Ski deals & discounts for 2015

With weekend / holiday lift tickets topping $80 at many of the large eastern ski areas (Stowe comes in at a whopping $108), it’s more important than ever to find ways to keep skiing affordable. If you’ve got at least some flexibility in your schedule, there’s no need to pay full rate. Listed below are the top deals and discounts I’ve found for 2015. All information is accurate at the time of publication, but be sure to check each ski area’s website for additional details.

#13 – Take Your Kids to Gore Week #2 - Kids 19 and under ski and ride free with a full paying parent all week, Saturday, March 21 through Friday, March 27 (week #1 was December 15 – 21). This is one of the few ski discounts available on a Saturday.

#12 – The ISKINY Free for Kids Passport program is available to 3rd and 4th graders from anywhere. Fill out the application and submit it with your child’s 3rd or 4th grade report card and a $25 processing fee. You will then receive a booklet of coupons good for free lift tickets when an adult purchases a lift ticket. Three coupons per ski area are included in the booklet. Ski Vermont has a similar deal for 5th graders.

#11 – Whiteface Super Sundays – $48 lift tickets on December 7, January 4, February 1, March 15 and April 5. Tickets must be purchased online at least 24 hours in advance.

#10 – Gore and Whiteface Coca Cola “Why Not Wednesdays” – $45 lift tickets all winter on non-holiday Wednesdays. Bring an unopened Coca-Cola product to the ticket window.

#9 – Ski and Ride Free 2-for-1 lift tickets – Fill up three times (8 gallons or more) at participating gas stations for a 2-for-1 lift ticket discount at participating ski mountains, including Gore, West Mountain, Willard Mountain, Oak Mountain, Bromley, Jay, Mad River Glen and many others. Restrictions vary at each participating ski area, but in general the 2-for-1 discounts are available Sunday through Friday, non-holiday. Note that the Gore 2-for-1 is available for Mondays only. Also, Whiteface participated in this program last year but is not participating this year. A similar deal (10 gallons or more, different gas stations, different ski areas) is available at Irving gas stations.

#8 – Bromley Mountain, located near Manchester, VT, offers a 2-fer Tuesday: buy one all day lift ticket ($71) and get a second lift ticket free. On Family Fridays every full paying adult can purchase up to 3 teen or junior lift tickets for $20 each. Both promotions are available all winter, excluding holidays. Also, Friday February 6 is Mom’s Day Off: show a picture of your kid and ski all day for a $20 donation to the Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center. And finally, on St. Patrick’s Day, wear green and get a lift ticket for $17.

#7 – At Mount Snow, if you’re 18 or younger, it’s Youth Pay Your Age Day on Sunday, January 4. There are also 2-for-$49 lift tickets on Valentine’s Day and $17 lift tickets on St. Patrick’s Day. Watch their website next ski season for Founder’s Day on December 12, when Mount Snow celebrates its birthday with $12 lift tickets.

#6 – Pico Mountain - $26 lift tickets on Mondays if you’re 50+, $26 lift tickets for ladies on Thursdays, and $26 lift tickets for men on Fridays. These mid-week specials are available all winter, excluding holidays.

#5 – West Mountain – $17 lift ticket good from 4 to 9pm on Monday and Tuesday nights all winter.

#4 – Willard Mountain – 2-for-$30 Thursday nights, ski from 4 to 9pm for $15 per person on non-holiday Thursday nights all winter. Also, Tuesdays are $20 adult nights.

#3 – McCauley Mountain Crazy Fridays – $12 lift tickets on non-holiday Fridays, offered all winter.

#2 – Mad River Glen $3.50 Roll-Back-the-Clock Day on Tuesday, January 27 and 2-for-1 lift tickets on Wednesday, April 1.

#1 –Discover NY Skiing is 2015’s #1 deal: $12.00 tickets will be available for Thursday, January 8 at many New York ski areas, including West, Willard, Titus, and Oak (Oak will host on Friday January 9). $24.00 tickets are available for Gore and Whiteface. Catskill ski areas are participating as well, including Belleayre and Plattekill ($12.00) and Hunter and Windham ($24.00). Tickets are limited and must be purchased online in advance.

Here are a few more ideas for this winter and next:

• Check Liftopia for daily deals on advance purchase lift tickets to most ski areas in the northeast.
• Membership in a ski club can give you access to bus trips and discounted lift tickets. The OC Ski Club, based in Albany, is very active locally.
• The Fox 44 Ski and Ride Card gives the purchaser one lift ticket at each of 12 participating ski resorts, including Gore, Whiteface, Jay Peak and Mad River Glen. Cards went on sale this fall for $125 and sold out in one or two days. Here’s a link to last winter’s offer – watch for these to go on sale for the 2015-16 ski season and be prepared to jump on ‘em.
• Make sure to catch next winter’s Warren Miller movie. The local showings in Albany, Queensbury and Saratoga Springs included free lift tickets to Gore, Sugarbush and other ski resorts.