Vail Purchases Peak Resorts, Adding 17 Additional Ski Areas

[Kneale Brownson]

Do any of the instructors here know if Vail has a policy of NOT giving discounts to instructors from non-Vail mountains who show up with a letter of introduction?

I will want to ski some of the Peak Resorts this season. I'd normally get a letter from my employer (Bretton Woods) and present that at the Peak Resorts mountain. Am wondering if I'd better not count on that now.

@Josh Matta, @Kneale Brownson, @Erik Timmerman ???

I think there's a local management factor. I'd suggest you contact the directors of skier services (ski school director) at each place you wish to visit and try to see if they will provide free or reduced price lift tickets. I wouldn't just go to the ticket window with the letter. You might also contact PSIA and see if they have any suggestions.

 

[K2 Rat]

Do any of the instructors here know if Vail has a policy of NOT giving discounts to instructors from non-Vail mountains who show up with a letter of introduction?

I will want to ski some of the Peak Resorts this season. I'd normally get a letter from my employer (Bretton Woods) and present that at the Peak Resorts mountain. Am wondering if I'd better not count on that now.

@Josh Matta, @Kneale Brownson, @Erik Timmerman ???

I coach ski racing @ Mt Snow and went to 2015 Worlds at Vail/BC and presented a letter at both Vail and BC ticket windows and got industry rate lift tix without a problem. Of course their discounted tix was not exactly cheap. I wanna say $70 a day, but can't really remember

 

[surfsnowgirl]

This isn't about what's affecting me. It's true it does affect me but its about all my local friends, my ski club and everyone around the area who may not have an epic pass and relies on a discount in some form to ski at a mountain. It's a shame really. So many people are shocked and upset by this latest acquisition. All they are doing is forcing people to either get epic passes or driving them elsewhere. Glad the local independent places are realizing what they have and embracing their status.

Mount snow has historically been good about discounted tickets for fellow instructors. My friend got a ticket last season for around $40. As a backup I could have gotten her a group ticket for just a tad more but the $40 ticket was just fine. Once the Vailization happens this stuff will likely go away.

We brought to IKON resort Copper last January and they gave us 50% off the daily so we were appreciative of that.

@LiquidFeet Come to Magic or Bromley with your ski school letter, Magic will comp you a ticket and I'm sure Broms will do the same.

 

[fatbob]

Guess I'm kinda confused by how VR is killing skiing by making everywhere more crowded? More skiers skiing more days seems to add up to more crowds.

Is what we're really complaining about here and end to entitlements and perks that the privileged have benefitted from?

And surely it's great news for true indies - there's a real stick it to the man marketing message they can exploit what with Vail and Alterra owning skiing now?

 

[Ski&ride]

From my perspective, other than peak holidays, the crowding is primary caused by the "locals".

My “observation” was most people I shared chair with were visitors! Hence my “common sense” conclusion was the crowds were visitors rather than locals.

But I was skiing exclusively at Ikon mountains. Perhaps Vail mountains are only crowded by locals? Somehow my common sense said it doesn’t make sense.

 

[James]

Again in fairness, the ‘black market’ for Okemo tickets was quite abused.

Don’t know what that means. It also has zero to do with Vail as they have their own way and didn’t suddenly develop it in response to the “black market” for Okemo tickets.

For the last 5?+ years, (could be ten, can’t remember), you have to have a supervisor call in to have a ticket for someone. Since rfid, maybe you could abuse that, before you had to attach it to a garment before leaving. Yes, everything’s open to abuse, like people selling tickets after they ski the morning in the K1 parking lot at Killington or anywhere else.

Vail’s system reads rfid and scans bar codes, so you can have paper tickets with wickets. You can also have a picture. All passes have photos and info that lifties can see.
So you have more security in a way then just giving someone a rfid ticket that’s open.

Giving people a stack of vouchers, (Vail method), will surely lead to some “market”. Of course a certain percentage will lose them and be sol.

 

[KingGrump]

We brought to IKON resort Copper last January and they gave us 50% off the daily so we were appreciative of that.

FYI. Copper is an Ikon partner resort. It is owned and operated by Powdr Corp.
Alterra neither own nor operated the resort.

 

[Dave Marshak]

Magic will comp you a ticket and I'm sure Broms will do the same.

Bromley used to be generous to visiting instructors, but it's owned by the Fairbanks now. My daughter was a full time instructor for them at Jiminy, and my son was the top booking snowboard instructor one year. I never even got a BOGO from them.

dm

 

[hrstrat57]

Honestly, I do not see this changing back to the way it was. I do see smaller resorts bucking the trend and capitalizing on it by saying "We are not a part of a conglomerate, come ski here".

I’m counting on this!
I am 100% out on VR

Wildcat was a perfect candidate for a classic independent venue. I can’t see it being a fit for VR. Overgrooming and taming it to appeal to the cruising public will ruin it. “Epic” adequately describes it tho so there’s that.

Thankfully there are multiple other legendary areas that soldier on sans corporate madness.
I fear a few ski areas in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts could be in VR sights.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Bromley used to be generous to visiting instructors, but it's owned by the Fairbanks now. My daughter was a full time instructor for them at Jiminy, and my son was the top booking snowboard instructor one year. I never even got a BOGO from them.

dm

That's too bad. Bromley gives free season passes to employees or you can opt for 10 free pasees for yourself and anyone you choose to give them too. You don't get both and have to choose which option you'd like. Bromley and Jiminy have the same owner and I have to get a letter but can ski for free there and cranmore. Well send me a pm if you are ever planning to swing by. If I'm there that day I can likely swing you a ticket. There's always someone floating around who isn't using one of their 10 tickets. Same for magic, worse case I can get you a $35 buddy ticket.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

FYI. Copper is an Ikon partner resort. It is owned and operated by Powdr Corp.
Alterra neither own nor operated the resort.

Me gusta IKON partner resorts. Is Killington a partner resort too?

 

[Black Dog]

Well, seeing that this seems a done deal, I'm interested to see what happens next as a Killington pass holder. Alterra/Ikon/KSL/Powdr/etc. your move.

Killington is already aligned with IKON / Alterra.

 

[KingGrump]

Me gusta IKON partner resorts. Is Killington a partner resort too?

Yes, Killington is a partner resort own and operate by Powdr.
The difference between the two areas is on the both the full & base Ikon pass, Copper is unlimited. While Killington is limited to 7 and 5 days.
TBH, I am not a fan of Powdr Corp. However, they have appeared to improve over the years after they lose Park City to Vail.

 

[KingGrump]

My “observation” was most people I shared chair with were visitors! Hence my “common sense” conclusion was the crowds were visitors rather than locals.

But I was skiing exclusively at Ikon mountains. Perhaps Vail mountains are only crowded by locals? Somehow my common sense said it doesn’t make sense.

I guess we were probably observing at different resorts at different days and different times. For all I know, different lifts. Sample size may affect the observations. Had a busy December and didn’t really start the season until late January. Missed whole bunch of days. Sorry, my Ikon road trip this season with 120+ ski days at 22 different Ikon resort didn’t yield the desired observations.

Gotta start earlier next season and get a bunch more days in.

 

[Ski&ride]

I guess we were probably observing at different resorts at different days and different times.

I was at Colorado during Christmas period. People came from all over the place! From Texas to Wisconsin. Hard to categorize them as local, I’m afraid.

(Granted, who would be defined as “locals” for Colorado? It’s anyone from Colorado???)

Jackson and Big Sky definitely full of visitors. I assumed if they’re from outside of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, they’re NOT locals, right? Just about everyone I met at Jackson were from Colorado (even more than those from Utah)!!!

The only place really full of locals are the California resorts.

 

[Doug Briggs]

I was at Colorado during Christmas period. People came from all over the place! From Texas to Wisconsin. Hard to categorize them as local, I’m afraid.

(Granted, who would be defined as “locals” for Colorado? It’s anyone from Colorado???)

Jackson and Big Sky definitely full of visitors. I assumed if they’re from outside of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, they’re NOT locals, right? Just about everyone I met at Jackson were from Colorado (even more than those from Utah)!!!

The only place really full of locals are the California resorts.

I realize I'm responding to remarks made in jest so I respond in kind.

I know plenty of people around my age (61) actually born in Colorado. The state wasn't vacant until the ski areas came into being.

I consider myself a local after 19 years. I own my own business and home. I also spent my first 18 years in a 4 season resort (North Conway). As much as anyone 'from away' can be local, I think I am.

The volume on weekday powder days is certainly influenced by locals; speaking about Breckenridge and from 19 years of experience. During our extended storm cycles of which we had a few this past season, you can see massive crowds of locals on the first day, but by the third or fourth day of the storm, the crowds will have declined substantially. Many locals have limited weekday 'powder rules' days off to utilize. Myself included. I, however, check the forecast and aim for later rather than sooner for the reason I just mentioned.

 

[Ski&ride]

I know plenty of people around my age (61) actually born in Colorado. The state wasn't vacant until the ski areas came into being.

Sorry my post was confusing and could be interpreted in more than one way.

I didn’t mean to ask whether a “local” was born in the state or not. Only how far from the mountain can still be counted as “locals”

Clearly, Denver was “local” for Summit county mountains. But what about Colorado Springs? Are they considered “local”?

How far do we stretch that? Is Salt Lake City “local” for Jackson?

 

[Doug Briggs]

Sorry my post was confusing and could be interpreted in more than one way.

I didn’t mean to ask whether a “local” was born in the state or not. Only how far from the mountain can still be counted as “locals”

No worries. I read it differently, but didn't take offence.

 

[CalG]

Perhaps a bit of an aside,....

But it looks like three out of five members of my immediate family are, or will be VA employees as of the coming season. ;-)

Embrace the change! ;-)

 

[Wilhelmson]

As mentioned the facts aren't clear. Either way her lawsuit has a bit of an odor. Assume that she signed a non compete and then tried to take the clients who were owned by the previous employer. Plus allegations of defamation and a physical therapy monopoly.