Indy Ski Pass

[RH29]

New owners though so at least this year the rumors makes sense but you are probably correct that it is a nice wind fall for them.

Guarantee that Jay makes quite a bit of cash off Indy. Not necessarily from the pass itself, but because of the traffic it drives. Jay is so far away that most people aren't going to daytrip it, and the industry has pushed skiers away from buying day tickets. So suddenly, two days at Jay is perfect for suburbanites to drive up, stay in one of Jays hotels, eat at their restaurants, and go to their waterpark. The huge new overhead that the modernization of Jay has brought in the last ten years makes the use of the hotel/waterpark even more important to their bottom line than just the ski business.

Are you sure about that? I heard it was Pats Peak

That would hurt sales badly. Pats is highly redeemed and just outside the Boston suburbs, it's part of the "mix local hills with big mountain skiing" model that has made Indy so successful (or is at least the reason I buy it). I wonder if it'd cause them to make a play for Wachusett, or to bring Ragged or Gunstock onto it.

 

[Dickc]

Renewed my Indy add on pass last Friday, then renewed my Pats Peak pass yesterday. Emailed the Pats receipt to Indy and got my "all set" two hours later. Man these Indy pass people are on the ball!

 

[Cat in January]

My brevity led to a lack of clarity. I thought Pats Peak was the most redeemed Indy mountain. No information on them leaving

 

[AdironRider]

I have to imagine Pats is up there in terms of redemptions as well.

 

[Dickc]

My brevity led to a lack of clarity. I thought Pats Peak was the most redeemed Indy mountain. No information on them leaving

I have to imagine Pats is up there in terms of redemptions as well.

Pats makes Indy pass holders reserve for weekends. They are offering the Indy add on this coming years so they are still on Indy. I do believe they get a lot of Indy redemptions, but have no first hand knowledge if its really true.

 

[eatskisleep]

one chair with steep terrain. hidden lake terrain is not interesting. unless you use it to get to woodys and then ski down to a bus shuttle. horrible infrastructure. no sustained vertical. stupid layout. tons of lengthy flats. slow lifts. lower elevation than almost any other utah ski area. overrated in every way. especially overrated by the indy pass weirdos.

So, care to explain why Indy pass users are “Weirdos”

 

[deadheadskier]

Guarantee that Jay makes quite a bit of cash off Indy. Not necessarily from the pass itself, but because of the traffic it drives. Jay is so far away that most people aren't going to daytrip it, and the industry has pushed skiers away from buying day tickets. So suddenly, two days at Jay is perfect for suburbanites to drive up, stay in one of Jays hotels, eat at their restaurants, and go to their waterpark. The huge new overhead that the modernization of Jay has brought in the last ten years makes the use of the hotel/waterpark even more important to their bottom line than just the ski business.


That would hurt sales badly. Pats is highly redeemed and just outside the Boston suburbs, it's part of the "mix local hills with big mountain skiing" model that has made Indy so successful (or is at least the reason I buy it). I wonder if it'd cause them to make a play for Wachusett, or to bring Ragged or Gunstock onto it.

Ragged is no longer an independent resort (though Jay isn't either) so I'm not sure you will see that.

I don't see Gunstock joining any multi-mountain pass outside of the college product it's on. They sell out many weekends as is, so they obviously feel that they don't need more traffic. At least on the weekends.

I've heard Indy finds the NH market saturated for them and likely will not be expanding further in the state.

 

[eatskisleep]

Speaking of powder mountain…

Powder Mountain Raises Prices On All Season Passes (Up To 860% Increase)

Had to do a double take on the title of this Salt Lake Tribune article to make sure I was reading it correctly but yeah, Powder Mountain is increasing the

unofficialnetworks.com

 

[KustyTheKlown]

So, care to explain why Indy pass users are “Weirdos”

have you read their facebook group? they dont know how to tie their own shoelaces.

 

[eatskisleep]

have you read their facebook group? they dont know how to tie their own shoelaces.

No, I don’t have a Facebook.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

No, I don’t have a Facebook.

you are wise. it gives me nothing good in my life.

 

[AdironRider]

Powder Mountain is high as a kite. Their terrain is low level intermediate at best and nothing to rave about.

Like it is one thing for Jackson, Aspen or Deer Valley to think they are better than you, but Pow Mow, get the fuck outta here.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

amen. glorified bunny hill.

 

[thebigo]

I don't see Gunstock joining any multi-mountain pass outside of the college product it's on. They sell out many weekends as is, so they obviously feel that they don't need more traffic. At least on the weekends.

Agree, Indy makes no sense for a mountain already near capacity. WMSP with Gunstock would be a compelling product and probably drive visits to Cannon and WV more than Gunstock.

Tom Day mentions Indy in recent SAM interview:

SAM: In this era of mega ski passes like Ikon, Epic, and Indy, how will independent ski areas like Gunstock thrive moving forward?

Day: By being what others aren’t. We didn’t want to do Indy Pass because we want to control our own destiny. Gunstock is a family mountain, a backyard ski area for locals, but also some more challenging terrain for expert skiers. We want to keep our pass prices reasonable, like our school program where 3,400 kids get season passes for $300. We introduce a lot of people to the sport, and a lot of them become either skiers or employees here.

A Discussion with Outgoing Gunstock GM Tom Day - Ski Area Management

SAM Magazine—Gilford, N.H., Jan. 26, 2024—Tom Day, who began his career in the ski industry as a lift attendant at New Hampshire’s Waterville Valley in 1978, plans to retire from his post as general manager of Gunstock Mountain Resort at the end of the current ski season. SAM recently chatted...

www.saminfo.com

 

[Edd]

Speaking of powder mountain…

Powder Mountain Raises Prices On All Season Passes (Up To 860% Increase)

Had to do a double take on the title of this Salt Lake Tribune article to make sure I was reading it correctly but yeah, Powder Mountain is increasing the

unofficialnetworks.com

Woooow, that response on social…..

 

[2planks2coasts]

Agree, Indy makes no sense for a mountain already near capacity. WMSP with Gunstock would be a compelling product and probably drive visits to Cannon and WV more than Gunstock.

Tom Day mentions Indy in recent SAM interview:

A Discussion with Outgoing Gunstock GM Tom Day - Ski Area Management

SAM Magazine—Gilford, N.H., Jan. 26, 2024—Tom Day, who began his career in the ski industry as a lift attendant at New Hampshire’s Waterville Valley in 1978, plans to retire from his post as general manager of Gunstock Mountain Resort at the end of the current ski season. SAM recently chatted...

www.saminfo.com

He doesn't say why Indy wouldn't let them control their own destiny. Is it the limitation on other partnerships? The whole 30 seconds it takes to look up a pass member for redemption? Ikon or Epic partnerships likely come with some degree of control, but Indy? Even the busiest Indy mountains in the NE use it somewhat as a "taster" with the aim of converting folks to their own pass products.

 

[eatskisleep]

Woooow, that response on social…..

Yep, I bet the locals are pissed!

 

[AdironRider]

He doesn't say why Indy wouldn't let them control their own destiny. Is it the limitation on other partnerships? The whole 30 seconds it takes to look up a pass member for redemption? Ikon or Epic partnerships likely come with some degree of control, but Indy? Even the busiest Indy mountains in the NE use it somewhat as a "taster" with the aim of converting folks to their own pass products.

Honestly, it just sounds like GM speak. Indy is like found money for these independents and Gunstock would be stupid not to sign up for it if the offer presented itself.

The only thing keeping them off the pass is NH is saturated and I have to imagine it is tough for Indy to make money for in state purchasers (like those on this board).

For example, I get the Indy+ add-on to my Dartmouth pass (which I get for free). Within an hour of my house in the Upper Valley I get two days at Whaleback, Suicide 6, Cannon, Pats and Waterville. Within an hour and a half you can tack on Jay, Bolton, and Magic. Black is only 2 and BMOM is slightly over if I boogie. Thats 20 days of skiing, easily attainable, for under 300 bucks for this NH skier.

 

[deadheadskier]

I think local politics have more to do with Gunstock not going on Indy or WMSP than anything. The County Commission have a history of nut jobs on it that will flip their lid seeing revenue leave the mountain and go to Indy. Always going to be folks pushing to lease the place to another operator too.

Quite frankly, I'm not interested in upsetting the apple cart in any way there. They run the place fantastic as is, especially with the limited capacity. It wouldn't be worth it to me to save $100 by having it an Indy add on option vs me just buying a full Indy instead.

 

[Smellytele]

While I would not have gone to powder yesterday without the Indy pass the runs off the paradise lift were a lot of fun. Steep trees on one side and nice snow fields off the other. Not to mention some steep short cliff chutes off the ridge. The lightening ridge area had some great runs as well.
Now the lift layout was horrible. As the saying goes “can’t get there from here!”