The cost of skiing is rising dramatically lately. Not just the window rate of day tickets but also costs associated with getting to the slopes. Many solo day trippers will pay more for fuel than for a day ticket this season, especially mid-week day trippers. My hypothesis is that costs of fuel will exceed costs of tickets this season for many skiers, myself included. In an on going effort to calculate total season costs, TheSnowWay.com is proud to present our total season cost calculator using OpenOffice’s Spreadsheet program. Results from the first third of the 2007-2008 season have been exported to PDF format and linked to below for your viewing pleasure.
With an advertised 35 MPG for highways, my 1999 Saturn SC2 has provided amazing fuel and money savings compared to less efficient and more expensive vehicles. One trip involving consistent 55 MPH travel pushed MPG to nearly 40. Why pay extra for All Wheel Drive or Four Wheel Drive when a great set of snow tires will get you to the mountain just as fast and safe while paying less at the dealership and at the pump.
Given current environmental issues, we must not only consider the effects skiing has on our wallets, but also effects related to emissions. While reducing number of ski days is not an option, choosing a fuel efficient vehicle and driving at reasonable speeds that reduce gas consumption are paramount to reducing our environmental impact. It is not only the right thing to do, it is the affordable thing to do.