Every fall around Labor Day, the kids are back to school, and it’s time to think about getting back to the slopes!  Our minds may still be set on squeezing the most out of the last days of summer.  But now is the best time to acquire deals on last year’s apparel or hard goods, as well as a season pass or 4-pack, if you haven’t already done so in the spring.  Loveland’s online and fall sales events kick off this Friday, August 24 with the best prices on 4-Paks, season passes, and all other products for the 2018/19 season.  Loveland ski area now boasts the beginning of Chet’s Dream, a new high speed quad.

Of course, online passes are easy to get, but lack that frenzied feeling of grabbing great deals amongst a crowd.  Natives may remember camping out on the sidewalks along Broadway, jostling for the best bargains on ski and snowboard gear, winter apparel and accessories at SNIAGRAB (bargains spelled backwards). The Gart family created the dean of Labor Day ski sales in 1954, when, the story goes, Jerry Gart and a fellow ski retailer wrote the word “bargains” on a napkin and then flipped it over.  Alas, Gart Brothers is long gone.  There is no more Sportscastle. There is no more Sports Authority.

However, several other options for ski passes and apparel deals exist.  Any die-hard Vail fans will equip themselves with an Epic Pass (starting at $439 for 4 days and going up to $899 for unrestricted access to most resorts and 7 days at Telluride); more frugal or adventurous types may pick up Copper ($189) or Loveland  ($169 minus a $10 discount if you get it in person during the fall sale) 4-paks, or check out the Mountain Collective ($449).

Denver-area events and sales: