The skiing stereotype of being well off

[skiNEwhere]

I was talking to a friend that I had not talked to since I moved to Colorado, and when I mentioned skiing, he said "wow man you must be loaded"

I kind of always thought that skiers (and boarders) unjustly had the stereotype of being "loaded" (and to a lesser degree, snobby), and this kind of confirmed it. Why is this? And I'll answer my own question.

Like any hobby, you need training ($$$), rental equipment ($$$) and a pass ($$$). If you really get into it, you'll buy your equipment (more $$$)

I'd hardly consider myself loaded, I feel like I've sacrificed other things I enjoy (not as much as skiing) so that I can ski, which I know other people do as well. I guess that makes me rich?

 

[thetrailboss]

Good point. There's skiing and then there's the skiing lifestyle. I think most of us fit into the former.

 

[ScottySkis]

Loaded no, I use to do ok before the economy crashed and my salary got cut, like you said in winter any of my extra money goes to skiing and I don't eat out or go to music concerts, I need a 2 nd job but am lazy to get One.

 

[twinplanx]

I think that years ago skiing was slightly more accessible to the middle class. It seems to be getting more upper class every year. And I kinda resent that.

 

[Abubob]

You only need to be loaded to ski at Stowe - apparently.


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[Puck it]

Speak for yourself!!!!!!

 

[dmc]

I was talking to a friend about living in Ohio and having horses growing up...

She says to me - "wow - you lead a privileged life!"

I say to her "So says the girl the skis every weekend and lives at the beach"

She said "touche'"

It really is all about life style..

 

[Mapnut]

Everyone has their priorities. Lots of people of modest means decide to put money into a luxury car, or an annual cruise, or attending sports events, or concerts, or sending their kids to private college, maybe even a modest vacation home. Or skiing. If you can do all of those, then you're well off.

 

[Abubob]

You only need to be loaded to ski at Stowe - apparently.

Speak for yourself!!!!!!

Okay - I - need to be loaded to ski at Stowe.

 

[spring_mountain_high]

to me there's the snobs at vail that fit the 'loaded' stereotype, then there's the ski bum who sleeps in his car in the parking lot...i'm closer to the latter...i feel like i have a genetic predisposition against paying full rip for a lift ticket (maybe from my dad telling me to say i was 5 until i was 7 so i could ski free)

 

[Cornhead]

The ski community is as diverse as the population in general. Granted there are no poor skiers, but if you are willing to do some research, cheap lift tickets can easily be had. The high price of fuel is a major expense of late for those of us who must travel long distances to reach the mountains. Hell, it now cost me $12 in gas to visit my local molehill, 37 miles from home. That is far more than my per visit cost via my season's pass, $299 divided by however many visits I make, usually two or three times a week, if I'm not on the road. For enthusiast like us, skiing is a way of life, for many it's a perk of success, and a status symbol. If Stowe's goal of charging nearly $100 for a lift ticket is to keep the riffraff away, they've succeeded with me. I love Stowe, but I haven't been in years. I am considering joining my local ski club to get in on their discount days, one of the few Stowe deals to be had.

 

[kingdom-tele]

Your well off if your sitting in front of computer convincing yourself your not and that skiing is an essential quality to sustain life somehow, instead of grinding through your day so you can eat or feed the people you love.

skiing is a privilage. if your spending money to ski than you are well off, be thankful, not condescending

 

[4aprice]

skiing is a privilage. if your spending money to ski than you are well off, be thankful, not condescending

Very true, it is up to the individual on how they spend their disposable income. I would say that it is my belief is that the cost is prohibitive to many which holds back expansion of our sport. I will be interested to see how Mt Eustis (Littleton, NH) does with its come back as a small community based ski area with cheap tickets. As many have pointed out once established in the sport, with a little homework, one can keep costs fairly reasonable. That initial hit can be pretty brutal.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[dlague]

You only need to be loaded to ski at Stowe - apparently.

I am not loaded therefore I do not ski Stowe!

It is an odd stereotype for sure! I have never been told that I am well off and we try to reach 40 days per season (have not reached that yet- almost). In any case, I am a deal hunter in order to afford the sport we love. We buy last years gear, when we buy, and then we keep it for a while. From time to time we will spot a deal on gear that is hard to ignore and we will jump on it! BTW we are all one quiver skiers! We ski for half price or less where ever the deals take us! We do not ski with jackets and pants that cost $500+. We do not spend $300 per night slope side! I guess we are not stereotypical!

There are many, however, who do have the $1500+ season pass, and clothing that cost a fortune, the latest gear every year, have condos that are slope side or stay slope side often and drive luxury vehicle to the resort. They can be seen a mile away. I guess these are the people that create the stereotype!

I guess people can think what they want! I know more people who ski that are in our model to varying degrees and from what I see on Skiing on the Cheap thread. The chairlift works the same for us as it does for everyone else, the snow is the same, the beer is the same, the trails are the same, etc. Does not matter where you came from or how you got there - it is about having fun and not giving a sh&* about anything else!

 

[Edd]

I spend, by my standards, enormous amounts of $ on skiing, but there are plenty of typical expenses I don't have that many do. We're DINKS, for starters. It really depends at what angle you look at someone from.

 

[Abubob]

if your spending money to ski than you are well off, be thankful, not condescending

There's a difference between "loaded" and "well off". I may be well off indeed - I have a job - I live in a house but I don't consider myself loaded. If I didn't have enough disposable income to spend on lift tickets I'd instruct again. That's assuming I'm healthy enough to ski. In that case just being healthy is well off.

 

[spring_mountain_high]

Your well off if your sitting in front of computer convincing yourself your not and that skiing is an essential quality to sustain life somehow, instead of grinding through your day so you can eat or feed the people you love.

skiing is a privilage. if your spending money to ski than you are well off, be thankful, not condescending

thanks for the reality check, buzz killington

also, it's "you're", not "your"...as in "you are"...if you're (see what i did there?) going to get preachy, it helps to use correct grammar

 

[kingdom-tele]

even with pour grahamer the message made it threw


not preachy, simple fact. having money to spend on a lark is well off, choosing to live a car to participate in a lark doesn't make you special, you can leave the lark anytime

 

[HD333]

The skiing lifestyle is expensive, skiing itself with the right deals can be cheap as we all know.

I cringe every time I think about the $ we have tied up from ski season to ski season especially this year for us. Between a seasonal rental, passes, gear, gas, apres/eating out etc.... for a family of 4 I often ask myself what the fack we are doing. But then I realize we are creating great memories for us and our kids and that is really what it is all about for us.

A non monatary cost of the skiing lifestyle is basically checking out of the normal social life for 5 plus months every year. Just skiing with day trips or whatever makes it manageable to stay connected to non skiing friends.

Non skiing friends cannot comprehend the amount of time and $ we spend on skiing, but on the flip side I can't comprehend going to Disney every single year over and over again.

The target domographic for the ski industry is "Well Off" so I can see where that stereotype comes from.

 

[dlague]

Your well off if your sitting in front of computer convincing yourself your not and that skiing is an essential quality to sustain life somehow, instead of grinding through your day so you can eat or feed the people you love.

skiing is a privilage. if your spending money to ski than you are well off, be thankful, not condescending

I have a brother-in-law that skis on gear that is 15 years old, much of his cold weather gear is from sponsors because of ice climbing, uses connections that give him access to comps, barters ice climb guiding for trips to the mountain and skis with us where we get a deal and we cover it for him. He drives a beater van and lives a simple life. He is generally good for 20+ trips to the hills! He is one of many in northern NH and I know others in VT. Trust me - there are poor skiers. It all depends on what you are willing to do to get there. He is how ever rich on loving life!

Often these skiers/snowboarders are never noticed because they are on the hill and are not lodge rats!

One last point about my brother-in-law, he is a damn good free heeler, has a great spirit and is crazy to boot! We have more fun skiing with him then we do with any other friends! I respect that he chooses rock climbing, ice climbing and telemark as his passions and work comes second! I wish I could do the same but I can't!