Cost of Skiing, Mad River Glen and Sugarbush

[KingM]

I just wanted to weigh in one more time on holiday skiing. The only reason I would ever go skiing at that time is if I had no other time off of work. First, the mountains are always packed, and there are some pretty hefty lift-lines. More importantly, though, is cost. We own an inn and I was running through some lift and lodging numbers, trying to figure out what it would cost you to go skiing at various times.

This is just lift/lodging, per person, assuming that you and a buddy go up and stay three nights in a room with two double beds, get the discounted tickets through the inn and ski 2 days at Sugarbush and 1 at Mad River Glen. Keep in mind that we're one of the less expensive places in the Valley,.

Christmas week or Pres/MLK weekend: $393.52 per person
Thursday night, peak, plus peak season Fri/Sat: $286.32
Midweek, peak prices: $236.72
Early or Late Season: $205.92

Given those numbers, I think the absolute best time to come is midweek in January or February. The prices are not that much higher than early/late season, but way less than holiday rates, the snow is great, and there will be no lift lines.

 

[beswift]

I think the absolute best time to come is midweek in January or February. The prices are not that much higher than early/late season, but way less than holiday rates, the snow is great, and there will be no lift lines.

Unfortunately for them, the school calendar dictates when people with children chose to ski. What you are stating would be true in Europe as well as here. However, I don't agree that the snow can necessarily great in January. In fact you stand a very good chance of seeing extremely cold and icy conditions across the Northeast. King's holiday has to be the biggest ski weekend on the Calendar, too. I have seen terrible lines at Glenn Ellen and bumper-to-bumper traffic (Can you believe it?) on Rt. 89 then. As far as I'm concerned April may be the cruelest month, but it offers by far the best ski/lodging opportunities in your valley. By the way, did the Valley News shut down or move out of Waitesfield?

 

[KingM]

Well, this being New England, the weather can turn crappy or favorable at any time, but yeah, January can be disappointing at times. For example, we're not getting off to a great start this year. Some snow in a couple of days, but it's pretty warm right now.

Do you mean the Valley Reporter? It's still here. I don't know about the Valley News. Maybe that's before my time.

 

[Lostone]

No doubt at all.

Midweek non-holiday is the better deal. As to weather... A couple weeks ago it was terriffic. Now...

And it will get better, again. If you figure out that timing, you can make a bundle! :wink:

 

[beswift]

skiing and holidays

An athelete I know has a boy that he wants to turn into an Olympic racer. He has the biggest hassles trying to get him out of elementary school in N.H. so that he can take him skiing non-holidays. I really don't know what to state about this. I could relate my personal experiences in this regards, but everyone has their opinions, don't they? :dunce:

 

[KingM]

People who are serious about training future Olympians frequently enrole their children in the Green Mountain School. It's a boarding school with a hard-core skiing program.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

valley news and schools

The Valley News is in the White River Junc/West Leb area, the upper "Valley" of the Ct River, it's a daily paper, the Valley "Distorter" is a weekly in the Mad River "Valley"

I take my kids out of school mid week once in awhile. I drive over..they get in the truck. Are the kids your referring to chained to their chairs?

Serious and seriously disturbed parents obsessed with their children becoming Olympic champions do send their kids to GMVS and to SMS, BMA, CVA just to name a few.

 

[beswift]

Really?

That's right. I had forgotten about the various names of rinky dinky papers in the North Country. Back to my intended inquiry, it appeared to me on my last visit that the Reporter and their faithful main element, Sweat, had moved out of the offices they had held for years in Waitesfield. As for my Slope Mother acquaintance, he also wants to send his kid to the Big :dunce: , I think.