Perfect powder and weaveable aspen groves are part of what make Colorado such an attractive tourist destination for the winter. Colorado’s mountainous existence calls to everyone near and far.
With snow beginning to fall in mid to late October every year, the state boasts some of the longest ski seasons in the country. Recently there has been skyrocketing prices for lift tickets which drives away skiers. College students are no stranger to passing on expensive luxuries.
Vail Resorts has bought out 42 resorts across nine states and four continents. They drive up the cost of tickets wherever they purchase a new resort. Skiing doesn’t have to unaffordable, however. In Colorado alone there are still affordable resorts.
Just a short 40 minute drive away from Grand Junction is Powderhorn. It is currently listed as the third cheapest resort in the state behind Sunlight and Ski Cooper mountains. The daily cost of $109 for weekend skiing may seem high but when compared to Vail Mountain a $225 a day, it is a far cheaper option.
Of course, the most effective way to ski cheap for anyone who plans on going more than just a few times, is to buy a season pass. Consider Powderhorn, where the season ticket price is $749 for the average skier but $399 for college students. At $109 per day, it would take a college student less than four total days of skiing to make their pass pay for itself. Then every day after that just drives the “ski day cost” of your pass down.
Powderhorn passholders also get a limited number of free days at partner resorts. The in-state partners are Loveland, Sunlight, Monarch and Silverton.
Skiing can be affordable and it is not just for people who have lots of money (even though there are plenty of people like that in Colorado). The cold weather sport has just seen an uptick in recent years of a few companies buying out and building small monopolies out of groups of resorts catering to richer folks.
Want to ski affordably? There are many options for students. If you need gear, rent from the Outdoor Program (OP) or the Board & Buckle in town to help keep costs down. They both offer season rentals and daily rentals for skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. So get out there and play in the snow for cheap.
