When it comes to finding an affordable place to ski, a national travel website is advising clients that Salt Lake County is the place to go.

A frugal traveler can take a Salt Lake ski trip for $239, according to a TripIndex Ski program launched this week by TripAdvisor.com.

By contrast, the most expensive destination is Vail, which costs $746. Park City is third on that list at $667, about $6 cheaper than a trip to Aspen. Two other Colorado resorts, Telluride and Steamboat Springs, round out the top five in the most-expensive list.

"For travelers looking for a snowy escape, TripIndex Ski provides an easy way to compare the most popular ski destinations [and] get the best bang for the buck this winter," said TripAdvisor spokeswoman Karen Drake.

Salt Lake City's rating was welcomed, naturally, by Ski Utah and Visit Salt Lake

"Ski Utah has always regarded 'value' as one of our core competencies," said Jessica Kunzer, spokeswoman for the marketing arm of the state's 14 active resorts. "In economic times like these, affordability is a key quality for attracting visitors to our ski and snowboard resorts."

Shawn Stinson, spokesman for Visit Salt Lake, formerly known as the Convention and Visitors Bureau, echoed her thoughts.

"It's always nice to receive affirmation of what we've been promoting as one of our key strengths for years now — along with snow quality, quantity and accessibility — especially from such a well-respected travel source," he said.

"In good times and bad," Stinson added, "affordability is a key driver in the decision-making process. Salt Lake offers excellent value, particularly in consideration of the world-class experience our visitors receive."

TripAdvisor's index combines the cost of one night's stay in a hotel, a basic ski-rental package, an adult one-day lift ticket, and a local meal and a beer at ski resorts.

Affordable lodging was important to Salt Lake's ranking, with the travel site calculating the nightly rate to be $122. That was only 50 cents more expensive than North Conway, N.H., which finished second in the poll, its overall costs coming in at $1 more than Salt Lake City.

Vail, once again, had the highest hotel costs, at $582 nightly. Park City's nightly lodging costs were pegged by TripAdvisor at $524.

Drake said lodging prices represent the average cost of a hotel found on TripAdvisor within a five-mile radius of the destination.

Meal prices reflect the cost of a burger and fries, while beer expenses are based on the price of a bottle/draft of domestic beer — with data collected from three local restaurants and bars.

mikeg@sltrib.com

Twitter: @sltribmikeg