Compare IKON vs Mountain Collective

[Tricia]

The IKON pass went on sale today (March 6th) with these resorts included.

The the 2018-19 Mountain Collective is for sale with these resorts.

Images are screenshots taken on March 6, 2018.
Resorts, pricing and restrictions may change.

 

[raytseng]

FYI Some spring benefits:
https://www.steamboattoday.com/news/ikon-passes-come-with-some-spring-skiing-perks/

Also before April9, for each adult pass you buy, a Ikon Child discount pass is avail at ($199/$159).

 

[Stev]

Here is a side by side by side comparison of three options:

(The black cells indicate blackouts on holidays.)

 

[DavidSkis]

I don't understand - how is MCP even competitive?

If your home mountain is unlimited in either Epic or Ikon, that sounds like the pass to buy.

If you're a destination skier... well... MCP only gives you two days, whereas the other passes give you at least 5. I always spend at least 5 days at a destination resort. And there's no shortage of resorts in the Ikon and Epic list to visit.

So why bother with MCP?

 

[fatbob]

I don't understand - how is MCP even competitive?

If your home mountain is unlimited in either Epic or Ikon, that sounds like the pass to buy.

If you're a destination skier... well... MCP only gives you two days, whereas the other passes give you at least 5. I always spend at least 5 days at a destination resort. And there's no shortage of resorts in the Ikon and Epic list to visit.

So why bother with MCP?

Blackouts and kids. Otherwise though I can't be bothered doing the math the old additional days half price doesn't look like such a good deal next to the Ikon basic or whatever it's called.


Anyway Ikon show us the Euro perks and my knickers are coming off!

 

[PhillyGuy]

I don't understand - how is MCP even competitive?

If your home mountain is unlimited in either Epic or Ikon, that sounds like the pass to buy.

If you're a destination skier... well... MCP only gives you two days, whereas the other passes give you at least 5. I always spend at least 5 days at a destination resort. And there's no shortage of resorts in the Ikon and Epic list to visit.

So why bother with MCP?

MC is still a great option for people who can only travel on weekends and holidays.

 

[SShore]

Here is how the Mountain Collective works better for me, assuming Big Sky's season pass offerings don't change much. Buy the Silver pass instead of the Gold and save $200. Use the 2 days at Big Sky over the Christmas blackout. Sun Valley, Jackson Hole and the Utah areas are all an easy weekend trip for me to take over Christmas and/or the Presidents blackout period. For $209 dollars I can ski 2 days at SV, JH, Alta, Snowbird, Snow Basin and maybe even make a longer trip and hit Aspen.

 

[rustypouch]

I don't understand - how is MCP even competitive?

If your home mountain is unlimited in either Epic or Ikon, that sounds like the pass to buy.

If you're a destination skier... well... MCP only gives you two days, whereas the other passes give you at least 5. I always spend at least 5 days at a destination resort. And there's no shortage of resorts in the Ikon and Epic list to visit.

So why bother with MCP?

I'm in Calgary, so I can see it working better here. 5 days at Big 3, vs 2 at SSV, 2 at LL, one bonus day at either, 50% off after, and no blackout.

 

[Uncle Louie]

Here is how the Mountain Collective works better for me, assuming Big Sky's season pass offerings don't change much. Buy the Silver pass instead of the Gold and save $200. Use the 2 days at Big Sky over the Christmas blackout. Sun Valley, Jackson Hole and the Utah areas are all an easy weekend trip for me to take over Christmas and/or the Presidents blackout period. For $209 dollars I can ski 2 days at SV, JH, Alta, Snowbird, Snow Basin and maybe even make a longer trip and hit Aspen.

When I went to Aspen earlier this year the lodging discount alone for 6 nights was almost 1/2 of the cost of the MCP by itself. ( I'm assuming your Big Sky pass doesn't include lodging at other MCP locations.) So while you may only get a few days at each resorts ticket wise you still get unlimited lodging at hotels/motels/condos that are in the MCP family.

 

[SShore]

When I went to Aspen earlier this year the lodging discount alone for 6 nights was almost 1/2 of the cost of the MCP by itself. ( I'm assuming your Big Sky pass doesn't include lodging at other MCP locations.) So while you may only get a few days at each resorts ticket wise you still get unlimited lodging at hotels/motels/condos that are in the MCP family.

I hadn't even considered the lodging side of things. Big Sky hasn't released their season pass info yet. I really can't wait to see what the details are. There may be free day at some of the Ikon properties in exchange for BS being on their pass. It is going to be very interesting. I am certainly not going to purchase a MC until I see the details fo the BS season pass.

 

[Uncle Louie]

I hadn't even considered the lodging side of things. Big Sky hasn't released their season pass info yet. I really can't wait to see what the details are. There may be free day at some of the Ikon properties in exchange for BS being on their pass. It is going to be very interesting. I am certainly not going to purchase a MC until I see the details fo the BS season pass.

Most don't consider lodging. I didn't either until I took a good look at why my yearly ski budget was flying upward on a yearly basis last spring. It wasn't the pass cost, it's the lodging costs. Most costs for my annual trip(s) have gone up a little on a yearly basis, but lodging has skyrocketed upward in Summit County CO where I usually skied. The MCP saved me $ 44.00 a night over the best rate I could find on the complex / unit I wanted to stay in.

 

[Pumba]

I've been grappling with what pass to buy for next season: MCP vs. Ikon Base. At the Gathering, @dbostedo and others said the MCP was still a much better deal for them. Can anyone explain why? The only reason I can think of is Taos....FYI, I am terrible at math and this post is going to be stream-of-consciousness style....

We are both planning on doing Ski Weeks at Taos and attending the Gathering next season. If I were to go for the MCP again, I'd estimate having to pay approx. 220 out of pocket for my 6 days at Taos (2 "free" days from MCP + 4 half-price days, assuming the daily full price lift ticket will be 110)...I would put my bonus 3rd day toward Big Sky, which I assume will be the more expensive ticket, estimating 140 for full price day ticket. At this rate, I'd have to pay between 140-210 out of pocket for the Gathering, depending on if I ski 5 or 6 days. So, 409+220+210 = $839

If I go with the Ikon, I'd be paying for Taos all out-of-pocket, approx 510 for 6 days. So 599+510 = $1109

The Ikon will be more expensive for me, assuming I do the Taos ski week....But I think I am still leaning towards the Ikon Base.

Part of me was anti Ikon, because it looks really enticing, only if you live near one of the unlimited resorts and/or have endless vacation days and financial resources to use your 5 days at a couple of the limited resorts. My thinking was that the Ikon would force me to spend more money in the end - higher pass price, more airfare, and longer lodging durations.

HOWEVER, what I think has changed my mind about the Ikon is the fact that you can use it for "unlimited" spring skiing at Squaw/Alpine and Mammoth, starting on April 9th of this year. I plan on a week or so in California in early April, say 6 days of skiing. I still have one day at Squaw/Alpine on my MCP and both my Mammoth days on my MCP. If I buy the Ikon, I'll be able to put 3 days on it (approximate value - at least 225)....If it snows more in CA, perhaps even more! .....The "unlimited" Tahoe days are what I believe make it a pretty good value for me. Full disclosure - I get free housing, ground transportation, and food when in Tahoe, since my parents are in Truckee and still like to treat me like a baby when I visit...For my Tahoe trips, I'll only have to pay for airfare.

In addition to the trips listed above, I will probably plan 1-2 week long trips at other destinations and use a couple days at the East Coast resorts....If I had a car, I think the Ikon would increase in value, as I could more easily take advantage of the East Coast benefits.


Thanks for taking part in my meandering ski-pass-thoughts. Does my thinking make sense? Is the Ikon the better value considering the above?

k

 

[David]

How about getting rid of all these multi resort passes and just charge a resonable rate at the window?

 

[mdf]

Most don't consider lodging.

Hmmm....interesting. I didn't find any useful lodging discounts the first couple of MCP years, so I quit checking.

 

[Talisman]

Big Sky's gold season pass (there are many options of metal and precious stone named passes) include 50% off tickets at MC resorts among the "perks":

• Five $79 Bring a Buddy Vouchers
• Golden Ticket Entry
• Sister Resort Benefits
• 50% off at Mountain Collective Resorts
• Summer Scenic Lift Rides
• 50% off Winter Zipline
• 15% off Retail Outlets
• Up to 50% off Lodging

 

[LKLA]

Big Sky's gold season pass (there are many options of metal and precious stone named passes) include 50% off tickets at MC resorts among the "perks":

• Five $79 Bring a Buddy Vouchers
• Golden Ticket Entry
• Sister Resort Benefits
• 50% off at Mountain Collective Resorts
• Summer Scenic Lift Rides
• 50% off Winter Zipline
• 15% off Retail Outlets
• Up to 50% off Lodging

Good deal! Lodging 50% off!?!?!

 

[raytseng]

How about getting rid of all these multi resort passes and just charge a resonable rate at the window?

Well the small resorts do this, but the financials speak for themselves and a couple bad years and they go out of business.

Turns out the general public doesn't want to pay reasonable rates at the window but instead wants those sweet sweet relativelycheap multiresort passes;

 

[Bad Bob]

I did not make this up, but thought is was a pretty good side by side comparison. I do not have the name of the creator to give them credit, sincere apologies

.

 

[dbostedo]

Good deal! Lodging 50% off!?!?!

Up to 50% off.

Every time I see "up to" on a deal like that it invariably has lots of restrictions, be it on dates (for the week of May 1st if we're still open!), or number of nights (good for less than 2 nights, or more than 9!), etc.

 

[mdf]

Good deal! Lodging 50% off!?!?!

...."Up to"