“If you ski 10 + days per season, don’t miss your chance to buy a season pass and save big on lift tickets!” proclaims a widely popular advertising pitch.  It is somewhat correct:  buying a season pass makes sense when you log a lot of days. The question is: How many days do you need to break even?

We continue our “finance for skiers 101″ with Okemo Mountain resort . In the previous posts we went over some season pass deals at Stratton Mountain Resort and Bromley Resort.  Feel free to access and read them – we also welcome comments and quest bloggers familiar with this ski area – and if you plan to frequently visit Okemo ski resort, here is a breakdown of an adult peak season pass numbers.

Unlike Bromley and Stratton, Okemo resort does not have a “okemo-only-no-restrictions-adult-ski-pass.” Instead, they offer a peak pass valid without any restrictions at Okemo mountain and Mount Sunapee. This pass also offers three free days at Crested Butte during the 2009/2010 ski season.  Keep these extras in mind when comparing season pass deals.

We are still waiting to find out 2009/2010 lift ticket prices, meanwhile we used 2008/2009 data to ran some numbers. It is an adult, full peak day, no extras type of a lift ticket. We will go over savings cards and promotional deals in later series of article; meanwhile, let’s see what Okemo Mountain offers this winter.

Okemo Mountain Resort: 2009/2010 ski deals and winter holidays calendar

Q: How much does it cost to by a peak pass at Okemo Mountain Resort?

A: If you buy it by October 12, it will cost $1207.34 including taxes. Keep in mind, that this season pass offers savings and free days at other ski resorts in Vermont and/or  Colorado.

Q: How long does it take to breakeven if I buy a pass by October 12?

A: It takes about 16 peak (holiday) days to breakeven.

Q: What is a total number of the peak days at Okemo Mountain resort?

A: There are 19 peak days in the 2009/2010 ski season.

Q: What is the  holiday lift ticket rate?

A: $77.00 per day. (in the 2008/2009 ski season)

Q: What if I ski all 19 peak days using my Okemo adult peak pass?

A: You will pay approximately $63.54 per day. (Okemo Mountain only)

That’s it for today. Hopefully, you found this information helpful! If you have any suggestions/offers or corrections, feel free to contact us at team@vertexpress.com. Up next we will discuss Mount Snow.

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3) Compare this deal with adult unlimited pass at Killington Ski Resort .

4) Compare this deal with adult premier pass at Ascutney Mountain Resort .

5) Compare this deal with adult season pass at  Magic Mountain Resort .

6) Compare this deal with adult peak pass at Mount Snow .

7) Compare this deal with adult full  pass at Mad River Glen .

8)) Compare this deal with adult standard pass at  Stratton Resort .

9) Compare this deal with adult seasons pass at Bromley resort.

Tags: Okemo mountain resort, Okemo VT, ski vermont, Vermont ski deals, Vermont ski resorts, vermont skiing, winter vacations in Vermont

It was neither a well-organized Vermont ski trip, nor a good time to take one when we visited Okemo Mountain during the Christmas week – one of the busiest and most expensive periods for a  ski vacation in Vermont. Although it was five years ago, I can still remember the huge crowds clearly, and the pain I experienced on that dreadful, icy bunny slope. After spending a couple of days polishing ski slopes with my rear, I was convinced that snowboarding was not my cup of tea. It was not until the last day that I changed my mind.

On that day, we caught the last lift ride to the middle of a Okemo mountain. There was no one behind us, it was almost 4pm, and the beginner’s trail was empty, silent, and tranquil. For the first time during the whole vacation, I found myself riding a snowboard without being hassled by speeding yahoo’s or afraid to crash into other sloppy rookies. I savored the colors of the afternoon sky, the shadows of the trees, and the sweet, smoky smell of barbeques from Okemo slope side condominiums. When I finally returned to the base lodge, I knew one thing – I wanted to book my next ski vacation in Vermont.

Okemo mountain was my ticket into the world of skiing and snowboarding, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who learned to appreciate this sport there. It is a huge mountain – there are 119 trails – so it’s almost guaranteed that you will find trails suitable for your skill level.

If it is your first time on the slopes, lift C is a slow magic carpet that will take you up a bunny hill. The next, more challenging, though very gentle and flat, beginners terrain is served by ski lifts B and C. There is a good progression system and I have to give Okemo resort a credit for installing rubber carpets at Lift B to help beginners handle the sometimes challenging ski lifts.

However, if you plan to take a ski trip as a rookie, do yourself a favor, and begin learning midweek. As mentioned above,  Okemo Mountain is a very popular ski resort in Vermont, and attracts huge crowds on the weekends and holidays. I know that there are only so many quiet days, but it pays to learn skiing at your own pace without feeling pressured by a crowd of other snowboarders and skiers.
Once you can handle and control your skis or snowboard, Okemo ski resort offers multiple trail choices, with many trails for intermediate skiers and snowboarders. My personal favorite is the “Tuckered Out” trail on the Jackson Gore while some might find the “Mountain Road” a perfect cruiser for intermediates.

In terms of advanced terrain, there are plenty of choices but don’t expect an extreme challenge. If you are an expert craving dense glades or very steep and narrow runs, look elsewhere. Okemo’s black diamond is not a cakewalk but there are different types of advanced skier. Those happy to take a couple of challenging runs a day will have a good time; those looking for more will be bored after a half day.

There are many terrain parks and half pipes for freestylers: the Sobe Superpark on Nor’easter is an enormous terrain park with multiple flat rails, jibs, and boxes. Not enough? Try the ski and boarder cross-terrain park and test bank turns, rollers, and mounds. Alternatively, head to the Ross Powers Superpipe and see how well you can handle 500ft by 17ft walls. Transworld Snowboarding magazine ranked Okemo #2 for pipes, and #4 for parks in the East. You will surely test your skills and luck, just make sure that your health insurance is up and running.

My first ski trip and visit to Okemo Mountain was many years ago. It was not the perfect vacation, but had it not been for Okemo, the Sachem trail, and that fateful ride, I would probably be writing about sandcastles rather than ski resorts. Okemo mountain resort has plenty of memorable trails. You just need to find the right ones for you and avoid the crowds.

Tags: Okemo, Okemo mountain resort, Okemo ski resort, Okemo VT, ski packages, ski vermont, vermont skiing