There's a Motel 6 in Burlington, Vermont. It's probably as cheap a deal you can find short of a hostel. Jay Peak is about a 1.25 to 1.5 hour drive, Mad River about a 50 minute drive. Bolton Valley and Smuggler's Notch are also close and I believe have relatively cheap lift tickets.

Phil, Have you ever been to Vermont? Even in March, zero or below are not uncommon. Lived in the place for several years (went to college there by the way) and I can attest Vermont is no place to try to practice being a popsicle...

Instead of freezing in your car at night, a hostel may provide for cheap accomodations and perhaps a recommendation on where you could earn some $$$ even for a short stay, that would pay your room, food and a couple of beers...

The website http://members.aol.com/thlodge/vthostel.htm had some great information, below is some of the material from it, and frankly, a youth hostel in VT is as close as you will get to being in Europe on the cheap...

Ludlow
The Trojan Horse Lodge(802) 228-5244thlodge@aol.com
44 Andover St., Ludlow VT 05149
open year round (except April)18 bedsrates $18 - $23 pp
http://members.aol.com/thlodge
Located in central Vermont in the heart of the Black River Valley. Year round sports activities. Calvin Coolidge Homestead, Okemo Mountain Ski Area, Hiking, Biking, Cross-country Skiing.

Woodford
Greenwood Lodge(802) 422-2547 grnwd@compuserve.com
PO Box 246, Bennington VT 05201
open May thru October20 bedsrates S$22 pp
http://www.campvermont.com/greenwood
In Southern Vermont, 8 miles East of historic Bennington. Near the Appalachian Trail. There are a scenic 120 acres available for your adventuring. Hiking, Biking, Swimming, Boating. In the Barn of a small working farm in the hills of Northern Vermont. A quiet hostel with excellent hiking and cycling opportunities.

Montpelier
Capitol Home Hostel(802) 223-2104
open year round by reservation3 bedsrates $10 - $15 pp
RD 1 Box 270, Montpelier VT 05602
In Vermont's State Capitol. Also near State Parks and the granite quaries.

Burlington
Mrs. Farrell's Home Hostel (802) 865-3730
open year round by reservation6 bedsrates $15 - $18 pp
In the busy college town there are a vast variety of social and cultural events. Swimming, cycling, and some awsome sunsets over the lake.

Stowe
Stowe Bound Lodge(802)253-4515
open year round12 bedsrates ?? pp
On a sheep farm in Northern Vermont. Skiing, Hiking. Close to Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream factory.

Middlebury
Covered Bridge Home Hostel(802)388-0401
call for reservations and directions
open year round8 bedsrates $14

White River Junction
The Hotel Coolidge(802) 295-3118hotel.coolidge@valley.net
17 South Main St., White River Junction, VT 05001
open year round 26 bedsrates $19 - $29 pp
http://www.hotelcoolidge.com

[This message has been edited by lbotta (edited 02-03-2004).]

That's some great lodging scoop from lbotta and $30 tics at Jay sounds good. If you happen to go to NH, places like Wildcat (one of my favs) and Cannon offer "two fer" tics on certain weekdays. Price for two tics is around $53. Check websites at all possible candidates in VT and NH, many may offer such midweek deals. I've never been to Burke Mtn, near Burlington, but it's supposed to be real inexpensive for lodging and lifts and has 2000' vert, may be good place to combine with a Mad River visit.

Hi..Burke is not near Burlington. It's about 2 hours east. It is a great place-uncrowded, great terrain, but very isolated (meaning-if you're looking for lots of nightlife and/or shopping, you're out of luck). The Comfort Inn in St. Johnsbury has a good deal....I think for around $150 (maybe less) you get a room and a 2 day ticket. I also think you can get a similar package at that hotel for Jay (an hour north). Check out www.skiburke.com and there should be a link for the Comfort Inn there.
There are many "chain" motels in the Burlington area which would put you within an hour of Stowe, Smuggs, Sugarbush, MRG, Middlebury Snow Bowl etc. Some of the local supermarkets and ski shops sell discounted lift tickets...Hannaford, Price Chopper, and The Alpine Shop come to mind.
Hope this helps!

My dad grew up in East Burke. Well, really, Burke Mountain.

He and his family lived in the house on the now, Toll Road, that has a ski-jumper on the chimney. Said he could ski into his backyard.

If you hit Burke on a clear day, the view out to Wiloughby is spectacular, and rivals any other view in the North East.

There are some cheap motels St. Johnsbury. YOu might want to look in Quebec as well.

When you drive up, dont take the Jersey Turnpike or go through NY, the tolls are expensive.

From DC take 95 to baltimore, then 83 to harrisburg, get on 81 to Scranton , and then take 84 across to 91. Total toll charge is 1 dollar (rather than 20 something). THere's rarely any traffic, but it is 45 minutes slower. Having said that often you will save time because there is always traffic on 95 through Jersey

I'm extremely broke and trying to go to Vermont/NH or where ever there is powder within driving distance the second week in March. The plan is to watch the weather and follow the snow mainly sleeping in our car. Right now Jay Peak has the cheapest lift tickets $30 with a college ID(i've graduated but they dont' know that!!!). Does anybody know of any deals on lift tickets, hotels, or hostels?

On your way north.

1. Magic Mtn. @ 30.00
2. Sugarbush Mtn @ 35.00
3. Jay @ 30.00

cant go wrong

Like the guys below, VT is full of Low $ motels.

Believe it or not Stratton has a heck of a deal. Buy a 3 day lift ticket and you get 2 nights lodging at the LIftline Lodge,(midweek) That's about $144 for 3 days and 2 nights! The lodge is easy walking distance to the slopes.They have 4 high speed 6 man lifts and a bottom to top gondola, good snowmaking and good cruising runs. Everything else at Stratton is very pricey and a lot of people have a snobby attitude, but if you can get around that you can have a very good experience.

Thanks for correction on Burke Mtn location. I was thinking Burke all the way, but the wrong side of my brain put it at Bolton Valley's part of VT (is BV still operating?). Looks like a Burke/Jay/Cannon combo would be feasible and all of them ought to be on the cheap side.

Yes....Bolton is still operating. If fact, I'll be skiing up there tomorrow night. www.boltonvalley.com Burke/Jay/Cannon would be a great trip. You could also go over the border and check out Sutton, Owls Head, Orford, Bromont etc... (so many areas, so little time!). Also check out little 'ol Lyndon Outing Club in Lyndonville for some night skiing (weekends only I think).

hey vermonter, how do bolton and burke compare?

also, you ever been to bretton since their expansion?

Hmmm...hard for me to compare Bolton and Burke as I only ski Bolton at night. Burke has a great beginner area, which is almost completely seperated from the main mountain. Upper Burke is mostly upper intermediate cruising, a few bump runs, and some good glades. No crowds at Burke either, even on weekends.
Bolton seems fairly flat to me, but if you like intermediate cruising, you'll like it. Bolton also has some great woods skiing (or so I've been told!). It's location is good-right near Burlington.
Both mountains are a little "behind the times"-no high speed lifts, fancy shops/restaurants etc, which I personally happen to like most about these 2 places!
Another place in VT that's cheap and good for a day is Middlebury Snow Bowl.
As far as Bretton is concerned, I havent been there in years. It's got a good reputation for grooming, snowmaking etc, and the majority of the mountain is beginner/intermediate terrain. Expert terrain is certainly lacking there-unless of course the new expansion has opened up some harder terrain?