Save big on Rocky Mountain ski vacations (plus kids ski free)

by Brittany Anas · December 6, 2013

Skiers are enjoying fresh powder in Colorado. This photo was taken at Beaver Creek Resort, which got more than a foot of new snow in a recent storm. You can burn upwards of 400 calories per hour while downhill skiing. (Photo courtesy of Vail Resorts, Inc.)

By Brittany Anas

Shred powder, shred pounds? How’s that for a workout motto? Our favorite kind of workouts and calorie-burning exercises are the ones that are masked — or, in this case, ski masked — as fun.

Just how many calories you’ll burn while playing on the mountain depends on your weight and height. But say you weight 135 pounds and are 5’5, we used a fitness calculator to calculate that you’ll burn about 350 calories every hour you’re downhill skiing. If you’re cross-country skiing at a moderate pace, you can expect to burn about 400. Snowboarders at a moderate pace will burn 380 calories per hour, or 514 if their pace is “vigorous.” That’s a good workout when you add up the hours that you spend on the mountain.

Looking for a ski getaway this winter? Now’s a good time to buy because the deals are great and the Rocky Mountains just got fresh powder

All of the Coloradoan skiers and snowboarders who sacrificed last season’s snow pants and goggles prompted the snow gods to deliver some fresh powder. The mountains that make up Vail Resorts in Colorado (Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone) got up to 14-inches of new snow in a storm that hit this week. That means the resort will be adding 1,500 acres of new terrain by the weekend — which is good news for holiday skiers and snowboarders who are waxing their skis and boards ready to hit the slopes.

“We’re within three weeks of the holidays, so this storm couldn’t have come at a better time whether you’re planning on visiting our resorts in Colorado, Utah or Lake Tahoe,” says Vail Resorts’ chief marketing officer, Kirsten Lynch, in a news release.

Here’s four money-savings tips for booking a ski (or snowboarding) vacation:

Kids ski free at Keystone. They’ll get 600 new acres to explore by the weekend as the resort expands its terrain by 341 acres to well over 1,000.
To get the lowest guaranteed prices on lift tickets to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Canyons, Heavenly, Northstar or Kirkwood, guests should purchase seven days in advance for the Colorado resorts, three days in advance for the Lake Tahoe resorts and one day for Canyons, Utah. Call 1-888-216-8538 or visit www.snow.com.
Vail Resorts’ hospitality properties across its mountain resorts are running a Ski Free, Stay Free program. Guests save up to 30 percent when they book their lift and lodging packages. When you purchase lift tickets and lodging for three night,s you’ll get the fourth day and night free. Book the deal here.
Flying to the Rocky Mountains? Save big on your airfare when you book through Expedia. You’ll earn 7.5 percent Cash Back from ShopAtHome.com on top of Expedia’s already great deals.