5 Top Tips For Skiing On A Budget

Get up early:

Want more bang for your buck? Get up the mountain early! Not only do you get to catch one of the most amazing sunrises on the planet, but an early start means you're first in the car park, first in for coffee, and first on the lifts. You can generally smash out a ton of laps before everyone else wakes up and gets out there. This is an excellent way to get more laps for the same dollars!

Carpool:

One of the best ways to save money on your ski holiday is also better for our planet - hitching or carpooling with one of your mates and filling a car is easy and simple. Splitting petrol costs is a great cost-saver, and the other benefits are endless – what better way to bond with your mates than blasting road trip tunes on a road trip up the mountain?!

Passes and gear:

Who doesn't love a bargain? Our tips for getting passes and gear on the cheap are sure to save you some bucks so you can get an extra beer or two at aprés! 

• If you're just starting out or you’re not fussy, second-hand gear could be the way to go. Local Facebook trading posts, Trade Me, and online ski/ board groups can be great places to get gear. If you buy two new pieces of kit, we recommend boots and a helmet – you can get both at our on-mountain retail shop.

• Are you only skiing or snowboarding once or twice a year? Renting is a more cost-effective option. For a small amount extra, you can upgrade your rental gear to Premium Rentals (the flashiest gear).

• Most ski and board shops have big sales at the start and the end of every season – ours on the mountain is usually in spring, and you can grab some fantastic deals on boards, boots, bindings and outerwear.

• Spring is also a great time to get your season pass for the upcoming winter season. If you're a student, wait until O Week to get your pass – it's definitely the year's best deal. If you’re not a student, check out the pre-release season pass sales and early sales drops - buying your pass early is always cheaper than waiting. You’ll find that early bird multi-day passes reward you with better pricing the more days and the earlier you buy. Check out all our options here.

Team dinners

One of the hidden costs of your ski holiday is eating dinner out every night, so a great way to save some dollars is to try to stay somewhere with something that resembles a kitchen and invite your group over for a potluck. The best thing about a potluck? Leftovers for breakfast...

Home-made snacks

Obviously, we'd love it if you tried out some of our nine on-mountain cafés and restaurants for breakfast, lunch or treats, but we know when you're on a budget, that's not always possible! Load your pockets with homemade or home-brought snacks, then pop into Base Café after 3 pm to get some epic deals on baked goods, pies and fries.

Don’t forget – Cardrona is landfill-free, which means that anything you bring that can’t be recycled or composted, we ask you to bring it back home with you at the end of the day. Alternatively, pack food with you that comes in reusable containers, and there’s no waste involved! Win-win.