Image by Paloma Nacamuli

Every year, from late November to mid April, skiers from all over the West Coast flock to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which is very expensive. From gear, to lift tickets or season passes, to food, lodging, and gas, the price for a weekend ski trip to Tahoe can skyrocket. 

Marin is conveniently located only 200 miles away from the snowy slopes of Tahoe, California’s most well known ski and snowboard destination.

Many Marin teens and their families choose to make the trip up to Tahoe on the weekends, over winter break and during February break. However, they fail to appreciate the real cost of a ski trip.

According to the recent March Bark survey, 36 percent of Redwood students ski in Tahoe at least once a year, and 15 percent of Redwood students ski in Tahoe often or as much as possible.

Finding reliable winter housing in Tahoe has become a madhouse. The area attracts approximately 15 million tourists each year during the months of November through April for a multitude of reasons, including the many ski resorts and winter activities available. 

According to the Milken Institute, around 14.5 percent, or 3/20 of Tahoe’s residential properties are short term rentals.

Options can include staying the night in a hotel, inn, or motel in Tahoe. Prices range anywhere from $60 to over $500, depending on location and the general rating of the hotel. If you’re looking to stay with your family, the average price for a triple bed hotel room is over $300 per night.

Walk-in tickets at ski resorts in Tahoe have increased in price by more than $200 over the last 30 years. A 1996 New York Times article written by Stanley Carr, remarks on the price of a ticket at Squaw Valley, now known as Palisades Resort, being $38. According to the Palisades website, as of Nov. 2024, the going rate for a Junior (13-17) single day lift ticket is $260. For an adult, the price is $289. 

Accounting for inflation, $38 from 1996 is equivalent to around $77.28 in today’s dollars. Despite this, the increase in cost is still incredibly drastic. 

If you are factoring in the cost of family lessons, housing, and more, family skiing is becoming increasingly less accessible. 

Erki Pavelka, a local parent and is an avid skier, acknowledges the privilege in being able to go skiing. 

“Skiing is totally a luxury sport,” Pavelka said, “you are spending thousands upon thousands for one weekend. It’s an expensive sport.” 

One can’t forget about other season ticket opportunities, such as Epic and Ikon passes. These passes are owned by corporate companies like Vail Resorts, established in 1966, and Alterra Mountain Company, established in 2017.

Since their individual establishments, both companies have acquired more resorts. This increases their expansive income despite the price of lift tickets going up while the resort quality remains the same. 

These $700 to over $1000 passes allow the purchaser to access over 40 mountains across the country, and for Ikon, across the world. 

“I’ve skied in Switzerland on the Ikon pass, I’ve skied in Japan on the Ikon pass, let alone Colorado, and throughout the U.S. It can take you a lot of places in the world,” said Pavelka. 

Despite the many options these passes provide, the cost is high, especially for people looking to ski on a budget. 

One option for skiers looking to spend less money is to work in the skiing industry. Sophomore Charlotte Klimenko is a junior coach for the Alpine Rangers at Alpine Meadows, a part of the larger Palisades Tahoe resort. Along with juggling school and rowing, Klimenko makes the four hour drive up to Tahoe nearly every weekend to help teach kids how to ski. 

“My mom is a ski patrol, and I work, so we all get free passes for the family, but I do realize that it’s definitely getting really closed off. You can’t really do that much if you don’t want to pay like $500 bucks a weekend, which I think is crazy, cause it’s such an amazing sport,” said Klimenko. 

Another alternative for skiers not looking to spend a shocking amount of money for a weekend of snow sports is backcountry skiing. Backcountry allows you to ski in remote areas, without spending a lot of money on a pass or ticket.  

“The key thing that you need is knowledge of snow, and where to go. And to be a halfway decent skier, because sometimes the conditions aren’t always great. The number one thing is to understand snow safety and avalanches,” Pavelka said. 

A less expensive alternative for those who want to ski small mountains is the Indy Pass. For the 2024/25 season, an adult Indy Pass sold at $369. The Indy pass allows the purchaser to ski at over 230 small and authentic resorts across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan. 

The Indy pass is great for families with beginner skiers and those who want a skiing experience that’s more calm, small, and safe. 

As of April, ski passes have begun to go on sale. This is also a good opportunity for those looking to buy discounted ski passes for the upcoming 2025/26 season. You may only get a few hundred dollars off, it’s still a less expensive option. 

 “Even with all this, it’s still a great sport. Like there’s just something awesome about it, you know? It’s crazy that we continue to do it, given how much a pain in the neck [skiing] kind of is. There’s just something really special about it,” Pavelka said.