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Cheap ski holidays overseas for Australians: Where to go with a falling Australian dollar

By Rachael Oakes-Ash

Updated September 10, 2015 — 12.30pm

There are less than 80 days to go until the lifts start turning in North America's ski resorts. The Australian dollar may be at a six-year low against the US dollar at 70 cents but that's just given the US ski resorts more incentive to offer better deals to lure the Aussie snow dollar as they compete with Canada's more attractive 92 cents.

Vail Resorts still offer the best ticket price deal with the Epic Pass ($US769 [$1100]) for unlimited days' skiing and riding to 11 resorts in the US including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Park City and five days at Verbier in Switzerland as well as unlimited days at Perisher. They are also offering up to 40 per cent off lodging booked on vail.com before Christmas Eve.

Thredbo 365 season pass holders receive Mountain Collective pass benefits in North America including 50 per cent off unlimited days at Sun Valley, Alta Snowbird, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village, Aspen Snowmass, Jackson Hole, Mammoth, Stowe, Squaw Valley, Taos and Whistler Blackcomb. Not a Thredbo 365 holder? Then you can purchase the Mountain Collective pass for the same benefits for $US399 ($570) at mountaincollective.com – that's still a bargain at about $518 for 22 days of skiing.

Vail Resorts offer the best ticket price deal in the US.

Jackson Hole are offering a Golden Ticket to any season pass holder from any ski resort in the world. Present your season pass and receive 50 per cent off lift tickets between January 11 and 31. The resort is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and has a 10-day Anniversary Pass for $US799. Did we mention free beer for Australians on January 26?

Australians skiing in Telluride Colorado can stay at The Mountain Lodge for seven nights with a six day ski pass from $1548 per person twin share but you must travel between January 2 and 15 and book with skimax.com.au before November 6.

Travelplan.com.au have an Aspen Snowmass SKI30 pass that includes up to 30 consecutive days of skiing from January 1 to April 17 including lesson and rental discounts for $US630 if bought with a minimum seven nights' accommodation.

The best news out of Aspen is that all kids who rent their gear from Mountain Sports receive a free lift ticket for each paid rental day (conditions apply). The Limelight Hotel is also offering 25 per cent off all seven plus night bookings throughout the ski season with no black out dates. Guests at the Limelight receive complimentary breakfast and a range of adventure tours including First Tracks and Inside Tracks, snowshoe tours and fat tire bikes and $10 apres ski pizzas.

The word on the weather street is that El Nino will bring epic powder storms to North America in the upcoming season and break the California drought. SkiMax.com.au are celebrating with a $1199 each person quad share deal staying at Forest Suites at Heavenly Tahoe including breakfast and a Tahoe Local Season Pass if you travel between January 1 and 31 and book and pay by November 13.

Even with all these epic deals in the US it is still hard to beat Canada for value for Australian dollar this season simply due to the exchange rate. Qantas has also committed to more direct flights from Sydney to Vancouver throughout January to address the demand.

BluePowderTours.com.au have one of the best deals going including return flights from Sydney to Kamloops, transfers to Sun Peaks, 11 nights in the Coast Sundance Lodge and a 10-day Sun Peaks lift pass for $3179 per person twin share for travel after March 1 if booked by September 15.

Hit Big White in Canada with Travelplan from $759 an adult and $567 a child in a two bedroom ski in ski out Whitefoot Lodge apartment for seven nights including seven day lift passes. They are also offering the chance to heli ski with Torah Bright and CMH Heli Skiing from April 2 – 9 from $CA8102 each person including all meals and accommodation.

Ski at Whistler Blackcomb with SkiMax from $950 each person twin share at Summit lodge including a six day ski pass for travel from November 20 to December 17 if booked and paid for by November 15. Prefer Banff? Then they have a $757 each person twin share deal for seven nights at Inns of Banff and a six-day pass to Sunshine and Lake Louise.

Whether you choose Canada or the US this northern winter if the El Nino predictions come true with record breaking snow dumps you can be almost guaranteed you won't be complaining about the exchange rate.

Instagram2Win a ski trip to Whistler

We've partnered with SkiMax this season for the annual #misssnowitall Instagram competition. You could win seven nights for two at the swanky Fairmont Chateau in Whistler, plus lift passes for two people at Whistler Blackcomb for six days and return flights for two from Sydney to Vancouver, thanks to SkiMax.

Just tag your winter-inspired Instagram pics #misssnowitall #skimaxholidays to enter. We'll publish five finalists each week, with one winner at the end of the season. See this week's top entries in the gallery at the top of the page.

Pro photographers can win a Sony 4k action cam with helmet side mount and board mount valued at $697 (they are not eligible for the Whistler prize) by tagging their pics #misssnowitall #skimaxholidays #pro. We'll choose one pro shot a week as a finalist with one overall winner at end of season.