Best of the Rest: Non-Ikon/Epic/MCP Pass Discussion for 2018-2019

[Sibhusky]

i just happened to be riding up a Sun Valley chair today with a couple from Montana and I said that maybe I needed to move to Whitefish so I could ski for free. Before I could mention the reputation for fog and clouds, which I wouldn't like, they warned me about the clouds and fog.

Day 41. Below the fog.

 

[agreen]

My thinking about creating the best of the rest list was to include only the non - Ikon, Epic, and Powder Alliance places that could be seen as a destination type for either family or buddy trips west of the Mississippi. What will happen to these places? Mostly local only and the few that are sans pass? Will they lower lift ticket prices to be more attractive (already pretty low) or eventually join up? So far in no particular order...

1. Red
2. Sun Peaks
3. Whitefish
4. Wolf
5. Silverton?

Why cant I think of more?

 

[David Chaus]

Brundage, Silver Mountain, Big White, Grand Targhee.

It’s hard to find unaffiliated destination resorts because there is usually a marketing advantage to cooperate with other destination resorts.

I wonder how much impact these affiliations actually have, as most vacationers follow the tried-and-true better known destinations. It seems the way the more independent destinations have to differention themselves is to say: “you’ve tried the busy major resorts, why not try something else to get away from the crowds and still have great snow and terrain?”

Case in point: first time I went to Schweitzer, we were having lunch at the same table as a couple, also from Seattle, who had gone to Schwetizer exclusively for about 10 years, after traveling around to all the major destinations before that. Their view was the skiing at Schweitzer as good as anywhere, without crowds, and costs far less, and was an easy 5-6 hour drive from home. Maybe the experience of major resort-itis is a necessary phase, to know that what they had fairly close by was just perfect for them.

 

[Sibhusky]

I wonder how much impact these affiliations actually have

Apparently little here. We hit a new season visit record again this year, up 35,000 from last year. Now at 382,000, which is quite enough. In fact, I hope their marketing guys get a job elsewhere.

An interview a few months ago with Graves had him saying it was good to be independent.

“There are some big players that have far more well-
known names with bigger airports and metropolises
nearby and more lifts and lodges,” Graves said.
“When I look at the consistency of our rankings, I
think it’s because we have made it a goal to attain a
level of service and quality that our customers are
responding to. And I think the word is getting out:
You can have a great ski experience here and have
20-30 percent of the crowds that other big places will
have.”
Graves said Whitefish Mountain Resort and its
ownership embrace their role as an independent ski
resort. The ski industry has seen an increasing
number of consolidations in recent years, but
Whitefish Mountain Resort has remained on its own.
The wave of consolidations does create challenges for
local resorts that have to compete against a network
of mountains, but it can also create opportunities.
“We think our strength is not being part of them,”
Graves said. “We offer something unique, and we
prefer not to be packaged with an organization that
might not be as unique and experience-minded as we
are.”

 

[Itinerant skier]

Even the biggest and best run mountain can have bad days, bad months or even bad seasons. Further, no single mountain can be all things to all people. Not even Whitefish (skied there twice, love it). That is a huge appeal of reciprocity agreements and multi resort passes. I like to ski with my brother. We both have lots of time to ski and the means to get there. He is a middle intermediate skier who hates the work involved in skiing powder. I am a middle advanced skier who will chase pow all day long despite spending too many days in the NE this year. The thought of limiting ourselves to one single mountain now seems absurd, despite the fact that we grew up skiing at one single, very tiny mountain. Reciprocity and multi resort passes let us go where conditions are best and even allow us to sample different nearby resorts at a value price.

 

[Sibhusky]

Back when I took vacations to go skiing, I wanted to ski different mountains. But if you ski a LOT every season, after a while the ease of having a seasonal locker at one place that's 15-20 minutes away trumps the allure of new places. I had a "bad year" at 57 days. But it would have been a worse year if I'd had to drag all the equipment from my car to the hill everyday with no option of hitting the locker for another layer when I found out the wind chill was -7F in April. I'm sure it's an oldster attitude, but if you've seen over 60 areas, after a while it's just the turns. Sure it would be nice to have another locker fifteen minutes the other way on another mountain. But I don't, so the reduction in hassle is huge. Now, unlimited funds and a Sherpa? Now you've got my attention.

 

[David Chaus]

Unlimited funds?! That’s the part I must have forgotten.....

 

[Jack skis]

Sibhusky those are the same reasons we spent so many days and seasons skiing at Crested Butte. During the years we skied a few other areas, on day trips mostly, but the ease of 15 minute commutes, locker at the base, and an entire community of enthusiastic local skier friends made for sweet seasons.

 

[New2]

We both have lots of time to ski and the means to get there...

This is definitely a demographic that lots of resorts want to attract. Of course, the reality is that if you have the means to get to various IKON/Epic resorts, then you also have the means to pay for day tickets at a spot like Whitefish. So I guess what I wonder is just how many potential customers is a spot like Whitefish losing because folks are choosing to vacation somewhere "free." Sounds like so far, maybe not too many.

 

[Itinerant skier]

Nordic Valley, UT will be joining the Power Pass.

http://www.standard.net/Local/2018/...-managers-reduces-2018-2019-season-pass-price

While it may not bring many passholders from the other resorts (definitely a "family" ski area), membership should boost pass sales significantly.

 

[Itinerant skier]

The RCR superpass pricing is now available. Nice lineup with the RCR resorts of: Fernie, Kicking Horse, Kimberley and Nakiska and the addition of Lake Louise for $1519cdn. H/T: @Mike Rogers

www.skircr.com

 

[jmills115]

I think an interesting thing happening at many places in reaction to the Ikon/Epic, is that unlimited season passes to a single hill are coming with more and more bonus days. So much so that for some, it could make sense to buy a pass to a mountain that isn't their home mountain but one they might ski at a handful of days. And then use the bonus days as a primary benefit.

While I bought it for the unlimited Alta days, the Alta Family pass comes with the Wasatch Benefit which includes 2 days each at Deer Valley, Solitude, and Snowbird. While not bonus days, the 50% off at MC resorts will get us to JH for a long weekend. The Mountain Collective worked for us this year adding the Alta Sunnyside After 3 ($29 season) for a few runs after work. The 15 or so After 3 days we used will become at least half days at Alta with the unlimited pass.

I was looking into buying my nephew a Taos pass partly for the Copper and ABasin days, but I think I missed the spring sale.

Aunt SB, I will send the reminder message to you early next year, Nephew JM

 

[TrickySr.]

My SO and I buy both the Epic Pass and season passes to 1-3 other areas(smaller.) But this season we took advantage of our connection to the Powder Alliance via our Bogus Basin season passes.
Our original "season plan" in addition to our time at Sun Valley and Utah was to ski at Lake Loiuse, Banff Sunshine, Revelstoke, and Kicking Horse, and maybe Panorama and Fernie. However, time and weather conditions interfered with that trip so we went to Schweitzer, Whitewater, and Red Mountain. and used our Powder alliance w/extra days, as well, We have skied them before and enjoyed them so it was a great addition. A month later we went to Whitefish for a week which was great, some fog but lots of sun. We booked in late March which worked well this year. In addition, we hit Lost Trail for a great closing weekend on the way home. Had a 3 day discount pass to Brundage which we did not use completely but hit closing and then I closed Sun Valley.

I know it probably sounds confusing and expensive but it isn't if properly planned(my SO is good at that!) I'm a" follow the snow kind of guy" so we do modify.
We belong to a timeshare and a travel club which helps with lodging.
At Schweitzer we met a gentleman from Massachusetts whose sister in Seattle purchases him a season pass to Stevens and then he flies out and skis for a couple of weeks, mostly on the Powder Alliance but also hits Whitefish and others in his travels. He will love the addition of Castle Mountain as it is one of his favorites. We will try to hit it in 18-19!

By the way, we loved what Whitefish, Scwheitzer, and Red are doing with their areas. Sun Valley is always incredible.All are very customer oriented. Great food and great customer care going on. Wish the northern resorts they stayed open past 4:00 PM, particularly in the spring.
(It's going to be a long summer,again!)

 

[Bad Bob]

My little speed bump is involved with a small group in the Inland Northwest, "The 509". For about $260 a year not a bad deal. Would really like to see them more involved with Red though. http://www.ski49n.com/content.php?id=137

 

[Itinerant skier]

My little speed bump is involved with a small group in the Inland Northwest, "The 509". For about $260 a year not a bad deal. Would really like to see them more involved with Red though. http://www.ski49n.com/content.php?id=137

Nice! The Selkirk Powder Guides discount might be the cherry on top of that deal.

 

[hollyberry]

The Gold Pass. For the Tywin Lannisters among us: https://www.coloradoski.com/gold-pass

• Access to 22 Colorado Ski Country USA Member Resorts for the entire winter season.
• Absolutely no blackout dates.
• Transferable to friends, family, clients or employees.
• Direct to lift access at most ski areas.

Note: you don't get to just buy a pass. You get to apply to buy a pass. At $3350 a pop.

!!!! How is that even a deal? Is it even humanly possible to ski enough days to make that worth it?!!

 

[jmeb]

!!!! How is that even a deal? Is it even humanly possible to ski enough days to make that worth it?!!

Step 1. Be really rich. $3350 is a nice night out style rich.
Step 2. Don't worry about having to work.
Step 3. Own places in a ski town.
Step 4. Pass is fully transferable; when you're gone to Bermuda for the week lend it to your housekeeper.

If you compare it to Vail ticket window prices, and lets be conservative at $150/day -- it takes 22 days. You could pay it off in a month.

 

[hollyberry]

Step 1. Be really rich. $3350 is a nice night out style rich.
Step 2. Don't worry about having to work.
Step 3. Own places in a ski town.
Step 4. Pass is fully transferable; when you're gone to Bermuda for the week lend it to your housekeeper.

If you compare it to Vail ticket window prices, and lets be conservative at $150/day -- it takes 22 days. You could pay it off in a month.

Hahahah lives of the rich and famous. I’m not going to buy any clothes or go out for any drinks this year so I can afford two big ski trips... but I would rather dress like a bum and ski like a queen any day ; p

 

[jmeb]

... but I would rather dress like a bum and ski like a queen any day ; p

This is where being male comes in really handy -- no one ever notices a capsule wardrobe of classics, even if you wear nearly the same thing every day.

This is a good thread for figuring out some non-traditional ski trips that can save a bit of $$$.

 

[Jim McDonald]

Indeed, I'm already planning a Schweitzer/Whitewater/Whitefish loop, probably add in a day or two each at Lookout Pass & Silver Mt.
At a stretch, could also hit Fernie and Stevens Pass.