Prices at Colorado ski resorts have soared over the years, and on average they are quickly reaching, if not surpassing, $100 for a single-day adult lift ticket. While Colorado's most famous resorts such as Aspen and Steamboat Springs may always cost a lot of money, there are many other Colorado resorts--from historical ski hills to large, snowy resorts--that offer cheap lift tickets and attractive deals.
Identification
Colorado has more than two dozen ski resorts. The cheapest resorts in the state lack the destination resort profile of more popular resorts. Colorado's Ski Country USA, Colorado's primary ski resort association, lists a series of nine such resorts as "The Colorado Gems," describing them as offering "shorter lift lines, smaller crowds, down-to-earth prices and a great family atmosphere." The "gems" make up the majority of Colorado's cheapest resorts.
Prices
Colorado Gems and other small, lower-profile resorts offer Colorado's least expensive lift tickets. These resorts charge between $40 and $65 for all-day adult tickets, as of 2010. Many tickets are priced in the $50 range. Prices at Howelsen Hill, a small, government-run ski hill in Steamboat Springs, has 15 runs and lift tickets have traditionally been under $20.
Mountain Notables
There are other reasons to visit Colorado's cheapest resorts other than penny-pinching. Wolf Creek, a resort that charged $52 for an all-day adult lift ticket in 2009/2010, is Colorado's snowiest resort, routinely getting more than 450 inches a year. Loveland, one of the Colorado Gems, enjoys 400 inches of snow per year and is often the first resort in the state to open. It is also one of the closest resorts to Denver. Some Colorado Gems, such as Monarch and Ski Cooper, offer snowcat skiing in addition to lift skiing, and Arapahoe Basin boasts some of Colorado's most challenging terrain.
Season Passes
Surprisingly, the cheapest pound-for-pound season pass in Colorado doesn't come from a Colorado Gem or a tiny resort, but from Vail Resorts, typically considered among the pricier resorts in the state. One of the best deals in the entire industry, not just Colorado, the Epic Pass is priced several hundred dollars cheaper than many other area season passes and offers access not just at Vail--Colorado's largest ski resort, but also at Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Keystone and A-Basin. The pass is unlimited and also includes skiing at Heavenly in the Lake Tahoe area. For the 2010/11 season, the pass costs $599.
Season
Colorado's ski season generally runs from November to April. Some of the Colorado Gems offer the longest seasons in the state, with high-elevation resorts like A-Basin and Loveland racing to open as early as October. A-Basin regularly has Colorado's longest season, and has been known to open up for the Fourth of July.
Member Comments