2019-20 Vail resorts passes

[Monique]

We know a sale date at this point but (with the exception of the new Keystone/Breck late season pass) we have no idea of what the family of passes are going to look like/ include, or their price.

I'm curious about Vail's plan, and not the pass itself.

Wait, what is this about a Keystone/Breck late season pass?

 

[Uncle Louie]

Basically it's next season at Keystone with restrictions and unlimited at Breckenridge starting 4/1/20 (unless they are April fooling us) till the end of the season. A few days at Crested Butte (with restrictions) and some discounts on passes. Here is a link that gives everything in detail.

https://www.epicpass.com/passes/keystone-plus-pass.aspx

 

[Monique]

Basically it's next season at Keystone with restrictions and unlimited at Breckenridge starting 4/1/20 (unless they are April fooling us) till the end of the season. A few days at Crested Butte (with restrictions) and some discounts on passes. Here is a link that gives everything in detail.

https://www.epicpass.com/passes/keystone-plus-pass.aspx

Oh, I see. That's just the keystone pass with bells on ;-) I was hoping for a pass next season that would just give me late season access to Breck. I would <3 that. Not really in VR's type of model, though.

 

[Seldomski]

Oh, I see. That's just the keystone pass with bells on ;-) I was hoping for a pass next season that would just give me late season access to Breck. I would <3 that. Not really in VR's type of model, though.

That pass gives you access to Breckenridge after 4/1/2020.

 

[Monique]

That pass gives you access to Breckenridge after 4/1/2020.

Too rich for my blood

 

[tball]

The Keystone Plus pass is interesting at $369 for someone who wants to make a trip or two to CB (5 days) and is willing to give Breck a try for spring (unlimited after 4/1) instead of A-basin. I probably wouldn't even go to Keystone. I could see doing that in a year or two when my need to ski CB becomes overwhelming, using my A-basin pass money to buy this instead.

@nay maybe an option for you with the boy(s) at Western?

 

[DanoT]

Since the 2020 Pugski Gathering is at Jackson Hole, it is worth noting that JH has a restricted 7 day pass for adult $789, $555 for senior. The early season price last April was I think $389.

My plan is to not renew my Ikon base pass and instead buy a 7 day restricted senior JH pass. Then in March or April 2020 I will buy an Ikon base pass for 2021 which would then enable a Spring 2020 trip to Crystal, Squaw, Mammoth.

 

[nay]

The Keystone Plus pass is interesting at $369 for someone who wants to make a trip or two to CB (5 days) and is willing to give Breck a try for spring (unlimited after 4/1) instead of A-basin. I probably wouldn't even go to Keystone. I could see doing that in a year or two when my need to ski CB becomes overwhelming, using my A-basin pass money to buy this instead.

@nay maybe an option for you with the boy(s) at Western?

Thanks for the tag, that’s a really interesting option with Breck for spring and the CB days.

I’ve never skied Breck, but my interest would be in the high alpine. Want to see how that plays out this year or whether it closes pretty quickly.

This is certainly Vail’s A-Basin replacement pass, pretty damn cool.

 

[Monique]

I’ve never skied Breck, but my interest would be in the high alpine. Want to see how that plays out this year or whether it closes pretty quickly.

I would expect that it's the high alpine that will stay open - I wonder if they'll be downloading to the base. Historically, by the end of the season, the only peak that is open is peak 8, but it is open top to bottom (not sure about hiking, but certainly Imperial and T Bar).

 

[nay]

I would expect that it's the high alpine that will stay open - I wonder if they'll be downloading to the base. Historically, by the end of the season, the only peak that is open is peak 8, but it is open top to bottom (not sure about hiking, but certainly Imperial and T Bar).

That’s good info.

The “interesting” terrain at A-Basin is usually closed by mid-May, and maybe earlier such as East Wall due to wet slide risk.

Having a couple of weeks of good terrain open later has some real merit. Of course, Breck is way too far for me to day trip regularly, but 3 or 4 days late season would be doable along with the fun of a new mountain.

This could happen and I’ll watch next A-Basin season on the bench.

 

[Monique]

I would expect that it's the high alpine that will stay open - I wonder if they'll be downloading to the base. Historically, by the end of the season, the only peak that is open is peak 8, but it is open top to bottom (not sure about hiking, but certainly Imperial and T Bar).

@Doug Briggs , can you fact check me *just* in case? I remember it being the case every closing, but I don't want @nay to rely on my faulty memory ;-)

 

[Green08]

Vail waits until the Fall to include the Keystone 4 pack. I wonder if they include CB as an option with that, or offer a CB 4 pack to drive resort guests in that direction. Considering A-Basin is no longer included.

 

[Uncle Louie]

I would expect that it's the high alpine that will stay open - I wonder if they'll be downloading to the base. Historically, by the end of the season, the only peak that is open is peak 8, but it is open top to bottom (not sure about hiking, but certainly Imperial and T Bar).

Found this on the Breckenridge Web site. Looks like they will download on 7. How much skiing to and from there is the question I have (with no answer)

Terrain & Lift Operations

During Breck’s Spring Finale the resort plans to offer approximately 1,000 acres of skiing and riding, with access to intermediate-, advanced- and expert-level terrain on Peaks 6, 7 and 8, while conditions allow. Operations will be based out of Peak 7, with access to skiing and riding on intermediate groomers and high alpine terrain via the Independence SuperChair, T-Bar, 6-Chair, Imperial Express, Zendo and Kensho chairs.

Please be advised that there will be no beginner terrain available during Breck’s Spring Finale.

 

[PinnacleJim]

Interesting they will run out of the 7 base, not the 8 base. No full scale cafeteria food service there as I recall. Either waitress service or sit outside.

 

[Uncle Louie]

Interesting they will run out of the 7 base, not the 8 base. No full scale cafeteria food service there as I recall. Either waitress service or sit outside.

True, but from a skiing standpoint it's tough to reach the peak 8 lifts (if downloading is needed) from peaks 6 & 7.

They always have the option of opening base services (eats and drinking) at the base of Peak 8 which can easily be reached via a short ride on the gondola. Of course that assumes they can staff it that late in the season.

 

[Green08]

Pioneer Lodge at the top of Independence has a full cafeteria.

Once downloading is required I doubt they keep Peak 6 open. No route I know of that would not just be ski down.

Not operating out of Peak 8, saves running half of the Connect gondola. $$

After May 1 Breck is bussing everyone to whatever base lift is running anyway. Cucumber Gulch calving season restrictions.

When Breck looses intermediate options on 7 and 6 and becomes high alpine only, I bet the operation turns into a ghost town. No easy groomers—Breck bread and butter—extra busses and hastle to get up and down too. A-Basin would be far more appealing.

April 15- May 1 will be key window to compare

 

[tball]

During Breck’s Spring Finale the resort plans to offer approximately 1,000 acres of skiing and riding, with access to intermediate-, advanced- and expert-level terrain on Peaks 6, 7 and 8, while conditions allow. Operations will be based out of Peak 7, with access to skiing and riding on intermediate groomers and high alpine terrain via the Independence SuperChair, T-Bar, 6-Chair, Imperial Express, Zendo and Kensho chairs.

Thanks!

As a rare Breck skier, I like the looks of the late season Breck terrain. Last time I skied Breck was a late April closing week. I lapped Imperial and the T-bar and was happy as a clam. Super fun terrain and good conditions once the east facing refrozen melted. Your weather and snow conditions may vary, of course.

I wonder how long they will be able to maintain a skiable trail to the base of Peak 7. They really don't have a chance of competing in the final weeks with A-basin given elevation and exposure. Will they go to extraordinary snow storage and harvesting measures to drag the season out?

I'm also really curious to see if Breck takes the wet slab avalanche danger as seriously as A-basin. If they do, I doubt there's going to be much left to ski the last half of May. We'll see.

 

[Monique]

I'm also really curious to see if Breck takes the wet slab avalanche danger as seriously as A-basin. If they do, I doubt there's going to be much left to ski the last half of May. We'll see.

They may never have had to deal with it, but aside from the one relatively small slough a few weeks ago, I don't remember the last time there was an in bounds avalanche in open terrain. They move fast, but I think they have a good track record. (again, I may be wrong, etc etc).

 

[tball]

They may never have had to deal with it, but aside from the one relatively small slough a few weeks ago, I don't remember the last time there was an in bounds avalanche in open terrain. They move fast, but I think they have a good track record. (again, I may be wrong, etc etc).

Um, no. Breck has a terrible recent record for inbounds avalanches on open terrain.

Here's the CAIC report for the 2014 slide on Whale's Tail that caught 6 people on open inbounds terrain:
https://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/acc/acc_report.php?acc_id=517&accfm=inv

Then, it happened again this year in the same spot.

I wonder when we'll see the CAIC report for the four caught in an inbounds avalanche on open terrain in the exact same spot this year.

These two skiers were caught this year:
https://www.summitdaily.com/news/a-...-bounds-avalanche-at-breckenridge-ski-resort/

And these three snowboarders were also caught:

11 people caught in inbounds slides on open terrain on the same slope in just over five years. It's just dumb luck nobody has been killed.

What Vail Resorts is very good at is spin and minimizing the press coverage so folks still think they are going to Disneyland. "No injuries" so no big deal, right?

 

[nay]

When Breck looses intermediate options on 7 and 6 and becomes high alpine only, I bet the operation turns into a ghost town. No easy groomers—Breck bread and butter—extra busses and hastle to get up and down too. A-Basin would be far more appealing.

I read that and think the opposite - it’s super appealing and exactly why Loveland’s early close, at least from a conditions perspective, is so frustrating. I’ve driven by Loveland so many times looking at the Ridge loaded with snow to land at A-Basin with everything (Zuma, Pali, East Wall) but the main Lenawee terrain closed. I can’t see Beavers staying open when the water is running under Pali and they close that terrain for wet slab avy risk.

The ability to ski the higher (above 11k) east facing ridges that may (?) be reliably avalanche controlled, meaning no risk of wet slab avalanches, would be a late season game changer, especially with the crowd mix that shows up at A-Basin these days.

The BML beach scene is of course the best, but terrain-wise A-Basin goes to nothing in a blink, not that sloppy manmade groomer slush isn’t a blast.

But the problem with late season is the loss of the good high alpine terrain while it’s still loaded, and A-Basin doesn’t cover that at all.