Family-friendly ski resort…

OP
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OP is no longer going on a ski trip fyi
Not so fast! ;-)

Looking at East coast a little bit now. We just couldn’t justify $7k before flights, food, beverage, clothing.

If we able to do anything it’ll involve flights. Not going to drive 12 plus hours. Portland ME flight be $550 for all of us flying and Sugstloaf looks pretty cool. They also have for-hire shuttle from airport.

Still low odds, but I haven’t ruled everything out entirely. Hahaha
 

TaperPin

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In my mind the biggest negatives for many of the big ski areas is staying at high altitude and a lot of travel time for bunny slopes. Having a bunch of miserable kids with mild altitude issues doesn’t sound like fun to me. Smaller slopes without lodging often have a bit of drive every day, but sleeping at lower elevation is much less likely to cause altitude issues. Going to Colorado must be for the adults, kids don’t care if they are on a bunny slope somewhere back east.
 

Loo.wii

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Loveland is good. It’s small but big enough to have fun. Day passes are about $110.


If you’re feeling adventurous skiing in Europe is actually much cheaper than in the us by every metric if you can find cheap flights and you’re not intimidated by public transportation. Taking a train at 200 mph is so cool. I flew into Zurich for ~$250. Use google flights. Train to the slopes was around $150. Hotel $200 per night - ski in ski out. Day passes €65 per day. Rentals ~€150 for 4 days for me and my lady. And dinner for two including 3 glasses of wine and 2 separate meals €65.

I actually felt shame at how expensive it is in the US to ski. You literally ski Les 3 valles for less than you can go to any ikon or epic resort. Boo corporate greed
 

schmalzy

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Not so fast! ;-)

Looking at East coast a little bit now. We just couldn’t justify $7k before flights, food, beverage, clothing.

If we able to do anything it’ll involve flights. Not going to drive 12 plus hours. Portland ME flight be $550 for all of us flying and Sugstloaf looks pretty cool. They also have for-hire shuttle from airport.

Still low odds, but I haven’t ruled everything out entirely. Hahaha

What figures were you using to come to 7k?


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Loveland is good. It’s small but big enough to have fun. Day passes are about $110.


If you’re feeling adventurous skiing in Europe is actually much cheaper than in the us by every metric if you can find cheap flights and you’re not intimidated by public transportation. Taking a train at 200 mph is so cool. I flew into Zurich for ~$250. Use google flights. Train to the slopes was around $150. Hotel $200 per night - ski in ski out. Day passes €65 per day. Rentals ~€150 for 4 days for me and my lady. And dinner for two including 3 glasses of wine and 2 separate meals €65.

I actually felt shame at how expensive it is in the US to ski. You literally ski Les 3 valles for less than you can go to any ikon or epic resort. Boo corporate greed

I just had this conversation with my brother in law at Thanksgiving. They went skiing in Europe last year and said they "lived like kings" and spent less than on their annual ski trip to Idaho.
 

Loo.wii

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I just had this conversation with my brother in law at Thanksgiving. They went skiing in Europe last year and said they "lived like kings" and spent less than on their annual ski trip to Idaho.
Can confirm this is true see tab below. The only “bad things” are that beginner terrain is steep as hell. And most catwalks are sheer cliffs in both sides. Also it’s very obvious that people ski a bit more reckless as there isn’t a culture of lawsuits here.
 

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OP
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What figures were you using to come to 7k?


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I think steamboat convenient lodging was like $3,500, lift tickets like $2k for 3/4 days. Another $1k or so for rental. That’s 6,500 right there. I’m sure fees, local BS taxes etc would have it at 7k before said and done.

Most of the resort websites make it pretty difficult to mix match options. I guess by design.
 

Mojave

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If Delta flies to Oslo, I'd ski in Lillehammer Norway. You will have good snow. Not sure where to stay, we stayed in an Air BNB.
 

schmalzy

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I think steamboat convenient lodging was like $3,500, lift tickets like $2k for 3/4 days. Another $1k or so for rental. That’s 6,500 right there. I’m sure fees, local BS taxes etc would have it at 7k before said and done.

Most of the resort websites make it pretty difficult to mix match options. I guess by design.

If going out west is still an option, PM me and I can help you put a plan together that should be roughly half of that.


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My 2 sons started at Blue Mountain in Pa when they were 8 and 10, then migrated to Killington, Vermont a few years later and both were skiing every double black diamond slope at Killington by their late teens. Both of these ski resorts are top notch on the east coast for beginners to experts. Lots of green and blue trails also. Ive also done all of the double black diamonds at Killington. Have not skied in about 10 years though but getting the urge to do so again this year. So much fun and it's relaxing with really good family time. Well worth the costs.
 
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I’m surprised you haven’t gotten any recommendations for Utah. Easy flights into SLC and a handful of resorts within an hour drive. The day passes are also cheaper than the CO resorts. I’d check out solitude, Brighton, or powder mountain for cheaper passes.
 

BBob

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I think steamboat convenient lodging was like $3,500, lift tickets like $2k for 3/4 days. Another $1k or so for rental. That’s 6,500 right there. I’m sure fees, local BS taxes etc would have it at 7k before said and done.

Most of the resort websites make it pretty difficult to mix match options. I guess by design.
That’s crazy talk! Stay in Boulder or west Denver and you can hit several resorts easily in day trips. No way it’ll add up to anywhere near that much. Eldora isn’t far out of Boulder and is a nice small resort great for a day or two. Winter Park, Loveland much quicker to get to than the biggies like Breckenridge or Keystone.
 
OP
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That’s crazy talk! Stay in Boulder or west Denver and you can hit several resorts easily in day trips. No way it’ll add up to anywhere near that much. Eldora isn’t far out of Boulder and is a nice small resort great for a day or two. Winter Park, Loveland much quicker to get to than the biggies like Breckenridge or Keystone.
The appeal to wife was getting to one spot on / near property and setting up shop for duration of trip. Will talk things over again tonight.
 
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Number one for me with young kids and beginners is a place with very few people so they’re comfortable using the whole run to learn and they’re safe from some Jerry from Texas straight-lining greens and taking them out. That usually means a place that’s expensive that keeps numbers down or the single lift, 400 ft elevation local place. Or in our case, we have the luxury to ski in the evenings or weekdays. Someone said no to Big Sky for beginners; I completely disagree if you’re very wealthy! That place is perfect for beginners. Enclosed chairs, heated lifts, wide open terrain, no lift lines, no people!

My oldest will start his second year this year at age 6. He loves to ski, but doesn’t last much more than a few hours and I won’t push him past that. My wife is still a beginner and she’s the same. She will only go on weekdays or late in the day on weekends. She has enough to worry about with learning that she hates people recklessly flying by her.

We DESPERATELY need snow in southcentral AK!!!!
 
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That’s crazy talk! Stay in Boulder or west Denver and you can hit several resorts easily in day trips. No way it’ll add up to anywhere near that much. Eldora isn’t far out of Boulder and is a nice small resort great for a day or two. Winter Park, Loveland much quicker to get to than the biggies like Breckenridge or Keystone.

That would be a great way to spend half of your trip stuck in traffic on I-70 and half of the remainder stuck in a lift line.

Eldora is kind of a cool little spot.
 
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