Colorado ski resorts are gearing up for the 2023-24 season. Save money by purchasing lift tickets now. Photo by Dan Bayer

Snowflakes are flying in Colorado, y’all.

I sat down to coffee with a group of representatives from three Colorado ski resorts this week, who reminded me that now’s the time to buy lift tickets.

Read more: Finding powder and snowy adventures at Purgatory Ski Resort

“The earlier you can sort out plans, the cheaper it’s going to be,” Olivia Butrymovich of Copper Mountain Ski Resort told me over muffins at Upper Crust Bakery.

If you wait and buy lift tickets when you get to the mountain, you’ll pay top dollar. These days, lift tickets at most large resorts will set you back close to $200 at the window.

If you buy in advance, you can take advantage of deals. Some resorts offer flex tickets, which allow skiers to buy two-, three- or four-day tickets without designating which day they’ll use them. That means even if you don’t have a hotel or airfare booked, you can lock in lift tickets now.

And the snow Is coming.

Winter Park saw 15 inches of freshies this week, and they’re making more, according to Jen Miller, who handles communications for the resort. The resort officially opened Friday, and although only 20 acres are skiable, more terrain is expected to open in the next few weeks.

“People are excited,” Miller said. “It’s the anticipation of the ski season after a long summer.”