The winter ski season has begun and now is the time to start thinking about visiting an affordable ski resort. While many of America’s best-known resorts have everything you can want in a dream winter vacation, those can be quite expensive. That’s not to mention that inflation remains high, making après-ski and lodging even more costly. On the other hand, there are so many other affordable ski options, you can find the right spot to fit your budget. The following are just 10 of the most affordable ski resorts in 10 different states to consider in 2023.
49° North Mountain Resort
3311 Flowery Trail Road
Chewelah, WA 99109
(509) 935-6649
www.ski49n.com
With daily lift tickets for as low as $49, 49 DegreesNorth ranks among America’s most affordable ski resorts. What’s more, the resort offers everything you need, from ski rentals to ski and snowboard lessons. 49 Degrees features 2,325 skiable acres with a peak elevation of 5,774 feet and seven lifts. However, 70 percent of the ski trails are 70 percent of the ski trails are for beginner and intermediate skiers. Although the resort doesn’t offer overnight accommodations, the resort partners with local motels for ski and stay packages. Of course, local lodging is affordable as well, with most options under $100 a night.
49 Degrees North Location
The resort lies within the Coville National Forest in northeastern Washington state. You can find the ski resort 10 miles east of the small community of Chewelah. 49 Degrees North gets its name from its global positioning near the 40th parallel north. In other words, its, approximately 49° north of the Earth’s equator. Chewelah is 49 miles north of Spokane and 77 miles northwest of Coeur d’Alene.
Eagle Point Resort
150 SW Village Circle
Beaver, UT 84713
(435) 438-3700
www.eaglepointresort.com
Utah ranks among the best skiing destinations in America, with resorts like Park city Mountain and Deer Valley. However, lift tickets are quite expensive and in fact can cost you well over $200 for a single day. In case you’re looking for something more affordable, try Eagle Point Resort. Located in southwestern Utah, daily lift passes can be as low as $50 and even weekends are just $75. What’s more, lodging at Eagle Point can keep within your budget, with midweek prices around $110 per night. The resort has just 650 lift-served acres with five lifts. On the other hand, Eagle Point offers great skiing conditions and is generally never crowded. If that’s not enough, it’s also among the most family friendly resorts in the High West.
Related: Famous Ski Resorts For Your Bucket List
Hunter Mountain Resort
64 Klein Ave.
Hunter, NY 12442
(518) 263-4223
www.huntermtn.com
Not only is Hunter Mountain an affordable ski resort, it’s among the best in New York state. Moreover, if you’re an expert skier, you won’t find a better spot for your skiing level in the Catskills. On the other hand, if you’re a beginner or intermediate skier, you’ll find that 50 percent of the terrain is suitable for your skiing ability. At the same time, Hunter Mountain can get crowded, particularly on weekends and holidays. With that in mind, if you want to keep your visit within your budget, consider visiting on a weekday. After all, it’s just a three-hour drive from New York City and just over an hour from Albany. At any rate, the resort isn’t exceptionally large, with just 320 acres of skiable area and 67 trails. However, that’s up from 240 acres and 58 trails in previous years.
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Loon Mountain Resort
60 Loon Mountain Road
Lincoln, NH 03251
(800) 229-5666
www.loonmtn.com
Set within the stunning White Mountains, Loon Mountain is among New England’s most accessible ski resorts. That’s because it’s just about 130 miles or about 2.5 hours north of Boston. In fact, if you’re coming from Boston, you can take a bus instead of driving up I-93. That’s not to mention that Loon Mountain is quite affordable, with many weekday lift tickets well under $100. On the other hand, weekends are definitely more crowded, along with higher rates for lift tickets. Just a few miles off I-93, Loon Mountain has 370 skiable acres and 61 trails. The resort features 11 lifts, including Kanc 8, an eight-seat D-Line Doppelmayr, first of its kind in the East. Although there isn’t lodging onsite, there are communities nearby with lodging, like Lincoln and near Franconia Notch.
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Middlebury College Snow Bowl Ski Resort
6886 Route 125
Hancock, VT 05748
(802) 443-7669
www.middleburysnowbowl.com
Vermont is best known for world class ski resorts like Killington and Stowe Mountain. But for affordability, one of the best options for you is Middlebury College Snow Bowl. In further detail, you can purchase a weekday lift ticket for just $40 and $60 on weekends. That’s to say nothing of affordable ski and snowboard rentals, as well as low-cost lessons. Additionally, Middlebury is one of Vermont’s easiest places to ski, with half of the 101 skiable acres classified as easy or moderate. Owned and operated by historic Middlebury College, the ski resort is among Vermont’s oldest, opening in 1934.
Mount Hood Skibowl
87000 E. Highway 26
Government Camp, OR 97028
(503) 272-3206
www.skibowl.com
Not far from Timberline Lodge, Mount Hood Skibowl is among the most affordable ski resorts in Oregon. Online lift tickets during the daylight hours start at $78 for adults and $48 for juniors ages 3-14. However, rates are even better for night skiing, starting at $56 for adults. In fact, Mount Hood Skibowl has the largest night ski area in America, with 36 lighted runs. In all, the resort has 960 ski terrain and has a peak vertical drop of 1,500 feet. If that’s not enough, Skibowl also offers a snow tubing park, featuring the world’s only Cosmic Tubing. Furthermore, it’s one of America’s oldest ski resorts, first opened in 1928. Just 56 miles east of Portland, it will take you about 90 minutes to reach the resort, depending upon weather conditions.
Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort
5224 Highway 518
Vadito, NM 87579
(575) 587-2240
www.sipapu.ski
If you’re looking for the most affordable ski resort in New Mexico, then look no further than Sipapu. Just 24 miles south of Taos and 61 miles northeast of Santa Fe, Sipapu’s lift tickets are so low, it doesn’t seem real. For instance, if you want to ski on Christmas Day it’s just $44 and $48 on New Year’s Eve. Moreover, if you prefer to ski in the New Year, you’ll find many days that are under $20 or even under $10. A family-owned operation, Sipapu features 215 skiable acres with six lifts and four terrain parks. In addition, ski lessons and rentals are available, as well as dining and budget-friendly lodging.
Snow King Mountain
402 E Snow King Ave.
Jackson, WY 83001
(307) 201-5464
www.snowkingmountain.com
There is no shortage of places to ski in the Jackson Hole valley, with three top ski resorts. While Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is the most famous, it’s also the most expensive, with lift tickets often exceeding $200. Of the three, your most affordable spot for winter sports is Snow King Mountain. Moreover, it’s centrally located right in Jackson and the first ski area to open in Wyoming. If that’s not enough, the resort has ski-in, ski-out lodging that’s far more affordable than many other local hotels. Snow King offers 500 skiable acres and includes trails for all levels of skiing ability. In addition are other winter activities like snowboarding, snow tubing, scenic gondola rides and the Cowboy roller coaster.
Soda Springs Mountain Resort
10244 Soda Springs Road
Soda Springs, CA 95728
(530) 426-1010
www.skisodasprings.com
Like many other world-class destinations, ski resorts around Lake Tahoe can be quite expensive. For instance, without naming a few, you can expect to pay over $200 for a single day lift ticket, even for kids. Fortunately, there are others, like Soda Springs, where day tickets are still going for $60 on select days. Just a mile from Interstate 80 near Donner Lake, the ski resort has a base elevation of 6700 feet with a peak elevation of 7352 feet. The 2000-acre property is among the most family friendly spots in the Lake Tahoe region. In fact, 30 percent of the terrain is for beginners while 40 percent is for intermediates. The Soda Springs area is known as the snowiest place in California, allowing you to ski into mid-April.
Sunlight Mountain Resort
10901 County Road 117
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
(800) 445-7931
www.sunlightmtn.com
It’s no secret that Colorado is widely known as the best place to ski in America. But then again, due to its popularity, many Colorado ski resorts will charge $200 or more for a lift ticket. Fortunately, there are affordable spots like Sunlight Mountain Resort, with daily lift rates as low as $59. What’s more, it’s closer to Denver than more famous spots like Aspen and Telluride. Sunlight ski resort offers 730 skiable acres, with a peak elevation of 7,885 feet and 72 trails. Although you won’t find lodging onsite, the resort partners with hotels in Glenwood Springs and Carbondale. For example, Hotel Colorado and the world famous Glenwood Hot Springs Resort are among the most popular places to stay. In case you’re unfamiliar with Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, it features the world’s largest hot springs pool.
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About The Author
Randy Yagi is an award-winning freelance writer who served as the National Travel Writer for CBS from 2012-2019. More than 900 of his stories still appear in syndication across 23 CBS websites, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco. During his peak years with CBS, Randy had a reported digital audience reach of 489 million and 5.5 million monthly visitors. Additionally, his stories have appeared in the Daily Meal, CBS News, CBS Radio, Engadget, NBC.com, NJ.com and Radio.com. He earned a Media Fellowship from Stanford University in 2012.
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