My favorite cheap way to get some great skiing in is to go to Salt Lake City, stay in the south end of town in a cheap hotel, and take the public bus up to the Cottonwood Canyon ski areas. As an example, you can stay at the La Quinta at 7231 Catalpa Rd, Midvale, Utah for around $80 per night; take the ski bus for $6.50 round trip from just outside the hotel to either Solitude/Brighton or Snowbird/Alta, and then ski for $53 at Brighton or $59 at Alta. You can also get discounted tickets at various places in Salt Lake. If you have a lot of people, rent a basic condo, and it will be even cheaper.