Sun Valley, Snowbasin going Epic

[Kneale Brownson]

They're being added to the pass for next season, not being purchased.

From Vail's Press Release:

06 February 2019

• Sun Valley Resort and Snowbasin Resort join the Epic Pass, Epic Local, Epic 7-Day and Epic 4-Day passes beginning with the 2019-20 winter season in a multi-year alliance.
• Epic Pass holders will receive seven days of skiing or snowboarding with no restrictions at both Sun Valley and Snowbasin.
• Epic Local Pass holders receive two days at each resort with minimal restrictions.
• Epic 7-Day pass holders can use any or all of their seven days and Epic 4-Day pass holders can use any or all of their four days with no restrictions at both resorts.
• Epic, Epic Local, Epic 7-Day and Epic 4-Day pass holders will receive 50 percent off one-day window lift ticket prices after their respective days have been redeemed.
• The industry-leading Epic Pass features access to world-class mountain resorts throughout eight countries for the 2019-20 season, more than any other season pass in the world.

Mod Edit.

 

[Kyle]

As a long-time Snowbasin season pass holder, color me nervous.

Here is the text of the email I received this morning:

It's Epic!
Snowbasin Resort and our sister ski area, Sun Valley Resort are participating in the industry-leading Epic Pass starting with the 2019-2020 season.

Snowbasin remains and is dedicated to being independently-owned and operated. In our continued dedication to the highest level of guest service, we decided to join the Epic Pass to provide more options for our pass holders and to introduce Epic Pass holders to our renowned resort.

https://www.snowbasin.com/epicpass

 

[jmeb]

Community outcries in 3....2....1....

I imagine this will have a much larger impact of Snowbasin than Sun Valley due to simple geography.

 

[Green08]

Folks at Telluride have spoken about how joining the Epic Pass was about gaining high spending guests. I think Sun Valley is going to attract the exact same jet setting clientele. Sun Valley, like Telluride, was able to compare MCP to Epic apples to apples, and I bet Telluride's experience this year became a major selling point.

Snowbasin expands options for SLC Epic Pass holders if you can now visit Park City and 7 days at Snowbasin.

The partnership also indicates to me that the Crown family is not about to step in and purchase Sun Valley, even though they have real estate investments there in town.

Mountain Collective is continuing to be gutted, and unless Boyne or Powdr choose to make a move to become a third player in the market, we are drifting more and more into a duopoly amongst major resorts.

Powder Alliance would also do well to up the "free" days to 5, and try an pull in as many remaining bigger independents (Whitefish, Wolf Creek, Powder Mt, Mt Baker, Mt Bachelor)

 

[Sibhusky]

Pray god it doesn't come to Whitefish. They are already breaking visitation records every year without it. It certainly won't buy the existing passholders anything without them getting on a plane, as there's very few other locations handy. We have ticket benefits with several other places we would never go to, why add more?

 

[headybrew]

It's now a god damned race for me to visit as many places as I can before they become wrapped up in one of these silly passes. EPIC and IKON have caused me to double what I spend on skiing every year with almost none of that going to them. If there are more people like me the independents might fare OK.

 

[RJS]

Glad to see that Snowbasin and Sun Valley are still independently owned and operated. This pass partnership greatly improves Epic's offerings in Utah. I did a day at Snowbasin last season and loved it. I would love to go back. And Sun Valley is only a 4.5 hour drive from Salt Lake, so if you live the Salt Lake area you can ski unlimited at Park City, do some day trips to Snowbasin, and get in a weekend at Sun Valley. The Ikon still has stronger offerings, IMO, but this helps to close the gap.

 

[fatbob]

It's now a god damned race for me to visit as many places as I can before they become wrapped up in one of these silly passes. EPIC and IKON have caused me to double what I spend on skiing every year with almost none of that going to them. If there are more people like me the independents might fare OK.

I'm pretty sure you can still spend direct at Epic and Ikon PARTNER resorts and ensure your $ goes to the mom & pop core owners of Sun Valley & Snowbasin or Snowbird or whatever. For those of us willing to throw in with an evil empire of one sort or another just extends our options. Vail pretty much had to land Snowbasin as Park City was looking like an isolated island in a big skiing state.

I think the paranoia re Whitefish is overblown. It's just not that easy to get to which is why it has been the size it is though no doubt joining on a pass alliance with the Calgary accessible hills may send more Canucks over the border for odd weekends.

 

[Sibhusky]

And yet each year breaks records. They are expanding the airport, and adding flights. They are steadily expanding lift serviced terrain (their stated 3000 acres is permit area, not lift served). It's my paranoia and I'm sticking to it.

 

[LKLA]

I'm pretty sure you can still spend direct at Epic and Ikon PARTNER resorts and ensure your $ goes to the mom & pop core owners of Sun Valley & Snowbasin or Snowbird or whatever. For those of us willing to throw in with an evil empire of one sort or another just extends our options. Vail pretty much had to land Snowbasin as Park City was looking like an isolated island in a big skiing state.

I think the paranoia re Whitefish is overblown. It's just not that easy to get to which is why it has been the size it is though no doubt joining on a pass alliance with the Calgary accessible hills may send more Canucks over the border for odd weekends.

You are supporting over 6,000 full time employees and over 27,000 part time employees with every dollar you spend with Vail Resorts.

 

[headybrew]

You are supporting over 6,000 full time employees and over 27,000 part time employees with every dollar you spend with Vail Resorts.

And in general employees of big business are treated better than employees of small independent business owners. I just find duopolies yucky for the consumer.

 

[marjoram_sage]

It's really appealing that the Epic Pass will have several great uncrowded resort options next year: Snowbasin, Fernie, Telluride, Crested Butte. I think Snowbasin and Fernie are good for early season and Telluride/CB are good for late season.

I find it sad that independent ski areas have not been able to come up with pass that is a competitor to epic pass. I'd be willing to pay more for an independent resort pass than the epic pass ($899) if there was a similar unrestricted pass. The powder alliance and MCP are not good if you like to take a 2 week long ski trip during holidays. And it looks like the MCP is losing steam. Really sad

 

[Coach13]

As an Epic Pass guy I’m glad they added Snowbasin and I think it fits their model. I wonder if Powder Mountain is in their sights too? It’s kind of the anti-Vail for sure vibe wise.

 

[Bad Bob]

SV has had a really high season pass price and sold them well to the local. I can see Snowbasin getting into the fray with Epic from both sides of the union, but don't really understand Sun Valley getting in. People will go there regardless.

On a side note' never really thought of the Holding Family as 'Mom and Pop' operators.

 

[AmyPJ]

Community outcries in 3....2....1....

I imagine this will have a much larger impact of Snowbasin than Sun Valley due to simple geography.

Oh, the outcries are already beginning, trust me! It SUCKS!

Pray god it doesn't come to Whitefish. They are already breaking visitation records every year without it. It certainly won't buy the existing passholders anything without them getting on a plane, as there's very few other locations handy. We have ticket benefits with several other places we would never go to, why add more?

Yes, pray it doesn't.

It's really appealing that the Epic Pass will have several great uncrowded resort options next year: Snowbasin, Fernie, Telluride, Crested Butte. I think Snowbasin and Fernie are good for early season and Telluride/CB are good for late season.

I find it sad that independent ski areas have not been able to come up with pass that is a competitor to epic pass. I'd be willing to pay more for an independent resort pass than the epic pass ($899) if there was a similar unrestricted pass. The powder alliance and MCP are not good if you like to take a 2 week long ski trip during holidays. And it looks like the MCP is losing steam. Really sad

Snowbasin is NOT uncrowded anymore. This will only add to the mayhem. Might be time to switch mountains.

 

[Ken_R]

Community outcries in 3....2....1....

I imagine this will have a much larger impact of Snowbasin than Sun Valley due to simple geography.

Definitely. Gonna get craaaaaazy

 

[jmeb]

I find it sad that independent ski areas have not been able to come up with pass that is a competitor to epic pass. I'd be willing to pay more for an independent resort pass than the epic pass ($899) if there was a similar unrestricted pass.

So...the Ikon pass? A large number of its mountains are independent. It has a ton of mountains that are unrestricted.

 

[Lorenzzo]

 

[marjoram_sage]

So...the Ikon pass? A large number of its mountains are independent. It has a ton of mountains that are unrestricted.

yes. Strongly considering Ikon. I need to plan for a 2 week Xmas trip, a couple of 4 day weekend trips and a few unplanned driving trips to Tahoe.

Quite a few combos going on in my head. I particularly want to find a location for holidays that's not crowded and has affordable lessons and lodging. Crowds and accessibility go hand in hand so for a 2 week trip, I can invest the travel time to a less accessible area. But the challenge is not too many areas are reliable for early season. The I found are Targhee, Brighton, Pow Mow, Beaver Mountain UT, Steamboat, Mt Bachelor. Beaver Mountain Utah is the strongest contender b/c it is affordable on all metrics (pass, lodging, lessons) and has good snow. It's only 2 hours from SLC and SLC is easy to reach with Southwest. And for next year, I have booked 5 night stay in January at St. Regis Deer Valley using points.

So I think an Ikon base pass will work out well. I can do a 4 day to Utah in Feb and a week long trip to Colorado in late March/April. I don't want to go to Colorado for less than a week as you lose a couple of days adjusting to high elevation. And Ikon would be good for Squaw as well for weekend trips.

Let's see how things unfold for Ikon and the passes for independent resorts this year.

 

[James]

Oh, the outcries are already beginning, trust me! It SUCKS!

Well they'll probably be more competent boarders amongst the well heeled bro brahs.