How Often do You Pay Full Price?

NewEnglandSkier13NewEnglandSkier13
in NELSAP Forum Posts: 5,479
How often do you pay full price for a lift ticket at a mid-sized or major ski area?

I believe that the largest area I've ever paid full price for was Quechee which was $40 at the time.
- Sam

Comments

  • MrMagicMrMagic
    Posts: 201
    This year I paid full price at whale back big squaw, mount hermon, eaton mountain and living memorial park, (A whopping 5 dollars) on a side note I'm surprised living memorial park hasn't increased their ticket price in the last 8 years since I last visit !
  • joshua_segaljoshua_segal
    Posts: 4,839
    Almost never: In 2016-7 I paid full price ($37) at BMOM.  My friend said to me, "They're a not-for-profit community area.  Support them!"


  • lotsoskiinglotsoskiing
    Posts: 3,575
    Almost never. Exception was Hickory, though clearly that was not enough...
  • mtsnow123mtsnow123
    Posts: 458
    I haven't paid full price in almost half a decade. I only go to other resorts on deal days.
  • jaytremjaytrem
    Posts: 745
    Paid full price for both me and my kids at Holimont this year.  Found at least some discount for every other place on my NY and VT/NH/ME trips.  Also paid the full $5 at Living Memorial.  Might have paid full price at Victor Constant but it was less than listed on the website, so not sure what was going on there.  It was closing day so maybe discounted.
  • sugarloafsugarloaf
    Posts: 1,811
    None this year, the highest price I paid was $57 for Mount Snow just before Thanksgiving.
    <p abp="321"><strong abp="322">Ski Conditions Report: A detailed report describing the snow conditions on the mountain the day of your visit. Skiers should become familiar with the following snow surface descriptions: Ice: Packed Powder, Slush: Packed Powder, Frozen Granular: Packed Powder , Packed Powder - A thin covering of snow over bare earth.</strong></p>
  • rickbolgerrickbolger
    Posts: 2,962
    Elk Mountain Pennsylvania on weekends you walk up and pay whatever is on the sign.


  • JonniJonni
    Posts: 214
    I rarely pay full price, but when I do it's usually because I'm skiing at a smaller non-profit ski area. e.g. Whaleback Midweek, I would pay $30 to ski there not only because it's relatively cheap, but I feel like I actually am helping to support them.
  • jgrecojgreco
    Posts: 321
    Haven't paid full price in the East in a while. Usually end up paying full price to ski around on a western trip. Paid $60 (x 3 days) at Bridger this year and a $46 day at Discovery. I feel like that's completely reasonable. For the quality we got at both of those mountains, I'd even entertain leaving a tip!

    The only time I've paid a ridiculous window rate was $150 at Winter Park last year, but our friends had a place to stay there and we were trying to give my dad a good sampling of CO mountains since he hadn't traveled to ski in a long time. We mentally split the ticket price between the skiing and the free stay... so $75 skiing and $75 lodging. Still was tough to swallow. 
  • z1000307470z1000307470
    Posts: 469
    lotsoskiing said:

    Almost never. Exception was Hickory, though clearly that was not enough...

    Same for me. I paid full price at Hickory March, 2011. It was $50.
  • bmwskierbmwskier
    Posts: 1,032
    Cochran's, Middlebury and Bolton this year but that was because it was an unplanned day of turns. 
    "Making ski films is being irresponsible with other people's money, in a responsible sort of way..." <div>Greg Stump</div>
  • mtsnow123mtsnow123
    Posts: 458
    bmwskier said:

    Cochran's, Middlebury and Bolton this year but that was because it was an unplanned day of turns. 

    What's the cumulative price of 1 day at each place. Maybe a little over $100?
  • DrJeffDrJeff
    Posts: 1,329
    I did 7 times this year, all for multi day races, or special qualification non weekend race events, my kids were at. Usually at races they have some type of "parent ticket" at a discount, but for the couple of multi day weekend races and the mid week special qualification events they didn't.  3 days at Middlebury (I believe it was about $40 a day), and then 2 days at Gunstock, (I believe those were about $55 a day when I was there), and 2 days at Stratton - one in early December which was about $70 at that time, and one in early February which was about $90 at that time, and frankly that day at Stratton was awesome, as it was about 4" of fresh on top of a smooth base, and hardly anyone there!
  • trackbikertrackbiker
    Posts: 319
    Skied 21 days this year and paid full price 1 1/2 days.
    MLK weekend at Gore ( No discounts available).
    1/2 day at Elk. But Elks 1/2 day price is $20 less than the full day price of $67 which is a much better discount than most areas offer for 1/2 day.
  • riverc0ilriverc0il
    edited May 2018 Posts: 742
    Never at a major area. Vouchers, deals, discounts, prepaid tickets, packs, early/late season, pass holder, whatever. I am not sure there is much that could convince me to pay regular price just on general principle. 

    For smaller areas, I have and would pay full rate if reasonable for the product offered. $40-50 is fine, my average per day cost is usually around $40 for the major areas so I have no problem paying that for full walk up rate at smaller areas.

    I'd be happy to support a major area that scrapped all discounts and went to a single price for everyone anyday, say $50-60 which must be the average after all the deals, discounts, vouchers, freebies, lodging packages, etc. are taken into account. But I suspect we'll never see the market move away from discounting unreasonably and objectionably high full walk up rates. I think we have at least two or three areas in New England that have regular rates in access of $110 for a single day of skiing... and then areas wonder why they can't get more skiers into the hobby... bread and butter newbies don't know how to play the game. 
    -Steve
    thesnowway.com
  • ski_itski_it
    edited May 2018 Posts: 4,667
    I paid full price at Bretton damn it, $18, and then I didn't get to ski before they closed for the season!!!
    Ok, I got 2 vouchers in return, but still....
    The most I paid out of pocket was $40 at Plattekill which was $5 off. A way, way so much a better value than $88 or whatever daily discount you could get at Gunstock.
    ISNE-I Skied New England | NESAP-the New England Ski Area Project | SOSA-Saving Our Ski Areas - Location SW of Boston MA
  • ChuckstahChuckstah
    Posts: 1,417
    The last time I remember paying window rate was about 4 years ago at Timberline, OR, on Labor Day weekend.  It was about $60, and no discounts were available.  I'm sure there's a few more over the last decade.  One more I thought of is full window rate of $5 at Living Memorial.
  • CannonballCannonball
    Posts: 681
    For me there are basically 2 reasons to pay full price:
    1. Opportunity to ski/spend-time-with friends or  family that I otherwise don't see much. I'll ski pretty much anywhere at the last minute (i.e. full price) in order to spend a fun day with someone close.  Plus, it sure beats the alternative of visiting with them while NOT skiing!
    2. Exceptional conditions.  What's the price of amazing???  You'll remember the skiing, you won't remember what it cost.
    Either of these scenarios  happen a couple times per season,  So I probably pay full price 1-3 times per season,

    A third category  (already mentioned) is the chance to go someplace new.  I have paid full price for this, but it's rare.  Usually it's the other way around....I try someplace new because I have a deal.  Or I really want to try a certain place so I look for a deal. 
  • jaytremjaytrem
    Posts: 745
    Chuckstah said:

    One more I thought of is full window rate of $5 at Living Memorial.

    With 3 of us paying full rate at Living Memorial we should consider splitting a 10 pack next year!!! ;)
  • TomWhiteTomWhite
    Posts: 2,579
    I've gladly paid the full price of $20 on Fridays (non-holiday) at Black Mt,, Maine.
  • djaskipa68djaskipa68
    Posts: 66
    Well not this past season but next, after I researched the cost for a 7 days pass at Park City. I found that the Epic Local Pass made economical sense. At $669.00 for the pass I have access to 26 resorts including Stowe. No restrictions at Breck or Keystone.

    A single day pass at PCMR was $140.00 and a 6-day ticket was almost $800.00. The clincher was 6 discounted vouchers I can shared with family or friends at no additional cost. All will be shared with our gracious host.

    If it wasn't for the trip to Park City next year, I would have looked at the Ridiculous pass at Snowshoe.
  • ciscokidciscokid
    edited May 2018 Posts: 5,277
    trackbiker said:

    Skied 21 days this year and paid full price 1 1/2 days.
    MLK weekend at Gore ( No discounts available).
    1/2 day at Elk. But Elks 1/2 day price is $20 less than the full day price of $67 which is a much better discount than most areas offer for 1/2 day.

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    Up until the year 2000 or so I generally paid full price for a walk up ticket and when it reached $50 at Aspen in 1995 I said to myself "oh my goodness what is the price of the sport coming to".

    If there was a package deal for instance when I flew to Jackson hole twice in 1996 and 1999 it was only $365 for airfare lodging and skiing from Chicago.

    After I ended my seven year in a row trips to the west and I started the grandsons locally in Michigan I generally pay full price up to $30 or so but I have bought on lift Topia several times
    now with some savings and I just purchased the
    Michigan white gold card for $269 which with my 10 times using it broke the cost down to about $30 per outing which included Boyne mountain, Boyne Highlands, nubs knob, Crystal Mountain, and a few other lower-priced areas.

    I remember two or three years ago I paid $46 walk up right at Caberfae for one Saturday. And also I remember paying full walk up rate of $75 or so at camelback Pennsylvania on New Year's day of 2014 with track biker.

    So I would say overall I pay walk up sticker price rate roughly 25% of the time at the most
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