Introducing IKON Pass - Alterra Mountain Company

[tball]

$899 is a pretty darn good deal and $199 for kids is a steal!

Free kids was a better deal. Each RMSP+ included a free 12 and under kids pass, both for $529. That got you unlimited Copper, WP, and Eldora, 6 days at Steamboat and 3 days Crested Butte.

For a family of four RMSP+ was $529 + $529 = $1,058.

For that same family, Ikon Base will be $599 + $599 + $199 + $199 = $1,596.

That's a huge increase. Ikon Base is a fantastic deal if folks want to head to Aspen, otherwise, it's enough of a bump that it opens up many other options.

900 bucks for the Ikon, given the amount of trips I can do and their length....well I can do better with Liftopia discounts.

But, the Ikon Base at $599 will pay for itself with one trip to CO, UT, CA or JH. Then you have an option for a second trip with free lift tickets if you can swing it. Same value prop as the Epic Local Pass.

 

[The Dad]

I think you are wrong on the senior discount. Currently at www.Ikonpass.com on the FAQ page it shows no discount for seniors.

Huh. In fact, it now affirmatively says that there is no senior discount. But I think that I didn't just imagine it. And it now says that college students and military get the teen price, which I don't think it said initially. I'm guessing that they may still be tweaking pricing.

 

[LKLA]

Free kids was a better deal. Each RMSP+ included a free 12 and under kids pass, both for $529. That got you unlimited Copper, WP, and Eldora, 6 days at Steamboat and 3 days Crested Butte.

For a family of four RMSP+ was $529 + $529 = $1,058.

For that same family, Ikon Base will be $599 + $599 + $199 + $199 = $1,596.

That's a huge increase. Ikon Base is a fantastic deal if folks want to head to Aspen, otherwise, it's enough of a bump that it opens up many other options.

But, the Ikon Base at $599 will pay for itself with one trip to CO, UT, CA or JH. Then you have an option for a second trip with free lift tickets if you can swing it. Same value prop as the Epic Local Pass.

Free for everyone would be an even better deal!

 

[mdf]

Huh. In fact, it now affirmatively says that there is no senior discount. But I think that I didn't just imagine it. And it now says that college students and military get the teen price, which I don't think it said initially. I'm guessing that they may still be tweaking pricing.

The layout has definitely changed in a few places, and maybe the wording.
I remember military being $719 for full, just because the non-round number stuck in my head. I don't remember for sure if teen was a different price, but I kinda feel like it was.

 

[Wilhelmson]

Is the price of skiing for 20+ day skiers acutally going down?

 

[LKLA]

Is the price of skiing for 20+ day skiers acutally going down?

With most season "all you can ski" passes costing between $600 to $850, it's pretty hard to imagine that you would be able to do something for almost 8 hours for less than $30 to $45. After all it costs me $16 to see a two hour film at the movie theater or $45 to play a four hour round of golf at the nearby public course.

 

[cosmoliu]

It is, for me, going down. If I repeat this year's pattern: 4 Mammoth days, 6 JH days, 13 Alta/Snowbird days, and 12 Winter Park days, my cost will decrease by at least $500. I will have to get creative with my LCC days, but I should have $60 friends/family tickets available (this year's cost) through a friend with a true season pass. The Ikon pass fits me to a "T". I may actually increase my Mammoth attendance. Or I may stop in at Copper. Or I might head down the road to Steamboat. Or I may hit Deer Valley while I'm in Park City. Or I may finally get up to Squalpine.....

 

[LKLA]

It is, for me, going down. If I repeat this year's pattern: 4 Mammoth days, 6 JH days, 13 Alta/Snowbird days, and 12 Winter Park days, my cost will decrease by at least $500. I will have to get creative with my LCC days, but I should have $60 friends/family tickets available (this year's cost) through a friend with a true season pass. The Ikon pass fits me to a "T". I may actually increase my Mammoth attendance.

Seems like you skied around 35 days. Likely translate to a cost of around $20 per day. Wow!

 

[RJS]

With most season "all you can ski" passes costing between $600 to $850, it's pretty hard to imagine that you would be able to do something for almost 8 hours for less than $30 to $45. After all it costs me $16 to see a two hour film at the movie theater or $45 to play a four hour round of golf at the nearby public course.

That's a great way to look at it. The cost per hour of skiing with a season or even multi-resort pass is very, very low relative to many other forms of entertainment. The costs do go up when you include transportation, food, lodging, and opportunity costs, but still.

 

[Karen_skier2.0]

FYI: They added a new "Compare" link with info on Friends & Family benefits

https://www.ikonpass.com/en/compare

 

[at_nyc]

costs do go up when you include transportation, food, lodging, and opportunity costs, but still.

Those “other cost” is actually more than the pass. By a long shot for those of us who travel to ski. So it’s never sub $50/day.

It can go from$50 to $150/day! You can go figure out the per hour rate.

But the best comparison I’ve heard is “how much does nursing home cost per day?” I guess I’ll keep jumping on a plane to ski at $150/day. Because nursing home around me cost even more.

 

[RJS]

Those “other cost” is actually more than the pass. By a long shot for those of us who travel to ski. So it’s never sub $50/day.

It can go from$50 to $150/day! You can go figure out the per hour rate.

But the best comparison I’ve heard is “how much does nursing home cost per day?” I guess I’ll keep jumping on a plane to ski at $150/day. Because nursing home around me cost even more.

You're absolutely right. I'm from Boston so I travel to ski as well. $150/day is very reasonable if I'm skiing out West for a week if that includes flights, hotels, bus/rental car, food, beer and more. I've started doing more trips out West now that there are these passes you can buy like MAX or now IKON where the marginal cost of lift tickets becomes $0. I can trick myself into thinking that it's not going to cost me that much to ski in Utah or Colorado, but there's still everything besides the lift ticket .

$50/day is probably about right though for my skiing back East. Maybe not if we're taking wear and tear/depreciation of my car into account. Ignorance is bliss .

 

[at_nyc]

$150/day is very reasonable if I'm skiing out West for a week if that includes flights, hotels, bus/rental car, food, beer and more.

I don't count food and beer, as I still have to eat and drink even when NOT skiing.

It's just flight, hotel and rental car. While trip out west has the added cost of flight, that's "almost" offset by the often lower cost of lodging. Dinky little dirtbag motels in Vermont charges outrageous rates on a Friday-Sunday stay. Although I make a decent income, I almost couldn't afford the lodging options close to the lift in places like Stowe or Okemo!

In the northeast, I can always DRIVE to the mountains. The wear and tear of my car on those numerous 4-5 hr drive north each weekend is kind of... invisible. Flying out west, I have to rent a car. That's some hundreds of dollar that just staring me at my face.

It's definitely more expensive skiing out west. But the skiing is often time way better. These new passes open up some of the more expensive mountains. Definitely appealing.

 

[mdf]

If you can avoid the car, that is a big win. Can offset slightly higher lodging costs. Some mountains work really well car-free.

 

[LKLA]

I don't count food and beer, as I still have to eat and drink even when NOT skiing.

It's just flight, hotel and rental car. While trip out west has the added cost of flight, that's "almost" offset by the often lower cost of lodging. Dinky little dirtbag motels in Vermont charges outrageous rates on a Friday-Sunday stay. Although I make a decent income, I almost couldn't afford the lodging options close to the lift in places like Stowe or Okemo!

In the northeast, I can always DRIVE to the mountains. The wear and tear of my car on those numerous 4-5 hr drive north each weekend is kind of... invisible. Flying out west, I have to rent a car. That's some hundreds of dollar that just staring me at my face.

It's definitely more expensive skiing out west. But the skiing is often time way better. These new passes open up some of the more expensive mountains. Definitely appealing.

You can find A LOT of places all across the Northeast for ~$100 a night, including 5-20 miles from the mountain.

If you live in the Northeast, skiing out West is much more expensive than skiing in Vermont or New Hampshire - for obvious reasons! Not to mention much less accessible.

 

[The Dad]

I don't count food and beer, as I still have to eat and drink even when NOT skiing.

Yeah, but you probably eat and drink at non-mountain prices.

 

[at_nyc]

Yeah, but you probably eat and drink at non-mountain prices.

If I bring lunch to work and don't eat out, it cost a lot less.

Otherwise...the variation is bigger than the difference.

More over, I do bring something with me when skiing. So I'm not paying the full price of a full meal. Sometimes I even bring my own brown bag lunch (rare though).

 

[LKLA]

Vail and the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies announced that the following six ski resorts across Canada will join the Epic Pass in a long-term alliance beginning with 2018-19 winter season.

Fernie Alpine Resort
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
Kimberley Alpine Resort i
Nakiska
Mont Sainte Anne
Stoneham