The Price Of A Ski Lift Ticket Literally Changes With The Weather At These Popular Mountain Resorts
Skiing isn't exactly a hobby known for being gentle on the wallet. Unless you live in the iconic resort town of Vail and moonlight as a ski instructor, you're probably paying more for those mountain moments than you'd like to admit. Sure, you can book your ski trip with points and miles, dodge airline baggage fees by shipping your skis ahead, or just rent your ski gear altogether, but if you're the type to casually hit the slopes a few times per season, ski lift tickets can feel like daylight robbery.
The culprit? Dynamic pricing — and it's more widespread than you might think. Ski resorts from Lillehammer in Norway to Switzerland's Pizol and Belalp — and, of course, the famous Vail Resorts in Colorado — are all in on it. If you've ever refreshed concert ticket pages only to watch prices climb higher than your stress levels, you already know the deal. The more people want it, the more expensive it gets. But ski resorts also operate on something called meteo dynamic pricing, which is basically just a fancy way of saying bad weather equals cheap tickets.
When the slopes are practically uninhabitable — think blizzards, bone-chilling temperatures, or rain — resorts slash prices to coax skiers into braving the misery. And yes, there's actual science to this. A study in the Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism found that ski resorts lower prices when weather cuts into the quality of the skiing experience. It's no wonder resorts are pushing season passes harder than ever. They lock in steady revenue without charging eye-watering prices for single lift tickets — and without making skiers feel like they've been duped into overpaying for a subpar experience.
There are still places where you can ski for way less
With ski lift tickets climbing into the stratosphere, it's probably not a reach to assume that every resort is dabbling in meteo dynamic pricing. And, well, they probably are. Prices have become so absurd that Powder reports Winter '24/'25 holiday tickets could hit $329 at hotspots like Beaver Creek, Deer Valley, and Vail — and over $280 at Palisades Tahoe and Heavenly Resort. Think that's bad? Niseko Hanazono Resort in Japan charges $750 for early birds looking to carve first tracks on untouched powder.
But don't give up on your ski dreams just yet — there are ways to hit the slopes without draining your bank account or buying a season pass. The key? Planning ahead. Advance tickets are almost always cheaper, and midweek skiing is a steal compared to weekend prices. If you're flexible, these small adjustments can save you big bucks. It would also help to skip the big-name resorts and check out smaller, underrated spots. "Smaller resorts have a lot to offer people who want to go for a spontaneous trip and don't want to end up spending two or three thousand dollars for a family," Julia Schneemann, senior editor of online ski magazine SnowBrains, told CNN.
For instance, Brundage Mountain in Idaho maxes out at $125 per day, while Belleayre in New York, which is deemed as "New York's best ski resort' for a premier family-friendly getaway, reportedly offers non-holiday weekday passes for as low as $63. Or you could skip the whole snow thing entirely and head to Copenhagen. CopenHill lets you ski year-round on an artificial slope right on top of a waste-to-energy plant. It's not powder, but hey, it makes for a much more unique experience.