It's five weeks into the ski season and already I've spent $2300 before stepping on the snow. If I wasn't such a fashion tragic that figure would be reduced by $1500 and I'd be skiing in last season's colours, without a helmet, in one desperately needed pair of new ski boots.

Kitted out, I'm now ready to spend another $480 on a six day lift pass and $800-plus on accommodation. My booze bill for the week will no doubt equal the homeland security budget, food won't be far behind and we haven't even got to petrol and parking.

Skiing and snowboarding doesn't have to be this expensive. Apparently there are ways to ski on the cheap, you just have to know where...
I've always envied those folk who ski with a thermos of coffee. While I'm paying off the third world debt in mountain restaurants for nachos that have clearly lost their way on the eight week passage from Mexico, they're unwrapping freshly cut sandwiches, muesli cookies and soup from home at a tenth of the price.

No doubt they bought their ski pass in April pre season, saving hundreds of dollars. Their ski club membership has already been paid off with the amount they've saved each year on accommodation by utilising the ski club's lodge at a mere $30 a night, and who needs the latest Volcom Gore Tex pants, Burton jacket and Dragon goggles when last decade's ski suit is still all in one piece (literally)?

Well, tight-wads unite, the world is filled with super cheap ski and snowboard resorts where you can spend your well saved ski dollars on fifty cent beers and fifteen dollar lift passes.

Here's my top ten ski resorts for those of us born without a silver ski in our mouths.
1. Poiana Brasov, Romania. Ok, so the terrain won't challenge the advanced but you can't beat skiing past Dracula's castle in the Carpathian mountains of Transylvania. A six day ski pass costs about $160, private lessons $10 an hour, a bottle of wine $7 and a bottle of beer $2.

2. Bansko, Bulgaria. Hailed as the new Aspen of the East without the Colorado prices. There's not many places you can get lift passes for $40 a day, a sixteen kilometer run, no lift queues thanks to computer data lift passes and $2 bottled beers all served up in a World Heritage listed town.

3. Cheget, Russia. Ski with your comrades on the volcanic cone of Mt Elbrus. Don't tell the French, Swiss and Italians but it's the tallest mountain in Europe (5642metres) and once used by Russian astronauts for high altitude training. Now home to Russia's new rich, there's loads of both groomed and off piste for a mere $15 day lift pass. Then there's the vodka, try $5 for a bottle.

4. Zakopane, Poland. This seventeenth century town is the hub for a series of ski resorts. Kasprowy Weirch cablecar costs $7, add another $10 for lunch with beer and you can afford to shout your instructor and his mates.

5. Jasna, Slovakia. Lift passes cost a mere $21 for four resorts on the one mountain with 17 lifts, one gondola and four chairlifts. Be warned, advanced skiers won't necessarily be sweating and lift queues can take a while. Beer's $1.50 so that will restore the smile when you sup on a bottle in the Besenova hot springs. Take your own spices, Slovakian food can be bland with a capital B.

6. Shemshak, Iran. What do you call a skier impaled upon their ski pole in Iran? Skibab (groan). There's enough steeps and undulating hills to make Shemshak perfect for all levels. Add some youthful Persians with trust funds on holiday and prepare to party. Ski passes are $12 and gals, wear a beanie and cover that hair for cultural purposes on the slopes. Can't tell you the real price of beer as there's not supposed to be any but where there's a will...

7. Yabuli, China. Host to the 3rd Asian Winter games and home to the world's longest toboggan run. Prices start from $42 for a full day including equipment hire on weekdays.

8. Nakafurano, Japan. Ok, it's small, very small and the longest, and only, run is 400metres but it's a mere 1030 Yen or $9.60 for a lift pass. Or try Shiga Kogen's 21 linked ski resorts and 71 lifts with a $45 lift pass. Chu Hai alcoholic rice liquor soda pop is $1.40 a can in vending machines and crumbed chicken curry a mere $7 on the mountain.

9. Loveland, Colorado. What, infamous Colorado powder and bluebird days for under $100? Impossible! Think again. An hour from Denver, Loveland's day pass is $45 and the snow in abundance.

10. Mt Dobson, New Zealand Four hundred hectares on the south island for $54. The New Zealand clubfields offer the best snow value for money in Australasia. If you stay on mountain and pitch in with chores at Canterbury's Mt Olympus then dinner, bed, breakfast and lunch will only cost you $80 a day. Bring your own booze.

That's my ten el cheapo snow trips. Have you been anywhere super cheap that totally rocked on and off the mountain or maybe you've been ripped off by mountains that are overpriced? What's the best deal you've got on a ski and snowboard holiday or tips on how to do it cheap? Miss Snow It All wants to hear all.

Posted by Rachael Oakes-Ash
July 16, 2007 9:02 AM
http://blogs.smh.com.au/