drjeff
Well-known member
Agree with SkiFanE on all accounts 100%!
I try and NOT look at the quick books line item for annual ski related expenses that my wife keep tracks of, I don't want to be scared off of the fun that we have together as a family
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Killington = EPIC FAIL. Late March 2012 no snowmaking edition.
- Thread starter Highway Star
- Start date
Agree with SkiFanE on all accounts 100%!
I try and NOT look at the quick books line item for annual ski related expenses that my wife keep tracks of, I don't want to be scared off of the fun that we have together as a family
sorta my story. made the move from huntah to k in the late 80's. 3 friends followed a year or two later, a wife. 20+ season passes x 5 = $100k+. had the epiphany one may skiing cascade thinking any area that would open in oct and close memorial was where i wanted to be. felt it was run by ski freaks like myself. how things have changed.
Geoff
Well-known member
Agree with SkiFanE on all accounts 100%!
I try and NOT look at the quick books line item for annual ski related expenses that my wife keep tracks of, I don't want to be scared off of the fun that we have together as a family
My skiing cost, counting housing, is about $15K. If I had to do the drive every weekend, it would be at least $20K when you factor in depreciation on automobile from all those miles.
AdironRider
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You guys sure spend a lot of money to go skiing.
My wife and I, even if we paid full retail for passes, spend less than 4k. Our actual totals are more like 1k.
Even with kids, 15-20k is a lot of change.
My wife and I, even if we paid full retail for passes, spend less than 4k. Our actual totals are more like 1k.
Even with kids, 15-20k is a lot of change.
Geoff
Well-known member
If you own a vacation home, housing and automobile dwarf all your other costs. You could do fly fishing instead of skiing and the costs wouldn't be all that different.
drjeff
Well-known member
Geoff is right on. Gotta factor a mortgage into the the equation in some cases, and for most there's 5 figures before you even buy a pass, get to the mountain, eat, get gear for in many cases, growing kids, etc, etc, etc.
I've got over 20k into my annual costs just from the mortgage and association fees. Even if you just wanted to factor in a percentage of the mortgage based on ski season use, ski season use makes up about 75% of my families total ski home use, so the number doesn't go down that much.
SkiFanE
New member
Prior to having kids, it was very cheap. We'd day trip most weekends, with occasional 2-3 day overnights. No passes, could pick/choose where to go (and pre-internet days, it wasn't very easy), crash with friends, etc. But once you have a family, if you really want to keep skiing you have to pay. Didn't even think of gas and car wear and tear, but it's best not to nickel/dime and just do what you love. My 3 kids are all now great skiers and I suspect it will be lifetime activities for all of them. We are fortunate to be able to afford it, but then when something you are passionate about is very expensive, you work hard to afford it if you can (after college I had to pick up a PT job evenings to afford ski gear and tickets). Maybe I'd be a mom who stays home and bakes cookies and volunteers for the PTO if I didn't have my expensive vice
And I tell you...there is NOTHING better than being a skiing family. Figured we'd sell our ski house if/when we needed the funds for retirement or college...but now we'll never let it go and may retire there...the kids will always come back to visit (when mom and dad buy the lift ticket at least lol).
Tooth
New member
Two kids at CVA at $50,000 per kid, home on mountain, six season tickets, tons of gear for everyone, etc., etc., etc.
Riverskier
Active member
Wow, some wealthy folks on here. I am a daytripper that averages 30-40 days a season. Total cost: $630 (pass) + $224.00 (gas) + $384.00 (bar) = $1238.00 a season on average. Of course, that will go up when my 2 year old gets on skis. Glad I don't mind day tripping and live relatively close to the mountains, because I don't see $10,000+ seasons being feasible anytime in my near future!
Puck it
Well-known member
Don't you mean 1%'ers! I had to!
Cannonball
New member
RELATIVELY close to the mountain?!?!? $224 in gas at $3.50/gallon will buy you 64 gallons. If you make 35 trips, you're using less than 1 gallon per ski day. The $10K people are talking about is in order to just get to where you already live.
Highway Star
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SkiFanE
New member
Live in a high COL area and make higher income and drive far away (requiring lodging) or live close to mt with lower COL and day trip. As long as you get your fix lol. And my 2 homes sq footage and heating bills are less than many people we know only home. Also we wouldn't get our ski fix with any nh or smaller mts so those werent an option.
Riverskier
Active member
By your math I would be using closer to 2 gallons per ski day, but that is beside the point. I don't remember exactly how I calculated that figure, but it still holds true. I should get 32 ski days this year. I go up with a friend frequently and we alternate driving. He will end up driving 14 of those days, and we don't give each other gas money, as we have a reciprocal agreement. That leaves 18 days. 64 gallons/18 days= 3.55 gallons per day. I live about 55 miles from the mountain and get about 35 miles per gallon, so it works out. Even if I drove all 32 times it would only be $397.00, which is a small difference in the context of this discussion.
By the way, I think it is great that so many people have the means to buy ski homes, and spend 10's of thousands a year on skiing. A ski home is something I strive for, and hope to achieve later in life. I was just taken back by some of the numbers being thrown around, and it made realize how lucky I am to be able to ski for what I pay, because otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford it!
Cannonball
New member
^^ Yeah, I screwed that math up. Your's makes sense. 55 miles from the Mtn is not bad at all. I'm more like 165. And my truck gets 17 compared to your 35MPG. So my fuel costs are about 6x yours for the same ski days.
For me 165 miles (2.5 hrs) isn't bad for a day trip. But it's far enough that that at least some overnights are in order. Over time that progressed into seasonal rentals at $4-6K per year. Seasonal rentals started to feel like a wasted opportunity, so that progressed into buying a place. We are a few weeks away from finally owning a ski house. It was a slippery slope over the course of 2 decades. Hoping this turns into a worthwhile real estate investment not just a ski expense. But even if that's all it is it'll be worth it.
For me 165 miles (2.5 hrs) isn't bad for a day trip. But it's far enough that that at least some overnights are in order. Over time that progressed into seasonal rentals at $4-6K per year. Seasonal rentals started to feel like a wasted opportunity, so that progressed into buying a place. We are a few weeks away from finally owning a ski house. It was a slippery slope over the course of 2 decades. Hoping this turns into a worthwhile real estate investment not just a ski expense. But even if that's all it is it'll be worth it.
fbrissette
Well-known member
You also have to add the cost of equipment and clothing that comes with skiing. Goes quite fast with kids who needs a full change almost every year. As a family, we ski 40-50 days per year, and we very likely spend a lot more on gear than on season's passes.
Francois (in Jay Peak)
Highway Star
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I find it amazing that Killington is so willing to alienate season pass holders. Hundreds (thousands?) of them are potential future real estate and ski school (familly) customers.
skiahman
New member
Blah blah blah
And yet you will be back! :dunce:
Now that I think of it, I can't recall seeing a single Killington TR from you here.....
steamboat1
New member
I live in NYC & travel to K & other VT. locations regularly. If I go for 3 or 4 days & drive around to different areas maybe I'll burn 25 gallons (often less). At $4 a gallon that's $100. Not bad really for a few days. Now if I was day tripping it would be a different story but I probably wouldn't travel as far. Even $50 for gas on a day trip is a considerable amount of money.
Who needs a ski home when you have a beautiful house that sleeps 50 to stay in during the week & usually there's either no one else or only a few people there. At $24 a night it's a no brainer.
Who needs a ski home when you have a beautiful house that sleeps 50 to stay in during the week & usually there's either no one else or only a few people there. At $24 a night it's a no brainer.
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