One of the best parts about snowboarding is exploring new snowboard resorts. Getting together with your family and friends and visiting a new spot is always an adventure. But with inflation hitting new highs, how much does a snowboarding trip cost in 2023?
Snowboarding trips cost over $1,000 to travel across the country, or less than $100 if you stay close to home. If planning to travel internationally, you will need to budget at least $1500 per person. The cost of a snowboarding trip therefore depends on the location and duration of your trip.
This article will discuss how much a typical snowboarding trip costs, some factors that influence the price, and ways that you can spend less money on your trip this year.
Is A Snowboard Trip Expensive?
Snowboarding trips are expensive.
But just how expensive depends on where you’re going and for how long.
The price will also hugely vary depending on whether your accommodation is the base basics or pure luxury.
You can go on a snowboarding trip for cheap, depending on a few factors.
Here’s some common things that impact the cost of your snowboard trip:
- Lift tickets. You’re going to need a lift ticket to snowboard every day. Lift tickets typically costs between $50-$100 at most resorts on the weekend. But check before you go… some places are much more expensive.
- Accommodation. A typical hotel room in the United States as of September 2022 costs $149.90. This will be much higher in ski resorts. Choose a cheaper resort or stay outside the resort and travel to the slopes each day.
- Airfare. It will average around $330 round trip if you fly to another destination in the USA.
- Rental Car. Most snowboard resorts are at least moderate distances from an airport, often longer. So you’ll need a rental car if you fly. The average rental car cost in Denver, CO, is $548 for a week.
If you already have your snowboard, these are the majority of costs you’ll need to factor in, besides food and drink. If you need to rent equipment, you’ll spend even more.
Therefore, a snowboarding trip can easily cost over $1000 for a long weekend.
But there are ways around this…
How To Make a Snowboard Trip Less Expensive
Even though snowboard trips can be expensive, there are some ways that you can save money.
Planning ahead and reducing unnecessary spending will make a trip much more affordable.
Personally, I’m terrible at organization. But if it means I’ll save a bunch of money and still get to go snowboarding… I’m in!
Here are some easy ways you can save money on a snowboarding trip:
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- Stick with your local spot. I know it’s tempting to explore. But if money is tight, think how much more riding you can get in by spending your money on lift tickets rather than hotels and airfare!
- Buy second hand gear. Used snowboards often work out cheaper than the cost of renting for a week. You can even sell them on after your trip and recoup the cash!
- Get a job on the hill. The best way to ride for free! Many resorts jobs include a season pass and if you work antisocial hours, you can still ride in the daytime. A worse paying job at the resort may also leave you with more money than your office job if you don’t have to pay for passes/hotels. I did this for a few years and totally recommend it.
- Take the path less travelled. Try out smaller, lesser known resorts. They’re often cheaper and usually quieter. Just avoid any from our list of worst ski resorts in the world!
- Stay with friends or family. If you have people you know in the area, stay with them! You will save hundreds of dollars by sleeping on a couch or a friend’s spare bed rather than in a hotel.
- Drive instead of fly. If you keep your trip local, you can save a lot on airfare and renting a car. Better yet, carpool and split the cost of gas with your friends.
- Pack your own food. You can make a snowboarding trip cost less money if you bring food instead of ordering at a restaurant.
- Go for longer. Yes, overall this will cost more. But your cost per day will drop dramatically. It’s better to do one longer trip than multiple small ones.
- Fly at strange times. If you do need to fly, take the weird time slots. They’re often cheaper and way less busy.
If you drive to a snowboard spot a few hours away and stay with a friend, you can plan a snowboarding trip for under $100.
The Average Cost Of A Snowboarding Trip
The average cost of a snowboard trip is extremely hard to calculate. This is because of variables such as accommodation type, ski resort location and the required travelling distance. A rough estimate is $150-$300 per day, per person.
I’m aware that I have readers from all over the world, not just the states. Clearly for readers in places like the UK (with very few local resorts), most trips require international travel. Unfortunately, this puts the cost up further. Sorry guys.
Why Are Snowboard Trips Getting More Expensive?
One word.
Inflation.
The cost of living is going up and ski resorts are unfortunately not exempt.
As the price of food, electricity and gas continues to soar, so too will the prices of hotels, airfare and even ski passes.
Companies will pass raised prices onto the customer with some disguising their desire for increased profits with statements like “forced price hikes are due to increased cost of supplies”.
But what does this mean for us?
Well, if we cut down our spending with the above tips, inflation shouldn’t be enough to stop us snowboarding.
Personally, rather than making multiple small trips (which is economically unviable), I’m saving my money for one or two epic trips. These cost more per trip but I’ll spend much less overall. I’ll also be working overtime. It’s painful, but for snowboarding… it’ll be worth it.
Summary
It’s not all doom and gloom.
Yes the price of skiing and snowboarding is going up.
But that’s been the case for years, and it hasn’t stopped us from finding a way to ride.
If the worst comes to the worst, spend the day hiking the mountain (without a lift pass). That right there is free!
If you need to save for a while before taking your next trip, then I’m right here writing snowboarding content to keep you occupied until your trip. Enjoy!
