A ski trip ranks among the most expensive types of vacation you can take, with single-day lift tickets now costing around $300 at the big-name resorts in the Rocky Mountains.
And that's before you throw in equipment rentals, lessons, lodging, and transportation.
There are some things a cost-conscious powder hound can do to save money, mind you. Not long ago, Frommer's contributor Tamara Hinson consulted winter sports experts for their best tips for going skiing without going bankrupt. Their advice included opting for late-season mountain visits and making the most of multi-resort passes to find the best discounts.
Another smart strategy: skipping the household names in the Rockies and heading for a smaller ski area where lift tickets go for more reasonable rates.
Sure, there won't be as many runs, the views might not be as dramatic, and luxury hotels might be in short supply.
But, on the other hand, the crowds on the slopes are likely to be smaller and made up of more local residents, the mountain might be closer to where you live (making for easier last-minute day trips and weekend getaways), and odds are good you'll still have fun without spending a fortune.
Below, we've listed five affordable ski areas in each of three U.S. regions with a healthy number of downhill options: the Northeast, the Midwest, and the West (even Colorado).
We've listed prices below for adult skiers; discounts for kids are often available. Note that prices are subject to change, so always check with the mountain's website when planning your trip.
5 Ski Areas in the Northeast with Lift Tickets Under $100
For the quintessential New England ski experience, you can't do better than Vermont. Two of the state's most affordable resorts are unpretentious, independently owned throwbacks: Smugglers' Notch (located near the far busier Stowe) and Mad River Glen (about an hour's drive southeast of Burlington).
Lift tickets at Smuggs are $85 during the week, though the price bumps up to $119 on weekends. The locally beloved Mad River Glen is owned by a co-op and offers deep discounts for buying tickets in advance online, where you can find prices as low as $65 for certain dates (wait to buy tickets at the window and you'll pay $115).
Over in New Hampshire, Storrs Hill Ski Area in Lebanon is offering lift tickets all season long that don't cost a thing. The community-run operation—one of the oldest ski areas in the country—is letting folks access its seven trails at no charge, thanks to a big charitable donation that could make free skiing possible in future winters as well. Storrs Hill is open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only.
Similarly, a partnership with Maine-based retailer L.L.Bean has helped that state's Mount Abram, north of Portland, drop its lift ticket price to just $39. This is another laid-back, family-friendly ski area that's only open Thursday through Sunday.
For cheap skiing not far from New York City, try the recently renovated Holiday Mountain in Monticello (about 100 miles north of Manhattan), where prices for lift tickets range from $60 to $75, depending on the day you visit.
5 Ski Areas in the Midwest with Lift Tickets Under $100
Though perennially overlooked for the continent's steeper peaks, the Midwest has a long history of winter sports enthusiasm—and the region has some of the country's lowest prices for taking part.
Conveniently situated within easy road trip distance of Chicago, Chestnut Mountain Resort (pictured above) in Galena, Illinois, has 19 slopes for skiers and snowboarders across more than 200 acres. Single-day lift tickets for the rest of this winter range from $45 to $72.
Cascade Mountain near the Wisconsin Dells consistently appears on lists of the region's best ski resorts for its size (encompassing 48 runs) and renowned 900-foot-long snow-tubing chute. Adult lift tickets cost $99 on peak days, $79 otherwise.
A more rustic experience awaits at Mount Bohemia Ski Resort on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where an average snowfall of 273 inches results in the "deepest powder in the Midwest," according to the resort's website. The $95 lift ticket price includes admission to the property's Nordic spa.
Up in the Superior National Forest of Minnesota (north of Duluth), Giants Ridge Recreation Area keeps skiers busy with 35 runs as well as an extensive network of cross-country trails. Lift tickets start at just $25 for adults.
And in southern Indiana, another conveniently located spot is Perfect North Slopes, a collection of 23 trails and two terrain parks within a manageable drive of large cities in three different states: Indianapolis (about 90 minutes away), Cincinnati (about 45 minutes away), and Louisville, Kentucky (about 2 hours away). Adult lift tickets at Perfect North Slopes are $79.
5 Ski Areas in the West with Lift Tickets Under $100
If you can bring yourself to widen your search beyond Aspen and co., there are a few relatively affordable ski areas in Colorado.
Back in the fall, Powder Magazine put two of them, Echo Mountain and Ski Cooper, on its list of the "10 Most Affordable Ski Resorts in the United States."
Echo holds the distinction of being the closest ski area to Denver. Lift tickets start at $50 if purchased in advance online, $79 if bought on site.
About 100 miles farther west, Cooper, which prides itself on remaining approachable, charges just $45 for adult lift tickets Monday through Thursday, $95 on Fridays and Sundays, and $110 on Saturdays and holidays.
Another Western spot on Powder's affordability list is Bridger Bowl Ski Area (pictured above) in Bozeman, Montana, which will set you back $82 for the day if you buy in advance ($97 at the window). Sweetening the pot: Bozeman recently landed on a ranking of "America's Most Affordable Ski Towns" for its moderately priced Airbnbs and rental cars.
On a separate ranking of "The Most Affordable U.S. Resorts for Ski Vacations in 2024/25," the cheapest spot in the West was Washington State's Mount Baker Ski Area, where full-day lift tickets cost just under $100 at $94.27. Researchers praised the Cascade Range locale as "a hidden gem boasting some of North America’s deepest snow and expansive backcountry terrain."
Speaking of deep snow, Pomerelle Mountain Resort in south-central Idaho gets a whopping 500 inches of the stuff each year. Full-day lift tickets cost $53 when purchased in advance, $68 on site.
