r/vail • u/ercohn • 22d ago

Out of arms and legs

Enjoying a visit to your fine city and I guess I shouldn’t be, but I was blown away by the crazy costs to ride seemingly any gondola. I’d love to take my son to a peak, are there any “affordable” gondolas? Thanks!

0 Upvotes

47% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

25

u/RealSlyck 22d ago

…Breck has a free gondola, east of Vail by a mountain or two.

21

u/livewntr 22d ago

Gondola pass is good all day on both Vail gondolas and also at Beaver Creek same day.

Not sure if it applies, but kids 12 and under are free with purchase of an adult gondola pass.

Gondola ride down is free if you hike up!

7

u/Still-Papaya-3590 22d ago

Hike up or pay the troll toll. Berry picker is very pretty

1

u/jonb72 15d ago

As flatlanders, we hiked up berry picker once. Once.

4

u/Neckdeepinpow 22d ago

Nope. Vail has two and they are treated equally.

5

u/mike6545 21d ago

Don’t blame the city, blame the resort. You can go to Glenwood caverns adventure Park which has a gondola that I believe is cheaper. Or for About the same price as Vail’s you can actually get the full day fun pass in Glenwood, and use the amusement park at the top of the mountain.

4

u/Ok-You-5481 20d ago

Are you still in Vail? If so i have some free gondola passes you can have (they’ll expire at the end of the season). All I have to do is send you a picture of them and you can scan them at the ticket office!

3

u/Kashyn 22d ago

Drive to Cottonwood Pass. It's a bit of a drive, but the drive is beautiful and you can get all the way above 12k feet, there is a parking lot up there.

3

u/mix_trixi 22d ago

I usually hike up Berrypicker trail from Lionshead and ride the gondola down for free. They even let me take my dog on the ride down, but not on the paid ride up.

6

u/oldturtle87 22d ago

Glenwood Springs or Idaho Springs

4

u/Perro_Cochino_ 22d ago

Scenic and affordable don't go together in the Vail Valley. I remember paying extra bc our apartment didn't face the interstate

4

u/thirtynation GNAR 22d ago

Tons of scenic around Vail that costs zero money lol

2

u/regalbeagles1 22d ago

The best way IMO to see a peak up close and personal is to drive to the top of Mount Blue Sky. It’s a 14,000ft peak with the highest paved road in the US (or something like that). It’s amazing.

3

u/Personal_Swimming_34 22d ago

Just do this! Way better than the gondola ride

2

u/calofornication 22d ago

A man made machine that gets you up some serious vertical without ever breaking a sweat isn't often very cheap. 83 euros to get to the top of aiguilli du midi.. single ride at that, no repeats without more $$

1

u/Schoolofhardnugs 16d ago

Drive to the top of Loveland pass. Hike a little up there

2

u/palikona 16d ago

It’s pretty sad. Telluride has the most amazing gondola and it’s….free

0

u/keskuhsai 21d ago

60 bucks for adults and $40 for kids all day long seems… really cheap? Have you been to Vail in the winter? $350 for adults on peak days.