close
close

The Most Affordable Ski Vacations in the US for 2024

Posted on by Larry
The Most Affordable Ski Vacations in the US for 2024

At least one thing in New York that is still affordable.

Skiers looking to save some money don’t have to leave the Empire State — where a resort that die-hard fans called “amazing” was just the cheapest in the country.

Collector of holiday rentals HomeToGo crunched the data – like so much fresh powder – on popular hills from coast to coast, with Gore Mountain in The Adirondacks effortlessly taking first place.

Mount Baker, in Washington, near the Canadian border, was number two on the affordable list. CascadeCreatives – stock.adobe.com

Located in the small town of North Creek in Warren County, Gore is one of three hills in the state that are publicly owned and managed by the Olympic Regional Development Authority, a state agency.

Whiteface, further north near Lake Placid, and Belleayre in The Catskills are the other two.

The survey authors said Gore’s combined lift ticket price of $107 per day for an adult and a night in a vacation rental for $88.02 per person was the cheapest on average among the scores of the resorts surveyed – for a total of $195.02 per day for the price-conscious skier.

The average daily cost of a lift ticket at the resorts included in the study was $188.15, the snow scouts said.

The average cost for a vacation rental, per person, per night, was $164.41.

Sugarloaf in Maine also made the list for its accessible price point. Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

Gore, with an elevation gain of 2,537, is about an hour and a half from Albany.

Snow is made on the mountain’s 115 trails using water from the Hudson River.

Fans have been known to leave glowing reviews of the destination on sites like On The Snowwhere one skier said Gore “never disappoints.”

“From the steeps to the cruisers, the skiing is great,” they said.

“I finally feel like I’m getting something for all the taxes I pay to live in New York,” they mused.

Second on the list is Mount Baker in Washington, just a few miles south of the border near Vancouver, BC

Located within the national park, a lift ticket costs $94.27, according to the study, while accommodations cost $106.65 per person, for a total of $200.92.

The resort is a whopping 1,800 meters high at its highest point – almost as high as Denver, Colorado.

Pricey Whitefish, Montana is home to an affordable ski resort. Flickr vision

Whitefish, Montana is one of the most popular (and increasingly expensive) mountain towns in the country, but the Whitefish Ski Resort takes the bronze as the third most affordable, at a total cost of $223.02 per day.

Maine and New Mexico each contributed two spots to the Top 10, while ski hotspots Vermont and Colorado offered just one spot each. Oregon occupied the last spot.

The Most Affordable Ski Vacations in the US for 2024

  1. Goreberg, New York
  2. Mount Baker, Washington
  3. Whitefish, Montana
  4. Sugarloaf, Maine
  5. Ski Santa Fe, New Mexico
  6. Sunday River, Maine
  7. Purgatory, Colo.
  8. Jay Peak, Vermont
  9. Engelbrand, New Mexico
  10. Mount Bachelor, Oregon

The list was released as the survey’s compilers noted a significant year-over-year increase — 29% — in interest in ski resort stays, according to Eleanor Moody, a travel expert at HomeToGo.

“While traditional favorites remain popular, our data shows growing interest in hidden gem destinations like Mount Baker and Whitefish, which rank highly for affordability, indicating travelers are looking for more budget-friendly ski travel options,” said Moody .