Copper Mountain, Colorado
If you’re like me, you probably already have a very long list of reasons why you’re looking forward to ski season.
Or maybe your list is super short, starting with “skiing” and ending with “skiing” (or riding).
In any case, my family and I were having dinner recently and we created a list of five “right-now” reasons to look forward to ski season.
#1 The Season Hasn’t Disappointed You Yet
Or put more precisely, the snow hasn’t yet disappointed. Seen from the vantage point of late August, every winter is epic.
Looking through the eyes of a wishful Snowstradamus, we can plan on California emerging from drought in a huge way with feet upon feet of snow falling.
Powderhorn Mountain Resort, Colorado
We can bank on El Niño and a huge winter for the southwest. In fact, my family is predicting record snowfall everywhere, with powder days for all.
Who needs meteorological knowledge when you’ve got unbridled enthusiasm and optimism?
Looking for real forecasts and informed prognostications? Check out OpenSnow.com.
#2 The High Alpine Season at Loveland and A Basin Begins Soon
While the summer days are getting shorter, it doesn’t yet feel like fall. Still, Loveland and Arapahoe Basin, two high alpine resorts in Colorado (and sometimes Wolf Creek, too) will open in October. That puts the countdown to ski days into the middle double digits.
For the rest of North America, it’s less than 100 days, no matter you count it.
An October day at Arapahoe Basin, Colorado.
#3 The Deals This Season Are Better Than Ever
Thanks to the Vail Resorts Epic Pass, multi-mountain passes are now the rule, not the exception.
Just ask the Brave Ski Dad. Skiing at Beaver Creek (one of the Vail Resorts) is truly this fantastic.
Take a look at this season’s Rocky Mountain Super Pass Plus. With it, you get access to Winter Park, Copper Mountain and Eldora, along with Crested Butte and Steamboat – and that’s just within the Colorado Rockies. Pack your skis for flight and you’ll be making turns at Alyeska, Alaska this winter. Save your pennies for summer and two resorts in New Zealand, Mount Ruapehu and Cardrona, will welcome you.
Winter Park, Colorado
Other passes to check out include the Mountain Collective (11 big name mountains across western Canada and the U.S.), the Powder Alliance (14 lesser known, but still big mountains — including Silver Star, one of my faves in Canada) and the new M.A.X. pass.
M.A.X. stands for Multi-Alpine Experience and includes 5 days at 22 mountains spanning the continent, from Killington and Pico to Mont Tremblant, from Boyne Mountain to Big Sky, from Winter Park and Copper Mountain to Mount Bachelor, with a whole lot more in between.
Cold Spring, with the Headwaters lift below at Big Sky, Montana.
Also, check the reciprocal deals on your mountain’s season pass. Many, many passes now include complimentary or discount tickets at “sister” resorts.
Finally, if you’ve got kids, check out school age passes. Lots of states, including Colorado, New York, Utah, Idaho, Vermont and Maine (plus many more), offer free or very inexpensive passes to local kids in a certain grade (often 5th grade, but sometimes other grades, too).
Got kids? They’ll want to find this guy in the park at lovely Killington, Vermont.
And if you’re Canadian, check out the Ski Canada Grades 4 and 5 Snowpass. For $29.95, kids get three days at every resort in Canada, from Whistler in B.C. to Marble Mountain in Newfoundland (we’ve got a review coming in November).
It’s an amazing deal.
Silver Star Mountain Resort, BC
#4 New Gear for This Season and From Last Season
Whether you need hard or soft goods, now is the time to buy. Labor Day is the focal point for preseason sales with discounts on everything for the coming season and steep markdowns on last season’s gear. Two sales of note, of which I’m familiar, are the SKI REX Super Sale at Colorado Ski and Golf and the Ski ‘N See Ski-A-Rama Sale in Utah (which started Friday — so get out there).
Stacks of skis, just waiting to be sold. Photographer: Jim Hamilton. Photo courtesy Colorado Ski and Golf.
Also check online. For example, Skis.com has markdowns galore, with an extra 20% off on Labor Day. And for beautiful, fun and stylish outerwear (not to mention lifestyle boots and clothing), shop the sales right now at WinterWomen.com and WinterKids.com.
So many reasons to love Utah. The fall sale at Ski ‘N See is just one. Here, deep snow at what was formerly Canyons, now Park City Mountain Resort (and on the Epic Pass).
#5 Plan An Incredible Vacation This Season
Early season is the time to book your ski vacation. Holiday periods fill up really fast, so the sooner you book, the more options you’ll have and the better pricing you’ll find. Of course, you’re taking a flyer here as you don’t know yet where the best snow may fall (see #1 above).
But in our experience, the good skiing is wherever you happen to be skiing at any given moment. Any ski holiday is better than no ski holiday. So pick your mountain, make your plans and book your trip.
Need some inspiration? We’ve got ski resort reviews GALORE, right here at Braveskimom.com.
Ski season is calling…and it’s coming fast.
Enjoy!
More Pre-Season Inspiration
- Chairlift Chatting: The Good, The Bad, The Weird, September 23, 2013.
- How to Save Big on Kids’ Ski and Ride Gear, August 29, 2013.
- Five Reason Why Your Kids Should Ski for Free, September 17, 2014.
- Why Skiing is Good for Me, and My Family, January 5, 2015.
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