As temperatures continue to drop, so does the rate at which students purchase ski passes.
Ski passes can be expensive, especially for students who have to pay for tuition and textbooks. Between parking, day passes, food, and ski rentals, a day at Brighton Resort alone can cost up to $200.
Ali Alam, a computer science major, plans to purchase a ski pass this season at Brighton Resort because of the student discounts, which can reduce the price by around $100.
“For me, skiing is a priority, so I always save throughout the year so I know that I’ll be able to afford it,” Alam says. “My biggest tip would be to cancel monthly subscriptions that you don’t use anymore and put that money towards the pass.”
Porter Treaner, a second-year psychology major at Salt Lake Community College, chose not to get a ski pass this season due to the high cost. Treaner isn’t planning on skiing much in the coming year, but in the past has found tricks to stretching his budget.
“I would recommend students buy used gear instead of new,” he says. “I find that’s a great way to cut down the cost of skiing and snowboarding.”
Tyler Bearss has snowboarded at Brighton Resort, as well as Park City Mountain Resort, but has opted out this year because of the price. In the past, Bearss has utilized his student discount or found friends who work at the resorts and got him a discount.
“My biggest piece of advice is to find friends that work at the resorts and can get you either a free pass or a pass at a discounted rate,” he says. “I also used social media, because a lot of times they will post about certain deals that you can take advantage of.”
Many of the ski resorts around the Wasatch Front are aware students don’t have unlimited budgets and offer deals for those currently in school. Check the Ski Utah website for a list of season pass prices.
