vehicle rental has substantially. Previous years a full size SUV in Steamboat was around $400 for 6 days. This year was $1100. Wife was able to use her company discounts and got it lowered to $580.

 

[crosscountry]

I think, other than gasoline and Whistler, skiing in western Canada is still the best value in North America.

Has prices in Canada not been going up? How do they manage that?

 

[Ken_R]

At least in US and specially in Colorado lodging and rental cars have gotten absurdly expensive. Never mind the resort food etc.

 

[BC.]

As a family that used to take multiple trips a year.....the past few years have hit us hard financially. We have yet to take a trip west since Covid/now inflation.....and as I/we head into bankruptcy.....My wife and two college aged daughters are standing strong on their sage advice of... "It's only money".

Someday....I'll be back and will makeup for these "lost" years with a vengeance...lol

 

[Bad Bob]

Alaska Airlines has a program going where you can sign up for a preset number of round-trip flights from city A to city B for a preset monthly fee (Think San Fran to SLC). That sounded like a deal.

Plan B for money savings travel; Sofa Surf.

 

[fatbob]

Sheesh, @fatbob , start a cheery thread full of stoke, will ya?

Hey it's stoke that anyone can manage any skiing in the current headwinds.

But I think it's wilfully ignorant if we're going to pretend that skiing is not getting less affordable and more economically/geographically elitist by the year.

I used to think it nuts that I'd be somewhere like Reno or Glenwood and talk to a twentysomething waiter or a hotel worker who'd say "I've never been skiing even though I live right here but I'd love to". Now I get it that I'd be the crazy one for assuming it could be affordable for them.

 

[TonyPlush]

High end lodging seems even worse. I plan a large (8 skier) trip every year. We aim for good location but no extra luxuries. In past years we could find ski in/out condos for $2-3,000 for 3-4 nights. Those same condos are now $5-8,000+ across the board.

Perfect data point: Our Big Sky trip three years ago was $2,900 for a 5 bedroom. We just booked a 3 bedroom for $4,500, and it was the second cheapest we found.

Certain spots are worse than others. Telluride was always expensive, but relatively unspectacular spots are now going for $45,000 for a four night stay. Insanity.

 

[cantunamunch]

Hey it's stoke that anyone can manage any skiing in the current headwinds.

But I think it's wilfully ignorant if we're going to pretend that skiing is not getting less affordable and more economically/geographically elitist by the year.

I used to think it nuts that I'd be somewhere like Reno or Glenwood and talk to a twentysomething waiter or a hotel worker who'd say "I've never been skiing even though I live right here but I'd love to". Now I get it that I'd be the crazy one for assuming it could be affordable for them.

Maybe, but if that comes to be the case, you'd better also recognise that expecting them to be stoked on someone else's skiiing is about as wilfully ignorant as expecting incels to be stoked about ___football star's love life, or a Somali to be stoked about Vegas buffet videos.

 

[Henry]

I think, other than gasoline and Whistler, skiing in western Canada is still the best value in North America.

And the Canadian dollar costs about 75 U.S. cents. Covid restrictions have been removed from border entry requirements. More of the Canadian resorts are accepting Ikon or Epic passes.

Rental car companies had very few customers during the Covid lockdown, so they sold much of their fleets. When things reopened they didn't have cars so needed to buy a lot...and the cars weren't available except at very high prices.

Lodgings everywhere where effected by Covid practices. Many condos that had been in the rental pools were now mountain homes for at-home workers and out of the pools. Other condos were bought as mountain homes by people who chose to retire early, again more out of the rental pools. Fewer condos for rent means more people heading to hotels for lodgings, and higher prices. Also, once the lockdowns were over people had unspent money and wanted to get out! More demand for this reduced supply. My group is looking at a 2024 booking for Big Sky, and some dates are already taken at high prices.

 

[Shawn]

and as I/we head into bankruptcy.....

Yikes. Sorry to hear.

Medical debt?

 

[mikel]

At least in US and specially in Colorado lodging and rental cars have gotten absurdly expensive. Never mind the resort food etc.

And it's going up another 4% or 5% depending on the type of accommodations if you stay in Dillon.

 

[2Old4Rails]

One of the trends that you will find is that weekends are now using holiday pricing, fewer "kids ski free", fewer discounts seniors and everyone pays the same price...

They are finding creative ways to inflate.

 

[Rich_Ease_3051]

Nothing wrong with taking a year off (or two or three) skiing.

Things go in cycles and inflation can easily turn into deflation in a few years.

Remember when FAANG stocks were the most valuable in the world a year or two ago at the peak of lockdowns? Well the F part (renamed Meta) is down 70%. The rest down 30-50%.

In the 80's, people were lining up to buy gold when 30-year US Treasuries were paying 15% interest. But the people in the know knew deflation was around the corner (those buying treasuries). Those who panicked about inflation (thinking it was permanent) lined up to buy gold. Gold crashed in the next 3 decades. Those who bought treasuries were paid handsomely 15%-20% interest by Uncle Sam every year just as bank interest rates went down from 20% to near zero % in the next 30 years.

Nothing is permanent, only change is. Change means you must learn how to pivot and shift. And that includes your hobby/passion.

Just get another hobby while this one hobby is expensive. Something local and cheap for those unlucky enough to not live in a resort town.

If anything, you will just save more money down the line skipping a few seasons.

You will not die not skiing. I mean you may die inside, but that's not really dying.

 

[Bad Bob]

If you don't have to be at a top tier resort it not that bad. There are still a lot of areas with ticket prices >$100 that are well worth skiig and lodging prices that don't resemble mortgage payment. It probably won't be a place your nonskier friends have ever heard of.

It just comes down to what is acceptable to you.