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SNOW TRIP costs, to where?? How does yours break down?? as a Person or as a group.

MidnightJester

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My last trip. From Mid Long Island NY to Upper VT(barre vt). 860 total miles for round trip @16MPG. Cost $201.50(gas) +16(tolls) + 141 room for 2 nights. total of $360 divided by 2 people(mytrip). We went to Smugglers and Sugarbush. at two people its $180each, 3people its $120each, 4 people $90each, 5people(jammed car/suv)$75each. How to get the best fun trip for the dollar and friends. That was my last trip. Next is in the batters box
 

MidnightJester

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Tickets are a separate cost that are up to each skier or boarder. Usually going with best combo of coupons/vouchers/bogos to minimize lift costs always when possible
 

MidnightJester

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I wish I could operate that way. I try to at times, Usually the paying fares in back seat are almost sneaking into the backseat so knowing the costs to them makes or breaks trips.
 

Tin

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Oct 14, 2009
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1. Always book hotels online though Expedia, hotels.com, etc. We never paid more than $80 a night this year and stayed in some places that were $140-$180 per night. Saved a TON of money that way (probably over $900). Our first trip to Killington for my birthday should have been $390 just for the weekend, we walked out after two nights and amazing breakfasts for under $200.

2. Not paying window price for a ticket once (Liftopia and the Skiing on the Cheap Thread saved another $800 if not more). BOGOs and deals are seriously everywhere. Hell, have a bunch of buddies buy $15 tickets to the Warren Miller film just for the free Sugarbush ticket.

3. Gas is the major expense, but I changed out plugs and threw on a new intake ($60) and we got about 3-5 more mpg, it sounds stupid but when you're putting 400 miles on your car a weekend skiing it really adds up. From November till now we put 11k miles on the Subaru. It all adds up!


4. Food - Bring some big coolers and look for Yelp and Groupon deals.

Our biggest trip this year we hit Jay twice, Smuggs, and Bush twice, we stayed in hotels for four nights, and including gas did it for under $700. Hollow Inn in Barre is amazing and $60 per night.
 

MidnightJester

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Our hotel break down of 141 is 65(per night) plus taxes and fees for $70.50 per night. got into a mini hotel apt for that.
 

MidnightJester

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Its passable coffee. Usually got the juice with the waffles. No OJ when we went this year though. Had Apple and Cranberry. Did use the coffee maker in the Room to get the bigger Caffeine boost. For a comp/free breakfast it does save 5 dollars food or so and gets a morning started well. : )
 

VTKilarney

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Dang, gas is expensive! Those ski busses are an amazing value when you think about it.
 

MidnightJester

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Making the Hollow INN our base camp works so well since we jump between Northern VT Mountains each day.
 

MidnightJester

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As a single person or 2 its hard to beat the busses. 3 and more the Car/suv comes into play. I have to say it is nice to sit back and not drive home from a mountain. Losing the freedom to do multiple different mountains in a weekend is a let down though
 
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MidnightJester

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Dang, gas is expensive! Those ski busses are an amazing value when you think about it.
average $3.75 a gallon or so and the dollars pile up at 16 MPG. Having a 30+MPG would be a lot better but I do like my NEW to me Used 2006 trailblazer truck.
 

AdironRider

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Being an accountant I have a pretty firm idea of how much it costs me to ski, that being said, these conversations always operate on the premise that you would spend absolutely zero dollars otherwise if you didn't go skiing. I find that doubtful. While other activities are not as expensive, there are very few that require zero dollars. So its often as bad an expense as people make it out to be, as even if they stayed home and mowed the lawn, they still have a couple beers, maybe a lunch with the wife, or catch a ballgame, whatever.
 

Euler

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Jan 28, 2007
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I live within 3 hrs of: Berkshire East, Crotched, Mt. Snow, Stratton, Okemo, Bromley, Magic, Killington, Pico, Sugarbush, Mad RIver Glen, Bolton Valley, Stowe, Smugglers Notch, Jay Peak... Wow...I've never tried to enumerated them like this! I'm certainly leaving out some places in NH that for some reason I don't think of going to.

So, in any case, no hotels for me!

On top of that, I set a top rate of $50/ticket and most often fall well below that. I use BOGOs from the gas station promotions, Vermonter specials, etc. to get remarkable rates most of the time.

Skis always come from ski and skate sales in the fall...I've yet to purchase a new set of skis. Currently on a pair of Watea 78's that I picked up for about $200 mounted at the beginning of this season.

I've never calculated a per trip cost, but I feel confident that I do all I can to keep it low!
 

MidnightJester

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how long to the mountains?
Took us with a some left over snow on ground from 18inch dump (30 miles) 40-45min from Hollow inn to Sugarbush. Hollow inn To Smugglers (58 miles)took us a hour15 minutes on sunday.
 
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