Like hookers, blow, skis, and cars, you get what you pay for when it comes to ski magazines.
Freeskier: cheap, dirty, AIDS infested thai hooker, with crack rocks as nipple jewellery, driving around in a fucking ford tempo with elans ducttaped to the roof.
The Ski Journal: clean, friendly, hot, white escort with columbia's finest nose candy sprinkled all over her, cruising the sea-to-sky in her hybrid Lexus SUV, with a roofrack full of Armadas.
Who would you pay to fuck?
Why $40? Limited distribution, less ads, better paper, better pictures, stories about things OTHER THAN vail/aspen parties, and no shit written by people who can't spell.
Yeah, I'd say it's worth it.