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Epic Pass just got more Epic

ss20

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A minute from the Alta exit off the I-15!

jimmywilson69

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have you ever tried to purchase a day ticket at a Vail Resort property? That actually is a deal to sign up for if you are going west or even a few days at Stowe.
 

ss20

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have you ever tried to purchase a day ticket at a Vail Resort property? That actually is a deal to sign up for if you are going west or even a few days at Stowe.

Ik Vail resorts are expensive. Works when they have limited competition out west. But how many upper-tier destinations are within 2 hours of Stowe? Cannon, Jay, K, Smuggs, Gore, Whiteface, Sugarbush, Bretton Woods...etc. Buy online a month or so in advance for any of those guys and you'll pay between $60 and $90 a day...closer to the $60 a day benchmark at many of those places...
 

jimmywilson69

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I think its pretty clear they aren't trying to compete with anyone. so your choice is if you want to ski at a Vail Resort in the east your best bet is a pass or these advance tickets.

Otherwise, as you stated, there are plenty of great places to SKI THE EAST!
 

BenedictGomez

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I'm noticing Vail has partnered with Ski.com to sell EPIC passes. Has Vail ever used 3rd-party vendors to sell EPIC passes before?

I'm wondering if this is part of the IKON pressure.

Purchase your 2019-20 Epic Pass from Ski.com and receive the following benefits:
Access to Ski.com’s Epic Pass Concierge services, which include:
Expert advice on how to maximize your Epic Pass
Free ski-trip planning and booking services to Epic Pass destinations
Customized and curated itineraries for multi-destination Epic Pass adventures
Access to soon to-be-announced Ski.com Epic Pass Itineraries
Call a Ski.com Epic Pass Concierge: 800-948-7715
 
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BenedictGomez

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I think its pretty clear they aren't trying to compete with anyone. so your choice is if you want to ski at a Vail Resort in the east your best bet is a pass or these advance tickets.

The only people in the east who'd likely buy an EPIC pass are Stowe regulars or people western tripping. I guess this should include Okemo regulars too, but if you're choosing to be a regular at Okemo rather than Stowe you've got issues.
 

KustyTheKlown

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they exist (okemo regulars). its mind boggling. they congregate on the Ski the East facebook group (which may be the worst corner of the eastern ski internet. holy shit).
 

deadheadskier

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If all you are into is cruising groomers and that represents a LARGE portion of skiers, Okemo will suit people just fine and is much closer to the vast majority of people. That's where my family skied when I was a kid. It was 2.5 hours from metro Boston and then later 2:15 from the Hartford area. My father had little interest in commuting 4 hours each way after a 60 hour work week.

Likewise if I get to a point of affording a seasonal rental in ski country, it will be in N. Conway vs Stowe or Sugarbush. 1:45 each way vs 3:30. I spend WAY to much time driving all week to want to deal with a long commute to relax.

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deadheadskier

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To each their own. Had a blast as a kid skiing there. As an adult I avoid southern VT like the plague on weekends. Only place I could probably tolerate over there these days is Magic, but IMO Wildcat > Magic and its closer.

Having a killer week up in N Conway now actually. Wildcat, Attitash and Black have all been fantastic.

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cdskier

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Just because it isn't your cup of tea doesn't mean everyone has that opinion.

To each their own. Had a blast as a kid skiing there.

Exactly. My first trips to VT years ago were to Okemo and I had a great time. Today I wouldn't want to ski there on a regular basis, but I'm sure someone like my brother that loves cruisers and hates bumps would love it. Plus like DHS said as well in another post, it is also a lot closer than N VT for many people. For some people, driving distance absolutely factors in.

Honestly I'm quite happy there's people that love places like Okemo. Otherwise places like Sugarbush and Stowe would be a heck of a lot more crowded if everyone preferred places like that compared to somewhere like Okemo.
 

medfordmike

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I am not an Okemo guy but get there once or twice a season usually in March. I ski with friends there and it fits their skill set just fine. For me Sunapee is much cheaper via Epic than the older passes pre Vail which I never considered. Not likely anyone's favorite on here and not mine either but nice views, 1.5 hours from Boston, and good snowmaking in lean years means I don't need to go far for a day trip. I often hit it up this year on Friday mornings or Monday afternoons so I get a half day of skiing and a half day of work around going to my weekend place. I do Pico on weekends, particularly holiday weekends. I hope to hit Stowe for another day or two this season as well. I really like Stowe but at this point in life i wont drive more than two hours for a day trip which means I need to plan it.

A lot of people ski Sunapee and outside the Epic Pass there are not a lot of great options to get access cheaply. It is not Magic, MRG, or many other better places. It is basically a step up from Wachusett. But I can say I had Max and i really don't see a huge difference between Loon and Okemo, Sunapee, or Stratton and I don't dislike Loon or Stratton but blue is blue. Ikon has great western mountains but family and work life don't allow that much travel. So it works for some and based on lift lines at both Okemo and Sunapee it is a pretty good number.

I also like the North Conway area but 3 hours is not happening on a Friday night after a long commute.
Otherwise I think it is a great area to explore some old school areas which I enjoy more than Sunapee and neither multi pass option works great. While neither Ikon or Epic Local are perfect I am glad to have the choice.
 
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sankaty

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We had the MAX addon last year so skied a bunch of days at Okemo. It's not my favorite mountain, but I had a great time. I don't think that the bumps and trees in the Jackson Gore area are obviously inferior to most other S VT mountains (Magic excluded). Pico is our home mountain, but Okemo does offer more options when we're skiing with families who are not as experienced.
 
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