Alpine Accessories

Get More Slope Time!

You do not have to stand in a lift line!

With lift tickets exceeding $100.00 in places, we all want to get the most slope time for our money. Our staff has visited many resorts in the USA and Europe and have come up with these suggestions for you on how to get more time on the slopes. Hopefully you’ll find many of the suggestions useful.

When is the worse time to ski or snowboard?

Whenever schools are off, is usually the most crowded. Christmas and spring break are the worst times while Martin Luther King and President's weekend are also crowded. But even at these crowded times, there are things you can do to give yourself more slope time. Choose a destination resort for your trip. A destination resort is one that is located away from a major city. An example would be Aspen Colorado, which is located 4 hours from Denver. Aspen is far enough from Denver to discourage people to commute for a day on the slopes. An area, such as Vail Colorado, is located within driving distance of Denver.

When is the best time of year to ski or snowboard?

Early December, mid January through February, and April are the least crowded times. We prefer mountains with base altitudes above 7,000 feet in April because they normally have good snow that time of year. We also like the idea of extending our season with warmer temps and more day light.

Get more slope time when you're there!

The majority of people get out between 9:00 am and 10:00 am, then take lunch at noon time and quit around 3:30 pm. Here's what to do instead. Be at the lifts just before they open or after 10:00 am. Then take a break around 11:30 am for a rest, snack or early lunch. Then ski or snowboard while everyone is eating lunch during the noon hour. You can never find a table at lunch time anyway. Then take your lunch at 1:30 when the crowds are gone from the on mountain eateries and are now all standing in a crowded lift line. Then stay out until closing. Most quit around 3:30 pm.

Tips To Stay Out Of Liftlines

  1. Get to the lifts when they open. Most get to the lifts between 9:00 am and 10:00 am
  2. Be on the slopes between the hours of 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. This is lunch hour for most.
  3. Stay on the upper part of the mountain after 2:30 pm. Many start to call it a day and the bottom gets crowded. The top is less crowded at this time.

Don't stand in a lift line

Standing in a lift line is not fun and uses up your valuable slope time.