9.
Bring Your Own Lunch
Ski
resort cafeterias often charge a pretty penny for the eats.
The options may range from humble to gourmet but even a lowly
hot dog at a slopeside cafe can fetch $8 or more.
I
like the food at ski resorts. There are many more choices
nowadays. The ubiquitous bowl of chilly from ten or twenty
years ago is still available but it's been joined by finer
dishes for dietary sensitive guests. Still, I never eat at
the resort restaurants. I bring my own lunch because it's
a whole lot cheaper.
What
constitutes a proper nutritious lunch for a day of skiing
is beyond the scope of this article. Whether it's home made
sandwiches, fruits or sports bars it will cost you a lot less
to bring them than to buy them at the cafeteria. Especially
if you have kids in tow.
Bring
your own water. At least 2 small (11 Fl. Oz.) bottles per
adult. I buy bottled water at home and refill the bottles
at the mountain several times before finally recycling them.
They are light to carry and spill proof. Don't be afraid of
tap water. If tap water at a mountain resort is bad than the
world as we know it may as well end.
Where
do you put all this? I stuff my pockets. Seriously. If you're
skiing with the whole family you should consider purchasing
a used skiing backpack. Backpacks that are made for skiers
and snowboarders don't shift around while you are gliding
down the slope and some are designed to offer more comfort
when riding a chairlift.
Some
friends have confessed to me over the years that they are
embarrassed of brown bagging their lunches. The common perception
is that if you can afford to ski or snowboard you can afford
to buy a lunch. To hell with that! That notion was probably
put out by the resort industry. I have special dietary needs
called "cheap lunch."
10. Get Your Discounts
Knowing
what discounts are available puts you ahead of the pack. Resorts
are sometimes tightlipped about the money saving options.
For example I have a local mountain season pass that gives
me 50% discount at Whistler/Blackcomb. The Whistler/Blackcomb
website does not mention this discount at all! You just have
to know.
How
can one know? You have to be on top of it. If you have membership
in a certain organization that may give you winter resort
benefits, ask the people at this organization first. It's
also worth calling the resort and asking. There are most likely
senior and minor discounts and there could be military discounts,
student discounts, etc.
Every
resort gives a multi-day ticket discount. The savings are
modest but if you know the weather will be nice and you'll
be skiing or riding every day you may as well take advantage
of this offer.
Did
you know that most resorts offer ticket discounts for groups
of ten or more? If you lack the body count but you are a self-confident
leader type you could chat up the people at your lodge and
ask them to join your ad-hoc group. Depending on the size
of your group you could even squeeze out a free ticket for
yourself.
Resorts
are more expensive on weekends. It's a simple supply and demand
issue. Everyone is off work and wants to play on Saturday.
Think like a local. Avoid the crowd. Your dollar will stretch
further during midweek. There may be special lodging and ski
ticket deals on Tuesday's and Wednesdays.
If
you are making a big step and want to ski/ride more often
maybe you need to get a season pass. It's expensive but not
as much as you may think. Many ski areas have a special early
bird season pass sale. Typically those passes are limited
in number and go on sale in the late spring. I have a season
pass that costs me the equivalent of eight day passes. Now
that's a saving!
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