Lift tickets are freakin’ expensive (but worth it)! If you’re on a budget, it can be tough to swing the $100+/day that many mountains charge for a lift ticket. And if you’re trying to improve your skills on the mountain, this cost can be a major obstacle. Luckily there are some hacks you can use to get discounted lift tickets – and when you spend less money on tickets, you’re able to get out and ski or ride more often!

Here are a few ways you can save money on lift tickets this season…
1. Ski (or Ride) Small
Consider a day on a smaller mountain where lift ticket prices will normally be a lot lower. In Colorado, you can even take advantage of the Colorado Gems card which offers access to multiple smaller ski areas at either 2 for 1 or 30% off!
2. Go Early – or Late
You can often find tickets discounted up to 30% off at major ski areas both early and late in the season when not all trails may be open.
3. Be a Weekday Warrior
It’s not a huge secret that lift tickets on the weekdays can be much less expensive than on the busier weekend days. Also, avoid the major holiday times when deals are scarce and prices are often inflated. Bonus: going during the slower times means more mountain for you to tear up!
4. Look For Bundles
Find corporations that own multiple ski areas – for example, ail Resorts, Inc., Aspen Skiing Corp., POWDR Corp., Boyne Resorts, etc. – as they often offer deals across multiple mountains. The Mountain Collective is one such option which, for one price, gets you 2 days at ski areas of your choice (in their collective) and then 50% off tickets at any of their ski areas for the season. Bonus: this is a great way to experience multiple ski areas at a greatly reduced rate.
5. Go Shopping
Check out local retailers like REI, Costco and even grocery stores that are near your desired ski area as they will often times partner with the ski areas to offer discounted tickets. You need groceries anyways, right?
So don’t fret if you’re on a budget this season – get creative and try one of these hacks to save some money on your lift tickets. And if you’re looking to upgrade your gear on a budget, check out our super affordable leas-to-own options which can get you into the gear of your dreams for a fraction of the retail price.
image courtesy of jetsetter.com