Vail and Beaver Creek resorts recently announced their day passes jumped to $209 per day at the door, a new all-time high, serving as a reminder that a day on the slopes is anything but cheap.

Frequent skiers and riders can curb the steep day pass prices by purchasing season-long passes through Epic or Ikon. Those passes provide unlimited access to a number of big resorts, but are only available at the beginning or early in the season.

For the casual skier, taking a day trip up to the mountains can get expensive fast. There’s the day pass, with face values of anywhere from $150 to $200, along with rentals, gear, food and transportation. But a day on the slopes doesn’t have to break the bank.

For keen ski shoppers, September is the time to buy. It’s typically the point in the year when season passes are at their cheapest and a slew of sales on gear and clothing are underway across the metro area, including Ski Rex at Epic Mountain Gear stores and the Powder Daze Sale at the Denver Christy Sports location. But there are still ways you can save on skiing, even midway through the season.

January is “learn to ski and ride month” at most resorts, and deals can be found for beginning skiers. Finding a lessons package may be the best option for getting the most bang for your buck. Some resorts offer a package of a lift ticket, rentals and gear and instruction for cheaper than what each would cost separately.

Knowing where to go can help you get the most out of your ski day. Brittany Smith, with the Colorado Mountain Club, a nonprofit organization that educates people on outdoor recreation, said pre-planning is the best way to save money. But also finding some less-crowded resorts can end up saving you a lot of money.

“Ski resorts almost penalize you for your sponetaity,” Smith said. “They’re making you pay the most if you come last minute, but they give you a break if you pre-plan. Pre-plan at least a week ahead of time, if not more.

“Your ski day is about what you make it to be, and I think that’s important.”

Here are some tips on ways to save and ski:

Passes

Chris Linsmayer, public affairs director for Colorado Ski Country USA, a nonprofit trade organization representing 23 ski and snowboard resorts, said the key to saving money for a day of skiing or riding is planning.

“The earlier you are purchasing tickets or purchasing rentals or purchasing lodging, the more money you’re going to save,” Linsmayer said. “It’s about knowing what you want to do.”

But what about those Friday afternoon impulses to get some powder, or a sudden blizzard that promises a couple inches of the fresh stuff?

Finding day passes under $100 can be tricky, especially is you’re looking at some of the larger juggernaut resorts. Colorado Ski Country USA has a list on its website, ColoradoSki.com, of some of the lesser-known spots in the state that are good for a solid day of skiing — fittingly listed under the tab “Gems.”

Liftopia.com is a good source to find discounted tickets for up to 50 percent off day passes. Local shops like King Soopers, Christy Sports and Colorado Ski and Golf can offer discounts on day passes as well.

Gear/renting

The best deals on gear can be found late in the summer at various mega sales like Ski-Rex or Powder Daze near the end of summer.

Brianna Lee, social media and reputation manager with Christy Sports, recommends finding shops that are willing to sell demo gear at a discount once it’s been lightly used for a couple seasons. In that case, Lee said, you just have to ask around.

For infrequent or inexperienced skiers, Linsmayer recommends buying your own boots, which makes it easier to try out different types of skis or boards.

When it comes to renting, Lee agrees booking early is the way to go. And where you rent can also make a huge different in your budget.

“Even renting at a Christy Sports in Denver versus in the mountains will save a few bucks,” Lee said. “Generally, renting in resort areas — even if it’s not from the resort — will be more expensive.”

For kids

Encouraging kids to ski is huge for the industry, Lee said, so there are tons of ways to save on kids’ tickets.

Several areas offer free skiing for kids as well, when accompanied by an adult pass. Colorado Ski Country offers a Fifth Grade Passport program, which provides three days of skiing at 22 ski areas — 66 days of total skiing or riding — for free. There is also a sixth-grade program that is $125 for four days of skiing. Both program registration deadlines are the end of January.

Transportation

Interstate 70 is famous for its miles-long bumper-to-bumper traffic during ski season. Sitting through traffic can be the most dreadful part of a ski day, one that wastes time and money. Smith recommends seeking out mountains off I-70, or ones closer to the Front Range, to avoid this problem.

“Finding places that are not on I-70 can be saving in itself,” Smith said.

Smith recommended visiting goI70.com for information on traffic and transit options for people who don’t want to drive themselves.

SkiCarpool.com is a ride-sharing message board for people looking to save money on the trip up, while making a few friends in the process. SkiCarpool is a nonprofit organization facilitating rides up to the mountains in Colorado.