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Best Discounts for Family Skiing (passes and/or lessons) near Boston?

daveg

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My kids are getting more and more into skiing, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to keep the activity going, without breaking the bank. We live very close to Nashoba Valley, so my daughter has taken lessons there for the last three years. Last year it included an adult half-day lift ticket, so it meant that before or after her lesson, I could work with her and we got in a lot more skiing and practice because of that. This coming year, no such luck. A lift ticket for me would be about $50, so adding that into the cost of her lessons, we're around $500 for six lessons and six half days of skiing, which is a little steep for me.

Are there any good lesson packages (such as included adult lift ticket) or family-friendly season pass within easy drive of Boston? I've checked Nashoba (best option seems to be the Sunday evening season pass for $170), Wachusett (weekday and all evening pass for $279) and Crotched Mountain.

Thanks,
Dave
 

FrozenFrog

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Not sure if you have a youth group or program that your daughter could join but Crotched has a program called the Voyager Program. Kids can score 5 trips to Crotched then at the end they get a Peak Explorer pass. It's only $119.

Crotched night tickets aren't bad and I think the program has an option to add on a parent pass too.


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daveg

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The Voyager program looks interesting. I'll have to look into what it would take to get a group going. We skied at Crotched a few times last year, and she enjoyed it a lot (it helped too that she was free).

We're in Westford, MA. I don't think I'd want to go more than 90 minutes each way, as that would be difficult with the kids schedules. My son will be 4 this season, and my daughter 7.

Thanks,
dave
 

xwhaler

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The Voyager program seems like a really nice value if you can go midweek. I'm not able to so my son is enrolled in the Tigers seasonal program at Crotched. He is 5 so his pass was only $60

https://www.crotchedmtn.com/seasonal-programs/

I had him in a 10 pack lesson program at Ragged last yr. For passholders it was $299 and you can get Ragged kids passes for $25 and adult passes for $299

I thought the program there was just okay....It seemed there was less emphasis on coaching and more just on babysitting on the hill. However it worked out as I was able to get some free runs in during those 2 hour block windows.
It was also nice in that it was a voucher program so you could go any day and choose mornings or afternoons. Provided really nice flexibility for our family.
 

daveg

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We ended up going with the Ragged Mountain plan. After talking to some neighbors, Zimmerman's junior lease program includes a ragged season pass. So that covered the kids, and we just picked up the discount adult pass for $299 each to cover us. Seems like the best deal around, especially since our neighbors will be skiing there, too.
 

xwhaler

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We ended up going with the Ragged Mountain plan. After talking to some neighbors, Zimmerman's junior lease program includes a ragged season pass. So that covered the kids, and we just picked up the discount adult pass for $299 each to cover us. Seems like the best deal around, especially since our neighbors will be skiing there, too.
Nice. Let us know how it goes. Ragged is a nice mtn with a lot of growth potential. Time will tell if the operational aspects keep up with sale and marketing efforts.

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Smellytele

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Right where I want to be
I really want to like ragged but every time I go there is always some issue. They always have a few trails open and covered well but they take a long time to get more trails open. Once when we were there last year the line to get tickets was over a half hour wait. Another time last year they ran out of wine but the bartender was great and she was doing what she could all by herself. Food took a long time to get up there as well. I like the new lift as well as the 6 pack. The 6 pack has a weird line sometimes. Any way I do like the place but they need to get their operations working better.
 

thebigo

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The Voyager program seems like a really nice value if you can go midweek. I'm not able to so my son is enrolled in the Tigers seasonal program at Crotched. He is 5 so his pass was only $60

https://www.crotchedmtn.com/seasonal-programs/

Which Tigers session did you sign up for? Daughter will be five in November, trying to decide if the all day session is too much and whether I want to get her up at 6:00 AM all winter. Leaning towards Sunday afternoon, ski Friday night and Sunday, family shit on Saturday.
 

xwhaler

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Which Tigers session did you sign up for? Daughter will be five in November, trying to decide if the all day session is too much and whether I want to get her up at 6:00 AM all winter. Leaning towards Sunday afternoon, ski Friday night and Sunday, family shit on Saturday.
We are doing the AM session on Saturdays. I would think the all day is pretty long for a 5yo. Plus cm terrain wouldn't really be enough for a full day to keep you occupied while she is in lessons

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