Colorado Arapahoe Basin Is NOW a Free Agent (8/2/19 Update: A-Basin has joined IKON)

[nay]

@nay I'm not sure if we know if there is a change in A-basin's spring pass products, yet. They are typically not announced and don't go on sale until much later. The timing has been all over the board, as early as the last week of March and as late as early May, from my recollection, but never this early.

I'm a repeat consumer of the "buy next year and get the rest of this year free" and hoping to do the same this year. We'll see.

Hopes dashed, second bullet. But you are right about the spring pass, it might be too early to have called that one.

 

[tball]

I still have hope!

I bet A-basin might change their mind come May when they are not getting the Epic scans or selling as much BBQ at BML as everyone is trying out Breck in May for the fist time.

I'll be tempted by Breck as well. I wonder what the relative ticket cost will be and if VR might take an angry shot back at A-basin with competitive May day ticket pricing. That fits their new Epic day pass strategy, too. I'm loving the competition and extra May acreage and lift capacity, in any case.

Al, if you are listening, I promise to buy lots of BBQ if you let me ski for free in May on next year's pass. Pretty please?

 

[Monique]

Comparison point: Colorado Epic Local just came out at $699. Not much of a change - I paid $669 last year.

 

[Monique]

You might look into their women’s clinic if that’s something you really enjoy. $599 for 8 weeks including season pass.

That's a great way to learn the mountain!

 

[Brian Likes Pow]

That's a great way to learn the mountain!

If you're not familiar with loveland and have been dealing with the summit crowds all this time I think you're on for a treat! Its not huge but its not all that small either. Lots of elbow room.

 

[tball]

Comparison point: Colorado Epic Local just came out at $699. Not much of a change - I paid $669 last year.

Another comparision point: Copper Mountain Pass is up to $549 for 2019/2020. That's up substancially from last year when it was sub $500, not sure of the exact price. Copper does include a free 15 and under kids pass if bought early.

Ikon Base that includes unlimited Copper is only $100 more at $649. Copper seems happy with folks buying the Ikon Pass, if not encouraging it through their pricing. Interesting.

An A-basin Pass for $399 along with a 4/5 pack elsewhere for ~$200 will be an attractive option for many A-basin lovers. Copper + A-basin at $948 is too steep, which is a bummer for many Summit locals who might otherwise go that route.

 

[nay]

Comparison point: Colorado Epic Local just came out at $699. Not much of a change - I paid $669 last year.

These $30/year increases seem innocuous, but it’s $300 over a decade. And once we are all on the ride, awfully tough to get off since Alterra will do the same thing.

Pass prices are going to continue to increase well above general price inflation. Question will be how much price inelasticity to demand? None of us are leaving for $30 extra a year because the product is so sticky, but it adds up over time.

 

[tball]

^^^ I used to buy both the Colorado/Epic Pass and the RMSP when they were much cheaper, and I got my money's worth. No way I would at today's prices.

 

[Green08]

Another comparision point: Copper Mountain Pass is up to $549 for 2019/2020. That's up substancially from last year when it was sub $500, not sure of the exact price. Copper does include a free 15 and under kids pass if bought early.

Ikon Base that includes unlimited Copper is only $100 more at $649. Copper seems happy with folks buying the Ikon Pass, if not encouraging it through their pricing. Interesting.

An A-basin Pass for $399 along with a 4/5 pack elsewhere for ~$200 will be an attractive option for many A-basin lovers. Copper + A-basin at $948 is too steep, which is a bummer for many Summit locals who might otherwise go that route.

I think Copper is up $70-80 compared to last year. Probably just a reasonable decision to stay about $100 less than Ikon Base. Present some savings, but reap the largest return.

 

[Green08]

I still have hope!

I bet A-basin might change their mind come May when they are not getting the Epic scans or selling as much BBQ at BML as everyone is trying out Breck in May for the fist time.

I'll be tempted by Breck as well. I wonder what the relative ticket cost will be and if VR might take an angry shot back at A-basin with competitive May day ticket pricing. That fits their new Epic day pass strategy, too. I'm loving the competition and extra May acreage and lift capacity, in any case.

Al, if you are listening, I promise to buy lots of BBQ if you let me ski for free in May on next year's pass. Pretty please?

No question they could change things up later in the Spring.

For the moment I suspect they need to make this Spring and next year a realitivly clean break. If they have a siloed visit number in mind, they need to discover the current market. Once they figure that out, then they can add in more perks or benefits or cost to get where they feel is optimum.

 

[Coach13]

Comparison point: Colorado Epic Local just came out at $699. Not much of a change - I paid $669 last year.

Yep-that’s what I’ll be buying.

 

[nay]

No question they could change things up later in the Spring.

They won’t. Just saying it so I can quote myself later .

A-Basin is selling BMX lift tickets and BML BBQ to Alabamans on summer family trips in July. They are going to put in a zipline. They have zero reason to discount or give away spring, and instead are in process of more fully monetizing a full calendar year.

I spend some time at A-Basin in the summer, and it was already different last summer, including tourists walking up to Lake Reveal and throwing trash in it (which one of my sons went in and collected).

The days that ski areas aren’t effectively also tourist destinations is ending in North America. They can’t grow just by competing for skier days, so they are competing for beach days.

‘People who ski’ are taking May trips to A-Basin from out of town and then tearing into Al on his blog about how it wasn’t safe for their kids and threatening to never come back.

Please?

 

[mdf]

A-Basin hasn't given away spring with next year's pass for a long time.
What they have done is to bundle this year's spring pass with year's full pass.

I know because I rode that "for a few dollars more" ladder a few years back.
I'll buy a 4-pack.
Oh, for a few dollars more I can get a spring pass.
Oh, for a few dollars more I can get a spring pass and next year's pass.

And then I never went the next year.

 

[Monique]

including tourists walking up to Lake Reveal and throwing trash in it (which one of my sons went in and collected).

WUT.

 

[tball]

Here's last year's season pass and spring pass pricing. I received this in an email 4/19/18:



The previous year I got a similar email 4/26/17. I can't see the pricing or details as the images are broken.

So, the A-basin full season pass price is up $90 this year. Not sure I grasped that.

You are right @mdf they sold a cheaper double down pass the last few years that gets you next year, not free.

@nay I'll bet we see something similar sometime in April. Al, I'm in for $459 on the Double Down, plus I'll buy BBQ & beer.

Maybe a Breck Spring Pass for $169? Let's get the spring pass wars rolling!

 

[Green08]

They won’t. Just saying it so I can quote myself later .

I don't know the ins and outs as well as most people on here.

I said "could" primarily because of the unknowns regarding Breck's extended season.

The scenario I had in mind was A-Basin being well below targeted income for this Spring season, and needing to juice visits late in the game. By not offering a perk now, they can always add it in later if they feel like the perk would deliver the income they are targeting.

It makes sense for A-Basin to hold things back. They are trying to analyze a new landscape as it unfolds. They have expectations based on skier metrics no doubt, and waiting to pull certain levers is a smart way to hit targets, without ending up with a parking lot crisis after Keystone closes.

 

[Green08]

Al, I'm in for $459 on the Double Down, plus I'll buy BBQ & beer.

I believe A-Basin was selling a pass for this year at $399 just last month. Seem they just extended the late season increased price into next years early price.

Double Down was, and still is, selling for $599 to cover this year and next season. The Elevation 3 Pack is $189. $399+$189=$588.

Buying the Double Down at $599 is your deal to ski A-Basin this Spring and all of next season.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Ohh, half day lesson included. That's a nice perk.

I'm sold on getting an A Basin pass. Considering getting Loveland. Gonna ditch Epic for a year. (BIG change for me.)

Either your or my reading comprehension is off. I see 50% off one half day lesson.

 

[tball]

Buying the Double Down at $599 is your deal to ski A-Basin this Spring and all of next season.

Last year the Double Down was $429 after 4/19. See the email screenshot above. That's the deal I'm expecting they will announce in April.

Ikon has a bunch of free skiing if you buy next year's pass:



Epic has to do similar at some point this spring to compete, yes?

I think A-basin should also make spring free or a nominal upcharge to drive pass sales. They've done it in the past, and this is a critical spring for their pass sales.

 

[nay]

Last year the Double Down was $429 after 4/19. See the email screenshot above. That's the deal I'm expecting they will announce in April.

I’m sure you are right. I forgot that’s what they did by discounting double down.

4/19 is kinda late, though. Was the Spring Pass for $269 available on that same date? That’s steep for not starting April 1st.