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And Economies of Scale

Story by Tim Jones
Photo by Dennis Welsh/Loon Mountain

Let's also assume that you want to save money. These days, who doesn't?

One of the best ways to reduce your skiing costs, at least on a per-hour basis, is to ski as much as possible. In industry it's called "economies of scale," and it works just as well in recreation.

Take your equipment costs, as an example. Generally the most expensive ski gear in the world is the gear you rent for a single day. If you only intend to ski a few days a season, then renting gear is a way to spend the fewest dollars. Here's a case where comparison shopping can save you some real money. At the bigger ski areas, ski shops in nearby towns or along the access roads often offer cheaper prices than the ski shops at the area. But then you have to transport the skis to and from. Also, combining ski rentals with a lift ticket and lesson package may save you more. So shop around!

But, if you ski, say, ten times a season, the cost of day rentals becomes prohibitive, and you need to look into getting your own gear, either with a season leasing program offered by some shops (great for fast-growing kids) or owning (the best option for adults or families where gear can be handed down).

Once you lease or own gear, those costs are fixed. Let's say, for example, that you shopped carefully and bought a package of new skis, boots, poles, and bindings for a total of $400. If you only ski one day a season for the next four seasons, then your equipment costs will be $100 a day -- and skiing becomes an expensive pastime.

But, if you ski 50 times a season, and your gear lasts four years, your equipment costs you only $2.00 a day, and that's cheap. See where scale comes in?

Lift tickets offer tremendous opportunities for both individual savings and economies of scale. The most expensive lift ticket of all is a single-run pass, which many areas now sell. When you buy a half-day or full-day ticket and take more runs, your cost-per-run drops dramatically. The advantage of buying day tickets, of course, is that you pay only when you want to ski and where you want to ski. But you still pay more than you need to.

Most large New England ski areas offer multiday passes that can save you some real money. And there are lift and lodging packages that can also save you some serious cash.

There are also companies that help you buy discount lift tickets. "Ski America" (www.skiamerica.com) is one of these programs.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the program, "Ski America" publishes a magazine four times a year (October, November, December, and January), and has been in business for 24 years. Everything I've heard tells me their business is a legitimate way for ordinary skiers to cut their ski costs. The magazine offers skiers a couple of ways to save. Several of the advertisements in the most recent issue have coupons attached or touted ski vacation packages.

Ski America also offers significant discounts on ski passes for many areas throughout the country. All of these vouchers must be purchased in advance, must be used this season, and are nonrefundable. So basically, you have to plan in advance how many times you want to ski at which areas. Some of these passes -- particularly to the bigger "glamour" areas are restricted on weekends and holiday weeks. As always, check the fine print before you order.

Still, even with these caveats there are some significant savings. The number of passes available is limited, however, so you should order early. The prices often go up in mid-season at the most popular areas, so the best deals there come early. However, my bargain hunter's instincts tell me that, for less popular areas, you might be able to snatch some very good late-season prices.

At the smaller local areas (which consistently offer the most skiing for the money) there's less demand and great savings all the time.

Ski-NH (www.skinh.com) is another reputable concern that can get you onto the slopes of New Hampshire with a significant discount. It has family passes that let you ski five consecutive days and give you a free junior pass with it. And they have "business pass" vouchers that let you sample lots of different areas at very reasonable per-ticket prices.

As far as I'm concerned, any service that lets you ski more within your budget is great.

The cheapest way to get on the slopes, by far, is to find a ski area you like, that's near enough to home to ski often, buy a season pass, and ski as often as you possibly can. New England's skiing is a bargain you can't afford to pass up!