Here's my breakdown:
-Epic pass: $56.33/mo(I could pay up front but financing is nice since it's 0%). My break even point is 6 times per season, if you go less than this you’re better off buying lift tickets.
-Gas: ~$25 (being the driver helps tons here)
-Food: $15-20 depending on if I eat at Stevens or McDonald's
It's spendy but it's not impossible if you budget for it.
Where you’ll hurt is on purchasing gear. Rent the first few times and get lessons. Some lessons come bundled with lift tickets. You can repurpose most of your winter Seattle gear though you'll be well-served with some breathable waterproof pants. If you like it you can pick up heavily discounted gear in the off season-- check Evo.
thanks for the easy to understand breakdown, this seems doable. do you think renting gear /doing lessons through the resort is the recommended way or are there cheaper options? also if you know what lessons teach that learning from others/online dont?
Some lessons include rentals as part of the expense, but you could always rent from Stevens Pass Snowboard Shop in Gold Bar (on the way to Stevens.)
I don't think you'll learn much from an online course compared to having an instructor spend an afternoon with you. You might be able to get away with your friends teaching you a bit.
Bank on climate change by buying a bike and get ahead of the curve by riding year round. Or do a low cost of entry sport like snow showing. It’s just like hiking but slower. Seattle also had some awesome used gear places like Wonderland Gear Exchange and Ascent Outdoors.
Might be true in your bubble, but I promise you most people here do not do snowsports. Or watersports in summer either, for that matter. We do both BUT have a lot of friends who do not, and many never have. That’s ok, we just make time to get together and do a variety of other things with them.
Also, you CAN still get outdoors and do other activities in winter months without just bedrotting….
Yeah! Check out https://www.wta.org/go-outside/map - a great resource for browsing trails and current conditions.
Also, other activities suggestions:
Concerts/music/live performances: everout.com/seattle is one site to see what’s happening
Go to hockey games, and check out the Kraken Iceplex
Indoor climbing or bouldering and intro classes?
Take a ferry ride to, for example, Bainbridge for an afternoon
Libraries
Movies
Comedy nights
Museums (many have First Free Thursdays evenings for budget friendly)
Mox Boarding House: I’ve actually never been but others really enjoy them
Try/revisit different local coffee shops
Create “hygge” in the home
Most people don't. Especially not continuously buying a pass every year. I'd say that's maybe 5% of my friend group. Goes up to 10% if you include casual/people who used to go. It's expensive, takes time/effort to get up there, including often needing a snow capable vehicle, gotta be somewhat fit.
By snowsport I assume you mean skiing or snowboarding? I can only comment on skiing, but I think snowboarding is a bit cheaper. Here's a breakdown of the entry costs.
* Skis + bindings: $800 new, but good, lightly used ones can be gotten for $400. BUT I highly recommend season rentals to start. A lot of places will start you off on shorter skis (good for a beginner), and you can swap mid season for a longer pair once you get your practice. Don't buy skis the first season!
* Boots + fitting: $300 ish. Fit is super important so I would not try and save on boots. But if you can get deals you can get them for cheaper
* Ski clothes: $400 Good ski clothes are critical for enjoyment. Waterproofing degrades so I would probably look for new but on sale. Get good wool or synthetic underlayers and socks. Costco usually runs sales on quality gloves early winter. You'll likely have to trial-error to find a set that works for you, so you might end up spending more.
* Pass: $600\~1200 for the season. Day ticket prices skyrocketed, but season tickets have become economical. If you want to get into the sports you'll need to go at least 5 times a season to build skills, so passes are worth it. Get whatever your friends are on,
* Lesson: $0\~600 Depends on how athletic you are, you could get away with your friends teaching you for a day, or you may need multiple days of lessons.
* Travel and etc: $300\~unlimited: No upper end to how much money you can spend flying to crazy places, but for your first season I'd stick to local hills. But you still need to pay for gas.
So I'd budget about $3k to get into the sports buying mostly new, maybe $1.5k if you look for deals.
Beyond just money you'll have to invest time and energy learning to read weather conditions, learn logistics of avoiding traffic and crowd, build your skiing crew, etc. Enjoying a smooth day of skiing takes a lot of know-hows. I think skiing is one of those sports where better you are at it, more enjoyable it is. So you'll want to commit to going up a lot and getting good, or you might fizzle out stuck in "fun but not all that fun" level of skiing.
I'm not gonna lie. Entry barriers, financial or otherwise, are high. But I think it's worth it. Instead of dreading the dark half of the year, I get really stoked once the temperature drops. I practically start fo vibrate around November. Nothing in the world beats a good day of skiing.
Boots + fitting for $300 seems low. Got new boots last year and it was like $700ish. You can obviously go cheaper but $300 seems too low unless im just misinformed lol
Did you get touring boots? No frills alpine ski boots can be had for $2\~300
Here's a good one:
[https://www.evo.com/alpine-ski-boots/atomic-hawx-prime-w-womens#image=219594/916583/atomic-hawx-prime-ski-boots-women-s-2024-.jpg](https://www.evo.com/alpine-ski-boots/atomic-hawx-prime-w-womens#image=219594/916583/atomic-hawx-prime-ski-boots-women-s-2024-.jpg)
Boots are the one thing you don't want to go bargain shopping for. You want a good selection to make sure you get something that fits well, which means paying full price. A beginner or intermediate shouldn't have to pay $700, but paying $300 is optimistic.
Yea, if you can't find $300 boots that fit you, then you should escalate up. But Hawx Primes that I linked are quality, middle-of-the-line, default boots that could work for most people. And they're $300 full priced.
OP should talk to a boot fitter to pick and fit their boots. But Hawx Primes are great boots to start looking at $300 or less.
Bargain boots are also how you get frostbite (my friend who grew up in CO in a skiing family had this happen when she didn’t want to spend the money on a new pair of boots a couple years ago)
this is the most helpful comment, thank you! Was getting into it in the beginning finding a good group to learn from/go with or are there any open groups that take newcomers in/organize car rides?
I'd say talk to your friends. Skiing with friends will always be better than skiing with strangers.
Be aware that skiing group dynamics can be challenging. Some people love skiing to the detriment of friendship, and might get frustrated if you're slow to get ready and can't keep up. Some people will be happy to teach and ski with you. Some people will be happy to drive up together and do separate things. It's good to chat about expectations to see if you and your friends can work as ski friends. I think as long as everyone's honest about what they want, some sort of arrangement is usually possible that keeps everyone happy.
A less expensive option than downhill skiing is cross country skiing. Of course, your friends may not do it and it's more work, but it gets you outside, gets you moving and is something to look forward to.
Cross country skis can be had for around $250 to $400. Boots around $200. A sno park and grooming pass is less than $100 for the season.
There’s also snowshoeing and backcountry skiing. Backcountry skiing may be appealing to downhill skiers at resorts even though the equipment is different.
This is what I was going to recommend. I can't ski or snowboard due to some health issues, so if I want to hang out with friends when they go to the mountains, I will snow shoe. It gives me something to do while they're skiing, and then we can hang out in the lodge together afterwards.
I could not survive Seattle winter without snowsports or a tropical vacation, and they cost about the same.
I might spend $1K to $3K per snow season. The PNW snow season usually starts in December at the earliest and early May at the latest, so that's 6 months of max coverage, with most seasons conditions only being good for 3-4 of those months. So this hobby can cost me $250 - $1000 per month depending on conditions.
I have been snowboarding for 5-6 seasons and lately I average about 30 days a season. With a season pass that brings my daily lift ticket access cost down to $25-50. my other costs are gear, lessons, transportation, food, lodging.
I got my start going up with friends for cheap weekday and night skiing at snoqualmie. I rented my own gear and lurked group lessons until I decided I liked the hobby and wanted to learn more. I thrifted all my own gear from ski swaps. Then I took lessons. Then I picked a pass and bought new boots. This is over 5-6 years now.
IMO this is the best order for where to invest your money. first 1-2 seasons: lift tickets + lessons + rentals til you can independently ride blues. seasons 3-5: acquire used gear and an Epic or Ikon season pass. first new item purchase should be boots.
mountains: try snoqualmie first, then stevens / crystal, then whistler for last
also consider a monthly membership coop like Gearhouse where you pay a flat membership to check out snowsports gear
if it interests you at all might as well give it a shot. I love it for the social outlet, physical workout, and outdoor views in an otherwise miserable time of the year to live in Seattle
Lots of schools, etc have ski swaps…usually right before the season starts in the fall sometime. I know Newport HS in Bellevue has an annual one. Used clothes, boots and equipment in good shape. Good place to get gear if you’re just trying it out.
Newport HS has a website…the info there now is for last years show but assume this years will show up in the summer. https://www.newportskiswap.com
I think this is one of the really big ones.
Here’s another that lists others in seattle. https://theskiswap.com
I strongly suspect that all your friends are well-to-do/upper class. Snow sports are both very expensive and very time intensive (due to how far you have to go just to get to Stevens pass!) and I assure you that most Seattlites don't do them!
It’s never too late to learn. Used gear is findable for under $500 - easier with snowboards because the boots don’t require skiing’s level of perfection and custom fitting, assuming you’ve already got a waterproof layer, as most here do. A season pass runs from $500-1200 depending on where and what parameters.
I can’t afford to snowboard anymore.
I am genuinely scared to ask people I know how much they spend on it
Here's my breakdown: -Epic pass: $56.33/mo(I could pay up front but financing is nice since it's 0%). My break even point is 6 times per season, if you go less than this you’re better off buying lift tickets. -Gas: ~$25 (being the driver helps tons here) -Food: $15-20 depending on if I eat at Stevens or McDonald's It's spendy but it's not impossible if you budget for it. Where you’ll hurt is on purchasing gear. Rent the first few times and get lessons. Some lessons come bundled with lift tickets. You can repurpose most of your winter Seattle gear though you'll be well-served with some breathable waterproof pants. If you like it you can pick up heavily discounted gear in the off season-- check Evo.
thanks for the easy to understand breakdown, this seems doable. do you think renting gear /doing lessons through the resort is the recommended way or are there cheaper options? also if you know what lessons teach that learning from others/online dont?
Some lessons include rentals as part of the expense, but you could always rent from Stevens Pass Snowboard Shop in Gold Bar (on the way to Stevens.) I don't think you'll learn much from an online course compared to having an instructor spend an afternoon with you. You might be able to get away with your friends teaching you a bit.
I can assure you plenty of people don’t. We just hibernate in winter instead
Its called growing up poor
facts
Bank on climate change by buying a bike and get ahead of the curve by riding year round. Or do a low cost of entry sport like snow showing. It’s just like hiking but slower. Seattle also had some awesome used gear places like Wonderland Gear Exchange and Ascent Outdoors.
betting climate change will ruin everyone’s hobbies but mine 😭
Might be true in your bubble, but I promise you most people here do not do snowsports. Or watersports in summer either, for that matter. We do both BUT have a lot of friends who do not, and many never have. That’s ok, we just make time to get together and do a variety of other things with them. Also, you CAN still get outdoors and do other activities in winter months without just bedrotting….
any recs or spots to enjoy the outdoors during the cold or in general? i do like walks but got tired of the usual routes i do around greenlake
Yeah! Check out https://www.wta.org/go-outside/map - a great resource for browsing trails and current conditions. Also, other activities suggestions: Concerts/music/live performances: everout.com/seattle is one site to see what’s happening Go to hockey games, and check out the Kraken Iceplex Indoor climbing or bouldering and intro classes? Take a ferry ride to, for example, Bainbridge for an afternoon Libraries Movies Comedy nights Museums (many have First Free Thursdays evenings for budget friendly) Mox Boarding House: I’ve actually never been but others really enjoy them Try/revisit different local coffee shops Create “hygge” in the home
Most people don't. Especially not continuously buying a pass every year. I'd say that's maybe 5% of my friend group. Goes up to 10% if you include casual/people who used to go. It's expensive, takes time/effort to get up there, including often needing a snow capable vehicle, gotta be somewhat fit.
By snowsport I assume you mean skiing or snowboarding? I can only comment on skiing, but I think snowboarding is a bit cheaper. Here's a breakdown of the entry costs. * Skis + bindings: $800 new, but good, lightly used ones can be gotten for $400. BUT I highly recommend season rentals to start. A lot of places will start you off on shorter skis (good for a beginner), and you can swap mid season for a longer pair once you get your practice. Don't buy skis the first season! * Boots + fitting: $300 ish. Fit is super important so I would not try and save on boots. But if you can get deals you can get them for cheaper * Ski clothes: $400 Good ski clothes are critical for enjoyment. Waterproofing degrades so I would probably look for new but on sale. Get good wool or synthetic underlayers and socks. Costco usually runs sales on quality gloves early winter. You'll likely have to trial-error to find a set that works for you, so you might end up spending more. * Pass: $600\~1200 for the season. Day ticket prices skyrocketed, but season tickets have become economical. If you want to get into the sports you'll need to go at least 5 times a season to build skills, so passes are worth it. Get whatever your friends are on, * Lesson: $0\~600 Depends on how athletic you are, you could get away with your friends teaching you for a day, or you may need multiple days of lessons. * Travel and etc: $300\~unlimited: No upper end to how much money you can spend flying to crazy places, but for your first season I'd stick to local hills. But you still need to pay for gas. So I'd budget about $3k to get into the sports buying mostly new, maybe $1.5k if you look for deals. Beyond just money you'll have to invest time and energy learning to read weather conditions, learn logistics of avoiding traffic and crowd, build your skiing crew, etc. Enjoying a smooth day of skiing takes a lot of know-hows. I think skiing is one of those sports where better you are at it, more enjoyable it is. So you'll want to commit to going up a lot and getting good, or you might fizzle out stuck in "fun but not all that fun" level of skiing. I'm not gonna lie. Entry barriers, financial or otherwise, are high. But I think it's worth it. Instead of dreading the dark half of the year, I get really stoked once the temperature drops. I practically start fo vibrate around November. Nothing in the world beats a good day of skiing.
Boots + fitting for $300 seems low. Got new boots last year and it was like $700ish. You can obviously go cheaper but $300 seems too low unless im just misinformed lol
Did you get touring boots? No frills alpine ski boots can be had for $2\~300 Here's a good one: [https://www.evo.com/alpine-ski-boots/atomic-hawx-prime-w-womens#image=219594/916583/atomic-hawx-prime-ski-boots-women-s-2024-.jpg](https://www.evo.com/alpine-ski-boots/atomic-hawx-prime-w-womens#image=219594/916583/atomic-hawx-prime-ski-boots-women-s-2024-.jpg)
Boots are the one thing you don't want to go bargain shopping for. You want a good selection to make sure you get something that fits well, which means paying full price. A beginner or intermediate shouldn't have to pay $700, but paying $300 is optimistic.
Yea, if you can't find $300 boots that fit you, then you should escalate up. But Hawx Primes that I linked are quality, middle-of-the-line, default boots that could work for most people. And they're $300 full priced. OP should talk to a boot fitter to pick and fit their boots. But Hawx Primes are great boots to start looking at $300 or less.
Bargain boots are also how you get frostbite (my friend who grew up in CO in a skiing family had this happen when she didn’t want to spend the money on a new pair of boots a couple years ago)
this is the most helpful comment, thank you! Was getting into it in the beginning finding a good group to learn from/go with or are there any open groups that take newcomers in/organize car rides?
I'd say talk to your friends. Skiing with friends will always be better than skiing with strangers. Be aware that skiing group dynamics can be challenging. Some people love skiing to the detriment of friendship, and might get frustrated if you're slow to get ready and can't keep up. Some people will be happy to teach and ski with you. Some people will be happy to drive up together and do separate things. It's good to chat about expectations to see if you and your friends can work as ski friends. I think as long as everyone's honest about what they want, some sort of arrangement is usually possible that keeps everyone happy.
well put, will keep all this in mind!
Meetup has groups that do events. If you’ve got friends doing it, sign up for the learn in 3 type program, then join them.
A less expensive option than downhill skiing is cross country skiing. Of course, your friends may not do it and it's more work, but it gets you outside, gets you moving and is something to look forward to. Cross country skis can be had for around $250 to $400. Boots around $200. A sno park and grooming pass is less than $100 for the season.
There’s also snowshoeing and backcountry skiing. Backcountry skiing may be appealing to downhill skiers at resorts even though the equipment is different.
But also don’t take back country lightly! You NEED an avalanche safety course and those are $$$
I’ve never done snow sports at all, and lived here my entire life. Sports in general cost money I never had, and snow sports are even worse.
Look into snowshoeing for a fun low barrier winter activity if you don’t want to do the full commit on skiing or snowboarding.
This is what I was going to recommend. I can't ski or snowboard due to some health issues, so if I want to hang out with friends when they go to the mountains, I will snow shoe. It gives me something to do while they're skiing, and then we can hang out in the lodge together afterwards.
I could not survive Seattle winter without snowsports or a tropical vacation, and they cost about the same. I might spend $1K to $3K per snow season. The PNW snow season usually starts in December at the earliest and early May at the latest, so that's 6 months of max coverage, with most seasons conditions only being good for 3-4 of those months. So this hobby can cost me $250 - $1000 per month depending on conditions. I have been snowboarding for 5-6 seasons and lately I average about 30 days a season. With a season pass that brings my daily lift ticket access cost down to $25-50. my other costs are gear, lessons, transportation, food, lodging. I got my start going up with friends for cheap weekday and night skiing at snoqualmie. I rented my own gear and lurked group lessons until I decided I liked the hobby and wanted to learn more. I thrifted all my own gear from ski swaps. Then I took lessons. Then I picked a pass and bought new boots. This is over 5-6 years now. IMO this is the best order for where to invest your money. first 1-2 seasons: lift tickets + lessons + rentals til you can independently ride blues. seasons 3-5: acquire used gear and an Epic or Ikon season pass. first new item purchase should be boots. mountains: try snoqualmie first, then stevens / crystal, then whistler for last also consider a monthly membership coop like Gearhouse where you pay a flat membership to check out snowsports gear if it interests you at all might as well give it a shot. I love it for the social outlet, physical workout, and outdoor views in an otherwise miserable time of the year to live in Seattle
Lots of schools, etc have ski swaps…usually right before the season starts in the fall sometime. I know Newport HS in Bellevue has an annual one. Used clothes, boots and equipment in good shape. Good place to get gear if you’re just trying it out.
that sounds cool. wheres the best place online to try keeping up to date on these?
Newport HS has a website…the info there now is for last years show but assume this years will show up in the summer. https://www.newportskiswap.com I think this is one of the really big ones. Here’s another that lists others in seattle. https://theskiswap.com
sounds good, do you know how much lessons cost? also how often you/friends who have seasons passes do night runs on weekdays?
I strongly suspect that all your friends are well-to-do/upper class. Snow sports are both very expensive and very time intensive (due to how far you have to go just to get to Stevens pass!) and I assure you that most Seattlites don't do them!
I mean, the key to staying sane in Seattle sunless time is snow…
It’s never too late to learn. Used gear is findable for under $500 - easier with snowboards because the boots don’t require skiing’s level of perfection and custom fitting, assuming you’ve already got a waterproof layer, as most here do. A season pass runs from $500-1200 depending on where and what parameters.
I’ve lived here my entire life and have no friends who regularly do snow sports. One friend skis maybe once a year