The Spendthrift GearJunkie
Sean McCoy is Managing Editor of GearJunkie.com and life-long broke-ass skier and rider.
Pack your pockets: See those big pockets on your jacket? Pack them with lunch and snacks and avoid high-priced resort food.
Buy gas: Look for deals at gas stations, such as the Ski Free 2-for-1 lift ticket deals available from Shell gas stations. Just fill up with 10 or more gallons of gas at Shell and use the voucher for a 2-for-1 deal at many areas in California, Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. This deal kicks off on January 6, 2014.
Earn your turns: Backcountry skiing is an obvious option, but requires specialized equipment and skills to stay safe. Many ski resorts offer free access inbounds to skiers willing to skin up, especially in the early morning hours before the lifts are turning. Check with your local mountain to see if they allow uphill skiing.
Buy a four-pack: Many mountains offer discounts for buying multiple days at once. Loveland Ski Area 4-packs cost just $129, or $32.50 a ticket.
Hit the small resorts: Not only do they often have less crowds, but there is usually free parking. Full price adult lift tickets to Colorado’s Monarch Mountain cost $69 versus more than $100 at many big resorts.
Secondhand: Scour Craigslist for people unloading tickets. Just beware of scams.
Ride share: Carpool to any resort without free parking.
Buy used equipment: The vast majority of skiers and riders don’t wear out their gear. Do some homework, learn about the gear and then shop Craigslist and demo sales for some slightly experienced rides. Don’t worry about a few scratches, you’ll ding them up on day one anyway.
Try Nordic! Cross-country skiing is a great workout and a lot of fun. Many cross country areas provide access to groomed trails for less than $15 a day and rentals are equally inexpensive.
See page 1 for tips from Mike Horn
See page 2 for tips from Brandon Quinn
