This Is the Most Expensive Ski Resort in the U.S. — and It's Perfect for Both Experts and Newbies

Skiing in the U.S. is, simply put, wildly expensive. But that doesn't seem to be stopping people from hitting the slopes. According to the National Ski Areas Association, 60.4 million Americans visited a mountain in the 2023/24 season. There is, however, one mountain in the U.S. that is far more expensive than the rest. And it's just as glitzy and glamorous as you'd expect.

In late 2024, Casino.org commissioned a study to identify America's most and least expensive ski resorts. To determine which destinations were a splurge and which could offer savings, it first created a seed list of the 20 highest-rated ski resorts via On The Snow. Then, it scraped each ski resort's data to find the pricing of one-day lift tickets, one-day equipment rentals, average nightly accommodation costs, average meal costs, and the cost of a half-day group lesson.

After looking at all that information, it named Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort in Colorado the most expensive nationwide.

According to the research, a visit will cost skiers and riders $1,794 per day, or over $3,000 for the weekend. It noted that the average cost of a one-day pass is $264, rentals are $84, the average meal and drink cost is $31, and a half-day lesson runs at about $415. The most expensive part is lodging, which runs at an average of $1,000 per night, according to the report.

Related: This Luxe Colorado Hot Spot Is One of the Best Places to Travel in 2024, With New Hotels and a Food-and-drink Scene That Keeps Getting Better

However, despite being expensive, there's still a lot to love about skiing and riding in Aspen. Most importantly, the area offers terrain for everyone. With an 11,212-foot summit and a 3,267-foot vertical drop, Aspen Mountain is tailor-made for experienced skiers and snowboarders. Meanwhile, newbies will love the less aggressive slopes at Buttermilk and Snowmass mountains.

The surrounding town is home to arguably some of the best mountain cuisines anywhere on Earth, with plenty of Michelin-rated eateries to go around. Its après scene is also on point, with destinations like J-Bar and Aspen Brewing Company offering a warm welcome at the end of a ski day. And, of course, its hotels are unmatched, with Mollie Aspen, The Little Nell, and Aspen Street Lodge ready to welcome you.

As for other mountains where you should expect to plunk down serious cash for a stay, the team named Park City Mountain Resort in Utah as its second-most expensive, with daily costs reaching $1,675, followed by Beaver Creek in Colorado at $1,479; Breckenridge, also in Colorado, at $1,472; and Telluride, again in Colorado, rounding out the top five at $1,200.

The researchers also named the most affordable destination, which happens to be in Colorado as well: Purgatory Resort. There, you'll only have to shell out $548 per day, or about 69 percent less than at Aspen Snowmass. 

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