Snowboarding mustachians?

[FOBStash]

I used to buy regular snowboarding season passes the past 2 years. Enjoyed the sport and was a gateway to get into fitness and other adventure sports. We did enough weekend warrior trips up the mountains for the pass price to be worth it.

Thought of exercising the frugality muscles and skipping this year. Won an office contest which can subsidize $250 for sports or something active/inspiring.

Costs:
Season pass: $499
Weekend drive to the mountains: $50 to $60 for gas
Possible motel costs if staying the weekend (rare)
Expensive resort food
Views can't be beat

We went at least 6 to 8 times the past year.

Trying to find balance between frugality and enjoying. Just read Your Money or Your Life and not yet sure if this is something that I truly value or not. It's definitely not a cheap hobby.

Anyone else here able to snowboard mustachian style?

Thanks for your insights or tips.

[LifestyleDeflation]

I live in my car, eat groceries, and teach people to snowboard part-time. So snowboarding actually makes me money! (Unless you count opportunity cost)

Bring your own food and look into hostels and ride sharing.

If you live in the bay area, check out Zimride. I used to make money every time I did the drive- up to 4 passengers paying $30/person each way = up to $240 each trip for $60 in gas!

[StashDaddy]

$1,000/yr for 8 snowboarding trips doesn't sound that bad to me.  Luckily, it sounds like you live close enough where you can dodge paying for lodging, which is typically one of the biggest expense of a ski trip.  I love to ski, and you are right--you can't beat the mountain views.  I'd say its worth it, depending on how much you earn.  Particularly THIS year, since you can save the $250.  Save money by carpooling, and bringing your own food with you on the slopes.  I almost never eat at the restaurants, but instead pack granola bars, sandwiches, bacon, whatever I can fit in my jacket pockets.  Most of the resorts have free water.

[FOBStash]

Thanks all for your ideas. I might pull the trigger on this. Zimride is a great idea even if one way, 2 people can already subsidize the cost of gas.

[catccc]

I used to snowboard on the cheap a lot.  This was in 2006-2007, before I was married w/ kids, so I had time for this kind of stuff.  The closest resort to me had a "night club card" program.  They didn't sell it directly at the resort, you had to fill out a form through a club.  They had a list of the clubs on their website, and my local high school was one of them.  The night club card, if I remember correctly, was about $150, and I could ski any day of the week after 5 pm all season long, and after 1/1, starting at 3 on Sundays.  It obviously isn't the same as a weekend experience, but the resort was close (ish) to my house and I ended up snowboarding 2-3 times a week for really not much money at all.  And I had a regular day shift job and was busy most weekend traveling for my then-long-distance-boyfriend, so nights were the best time for me to snowboard, anyway.  Maybe other resorts have similar programs?

[LifestyleDeflation]

Forgot to add that my sister and I look alike and so we share the annual ski pass (yes, I know pretty evil).

Be careful with that. Many resorts pay their ticket scanners for every abuser they catch, and I believe they can pull the pass plus fine you for it for at least the cost of a day pass. Not to mention the evilness. :-)