This story originally appeared in POWDER. Words by Jack Foersterling.
This is how to get the most bang for your runs this winter. Photo: Pixabay/Pexels We get it: Skiing is expensive. If you’re anything like us, paying for a season pass that costs more than a down payment on a car, only to sit in never-ending lift lines every weekend, isn’t exactly why we fell in love with skiing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The dream is still alive. Just check out this beautiful list. We’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to the best season passes across the U.S. and Canada that won’t break the bank and still provide pretty great skiing. These were our parameters: less than a $500 season pass, more than 1,000 feet of vertical and at least 200 inches of annual snowfall. Powder to the people, friends. WEST COAST/ROCKY MOUNTAINS Colorado Arapahoe Basin (Keystone, CO) – Season Pass: $319. Includes three days at Taos, New Mexico. – 2,270′ vert – 350″ average snowfall Ski Cooper (Leadville, CO) – Season Pass: $299 (Aug. and Sept.), $399 (rest of season). Includes three free days at tons of resorts across the U.S. – 1,300′ vert – 260″ average snowfall Copper Mountain (Summit County, CO) – Season Pass: $409 – 2,601′ vert – 304″ average snowfall Eldora Mountain Resort (Nederland, CO) – Season Pass: $409 – 1,600′ vert – 311″ average snowfall Monarch Mountain (Monarch, CO) – Season Pass: $459 – 1,162′ vert – 350″ average snowfall Sunlight Mountain Resort (Glenwood Springs, CO) – Season Pass: $439 – 2,010′ vert – 250″ average snowfall Winter Park Resort (Winter Park, CO) – Season Pass: $429. Includes three days at Mount Hood Meadows, Oregon. – 3,081′ vert – 353″ average snowfall
Discovery Ski Area in Montana. Photo: Courtesy of Discovery Ski Area/POWDER Montana Blacktail Mountain (Lakeside, MT) – Season Pass: $450 until Oct. 31, 2017; $540 after – 1,440′ vert – 250″ average snowfall Discovery Ski Area (Philipsburg, MT) – Season Pass: $299 – 2,388′ vert – 215″ average snowfall Lost Trail Powder Mountain (Conner, MT) – Season Pass: $399 – 1,800′ vert – 325″ average snowfall Maverick Mountain (Polaris, MT) – Season Pass: $350 by Oct. 10, 2017; $395 by Nov. 10, 2017; $435 rest of season – 2,020′ vert – 200″ average snowfall Oregon Mount Ashland Ski Area (Ashland, OR) – Season Pass: $399 – 1,150′ vert – 300″ average snowfall Mount Hood Ski Bowl (Government Camp, OR) – Season Pass: $499 early season; $519 after Oct. 23, 2017; $699 after Nov. 12, 2017 – 1,500′ vert – 300″ average snowfall
49 Degrees North Mountain Resort in Washington. Photo: Courtesy of 49 Degrees/POWDER Washington 49 Degrees North (Chewelah, WA) – Season Pass: $359 – 1,851′ vert – 301″ average snowfall The Summit at Snoqualmie (Snoqualmie Pass, WA) – Season Pass: $479 before Sept. 15, 2017; $429 for ages 19 to 25 – 2,280′ vert – 428″ average snowfall Bluewood (Dayton, WA) – Season Pass: $405 – 1,125′ vert – 300″ average snowfall Mount Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park (Mead, WA) – Season Pass: $349 – 2,000′ vert – 300″ average snowfall
Diamond Peak Resort in Nevada. Photo: Courtesy of Jaclyn Ream/Diamond Peak Ski Resort Nevada Diamond Peak (Incline Village, NV) – Season Pass: $429 – 1,840′ vert – 300″ average snowfall Wyoming Snow King Mountain (Jackson, WY) – Season Pass: $215 – 1,571′ vert – 300″ average snowfall Utah Eagle Point (Beaver, UT) – Season Pass: $424 – 400″ average snowfall New Mexico Angel Fire Resort (Angel Fire, NM) – Season Pass: $399 before Oct. 31, 2017; $499 Nov. 1 to Dec. 11, 2017; $599 after Dec. 12, 2017 – 2,077′ vert – 210″ average snowfall
China Peak in California. Photo: Courtesy of Ski China Peak/POWDER California Dodge Ridge (Pinecrest, CA) – Season Pass: $379 – 1,600′ vert – 300″ average snowfall Homewood Mountain Resort (Homewood, CA) – Season Pass: $499 – 1,650′ vert – 450″ average snowfall Mount Shasta Ski Park (McCloud, CA) – Season Pass: $499 – 1,435′ vert – 300″ average snowfall China Peak (Lakeshore, CA) – Season Pass: $429 – 300″ average snowfall
Bogus Basin in Idaho. Photo: Courtesy of Bogus Basin/POWDER Idaho Bogus Basin (Boise County, ID) – Season Pass: $399 until Sept. 30, 2017; $499 after Oct. 1, 2017 – 1,800′ vert – 250″ average snowfall Kelly Canyon Ski Resort (Ririe, ID) – Season Pass: $320 before Aug. 31, 2017; $370 Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, 2017; $420 regular price – 1,000′ vert – 200″ average snowfall Lookout Pass Ski Area (Mullan, ID) – Season Pass: $229 before Oct. 31, 2017; $369 regular price – 1,150′ vert – 400″ average snowfall Pebble Creek Ski Area (Inkom, ID) – Season Pass: $425 before Nov. 1, 2017; $535 regular price – 2,200′ vert – 250″ average snowfall Pomerelle Mountain Resort (Albion, ID) – Season Pass: $450 – 1,000′ vert – 500″ average snowfall Silver Mountain (Kellogg, ID) – Season Pass: $369 before Sept. 6, 2017; $659 regular price – 2,200′ vert – 300″ average snowfall British Columbia Mount Seymour (Vancouver, BC) – Season Pass: $349 before Sept. 30, 2017; $819 regular price. Includes two days at Mount Washington, Manning Park and Apex Mountain. – 1,082′ vert – 394″ average snowfall EAST COAST (with at least 100 inches of annual snow)
Sunday River in Maine. Photo: Courtesy of Sunday River/POWDER Maine Sunday River (Newry, ME) – Season Pass: $479 ages 19 to 29. Twelve blackout dates. – 2,340′ vert – 167″ average snowfall New Hampshire Cranmore Mountain Resort (North Conway, NH) – Season Pass: $479. Excludes holiday blackout dates. – 1,200′ vert – 150″ average snowfall Ragged Mountain Resort (Danbury, NH) – Season Pass: $299 before Sept. 16, 2017; $399 before Oct. 11, 2017; $449 after Nov. 1, 2017 – 1,250′ vert – 100″ average snowfall
Bolton Valley in Vermont. Photo: Courtesy of Bolton Valley/POWDER Vermont Bolton Valley Ski Area (Richmond, VT) – Season Pass: $189 “ski bum” pass, ages 18 to 25 – 1,703′ vert – 300″ average snowfall Magic Mountain Ski Area (Londonderry, VT) – Season Pass: $279 ages 18 to 29 – 1,500′ vert – 150″ average snowfall Pico Mountain Ski Area (Mendon, VT) – Season Pass: $449 until Oct. 11, 2017; $479 Oct. 12, 2017, and later – 1,967′ vert – 250″ average snowfall Sugarbush Resort (Warren, VT) – Season Pass: $399 ages 19 to 29 – 2,600′ vert – 262″ average snowfall
Ski Butternut in Massachusetts. Photo: Courtesy of Ski Butternut/POWDER Massachusetts Ski Butternut (Great Barrington, MA) – Season Pass: $350 before Dec. 1, 2017; $490 regular price – 1,000′ vert – 115″ average snowfall New York Catamount Ski Area (Hillsdale, NY) – Season Pass: $445 until Aug. 31, 2017; $495 until Nov. 30, 2017; $550 final – 1,000′ vert – 108″ average snowfall Titus Mountain (Malone, NY) – Season Pass: $369 – 1,200′ vert – 100″ average snowfall Pennsylvania Blue Knob (Claysburg, PA) – Season Pass: $299 – 1,072′ vert – 120″ average snowfall West Virginia Snowshoe Mountain Resort (Snowshoe, WV) – Season Pass: $349 – 1,500′ vert – 180″ average snowfall More from POWDER Things a ski bum will never hear To fall in love on skis Klaus Obermeyer’s granddaughter is a park skier
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This story originally appeared in POWDER. Words by Jack Foersterling.
We get it: Skiing is expensive. If you’re anything like us, paying for a season pass that costs more than a down payment on a car, only to sit in never-ending lift lines every weekend, isn’t exactly why we fell in love with skiing.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. The dream is still alive. Just check out this beautiful list. We’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to the best season passes across the U.S. and Canada that won’t break the bank and still provide pretty great skiing. These were our parameters: less than a $500 season pass, more than 1,000 feet of vertical and at least 200 inches of annual snowfall. Powder to the people, friends.
WEST COAST/ROCKY MOUNTAINS
Colorado
Arapahoe Basin (Keystone, CO) – Season Pass: $319. Includes three days at Taos, New Mexico. – 2,270′ vert – 350″ average snowfall
Ski Cooper (Leadville, CO) – Season Pass: $299 (Aug. and Sept.), $399 (rest of season). Includes three free days at tons of resorts across the U.S. – 1,300′ vert – 260″ average snowfall
Copper Mountain (Summit County, CO) – Season Pass: $409 – 2,601′ vert – 304″ average snowfall
Eldora Mountain Resort (Nederland, CO) – Season Pass: $409 – 1,600′ vert – 311″ average snowfall
Monarch Mountain (Monarch, CO) – Season Pass: $459 – 1,162′ vert – 350″ average snowfall
Sunlight Mountain Resort (Glenwood Springs, CO) – Season Pass: $439 – 2,010′ vert – 250″ average snowfall
Winter Park Resort (Winter Park, CO) – Season Pass: $429. Includes three days at Mount Hood Meadows, Oregon. – 3,081′ vert – 353″ average snowfall
Montana
Blacktail Mountain (Lakeside, MT) – Season Pass: $450 until Oct. 31, 2017; $540 after – 1,440′ vert – 250″ average snowfall
Discovery Ski Area (Philipsburg, MT) – Season Pass: $299 – 2,388′ vert – 215″ average snowfall
Lost Trail Powder Mountain (Conner, MT) – Season Pass: $399 – 1,800′ vert – 325″ average snowfall
Maverick Mountain (Polaris, MT) – Season Pass: $350 by Oct. 10, 2017; $395 by Nov. 10, 2017; $435 rest of season – 2,020′ vert – 200″ average snowfall
Oregon
Mount Ashland Ski Area (Ashland, OR) – Season Pass: $399 – 1,150′ vert – 300″ average snowfall
Mount Hood Ski Bowl (Government Camp, OR) – Season Pass: $499 early season; $519 after Oct. 23, 2017; $699 after Nov. 12, 2017 – 1,500′ vert – 300″ average snowfall
Washington
49 Degrees North (Chewelah, WA) – Season Pass: $359 – 1,851′ vert – 301″ average snowfall
The Summit at Snoqualmie (Snoqualmie Pass, WA) – Season Pass: $479 before Sept. 15, 2017; $429 for ages 19 to 25 – 2,280′ vert – 428″ average snowfall
Bluewood (Dayton, WA) – Season Pass: $405 – 1,125′ vert – 300″ average snowfall
Mount Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park (Mead, WA) – Season Pass: $349 – 2,000′ vert – 300″ average snowfall
Nevada
Diamond Peak (Incline Village, NV) – Season Pass: $429 – 1,840′ vert – 300″ average snowfall
Wyoming
Snow King Mountain (Jackson, WY) – Season Pass: $215 – 1,571′ vert – 300″ average snowfall
Utah
Eagle Point (Beaver, UT) – Season Pass: $424 – 400″ average snowfall
New Mexico
Angel Fire Resort (Angel Fire, NM) – Season Pass: $399 before Oct. 31, 2017; $499 Nov. 1 to Dec. 11, 2017; $599 after Dec. 12, 2017 – 2,077′ vert – 210″ average snowfall
California
Dodge Ridge (Pinecrest, CA) – Season Pass: $379 – 1,600′ vert – 300″ average snowfall
Homewood Mountain Resort (Homewood, CA) – Season Pass: $499 – 1,650′ vert – 450″ average snowfall
Mount Shasta Ski Park (McCloud, CA) – Season Pass: $499 – 1,435′ vert – 300″ average snowfall
China Peak (Lakeshore, CA) – Season Pass: $429 – 300″ average snowfall
Idaho
Bogus Basin (Boise County, ID) – Season Pass: $399 until Sept. 30, 2017; $499 after Oct. 1, 2017 – 1,800′ vert – 250″ average snowfall
Kelly Canyon Ski Resort (Ririe, ID) – Season Pass: $320 before Aug. 31, 2017; $370 Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, 2017; $420 regular price – 1,000′ vert – 200″ average snowfall
Lookout Pass Ski Area (Mullan, ID) – Season Pass: $229 before Oct. 31, 2017; $369 regular price – 1,150′ vert – 400″ average snowfall
Pebble Creek Ski Area (Inkom, ID) – Season Pass: $425 before Nov. 1, 2017; $535 regular price – 2,200′ vert – 250″ average snowfall
Pomerelle Mountain Resort (Albion, ID) – Season Pass: $450 – 1,000′ vert – 500″ average snowfall
Silver Mountain (Kellogg, ID) – Season Pass: $369 before Sept. 6, 2017; $659 regular price – 2,200′ vert – 300″ average snowfall
British Columbia
Mount Seymour (Vancouver, BC) – Season Pass: $349 before Sept. 30, 2017; $819 regular price. Includes two days at Mount Washington, Manning Park and Apex Mountain. – 1,082′ vert – 394″ average snowfall
EAST COAST (with at least 100 inches of annual snow)
Maine
Sunday River (Newry, ME) – Season Pass: $479 ages 19 to 29. Twelve blackout dates. – 2,340′ vert – 167″ average snowfall
New Hampshire
Cranmore Mountain Resort (North Conway, NH) – Season Pass: $479. Excludes holiday blackout dates. – 1,200′ vert – 150″ average snowfall
Ragged Mountain Resort (Danbury, NH) – Season Pass: $299 before Sept. 16, 2017; $399 before Oct. 11, 2017; $449 after Nov. 1, 2017 – 1,250′ vert – 100″ average snowfall
Vermont
Bolton Valley Ski Area (Richmond, VT) – Season Pass: $189 “ski bum” pass, ages 18 to 25 – 1,703′ vert – 300″ average snowfall
Magic Mountain Ski Area (Londonderry, VT) – Season Pass: $279 ages 18 to 29 – 1,500′ vert – 150″ average snowfall
Pico Mountain Ski Area (Mendon, VT) – Season Pass: $449 until Oct. 11, 2017; $479 Oct. 12, 2017, and later – 1,967′ vert – 250″ average snowfall
Sugarbush Resort (Warren, VT) – Season Pass: $399 ages 19 to 29 – 2,600′ vert – 262″ average snowfall
Massachusetts
Ski Butternut (Great Barrington, MA) – Season Pass: $350 before Dec. 1, 2017; $490 regular price – 1,000′ vert – 115″ average snowfall
New York
Catamount Ski Area (Hillsdale, NY) – Season Pass: $445 until Aug. 31, 2017; $495 until Nov. 30, 2017; $550 final – 1,000′ vert – 108″ average snowfall
Titus Mountain (Malone, NY) – Season Pass: $369 – 1,200′ vert – 100″ average snowfall
Pennsylvania
Blue Knob (Claysburg, PA) – Season Pass: $299 – 1,072′ vert – 120″ average snowfall
West Virginia
Snowshoe Mountain Resort (Snowshoe, WV) – Season Pass: $349 – 1,500′ vert – 180″ average snowfall
More from POWDER
Things a ski bum will never hear
To fall in love on skis
Klaus Obermeyer’s granddaughter is a park skier
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
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