Indy Ski Pass

2planks2coasts · Feb 26, 2021

Waterville is ideal for the NYC area folks who make 3-4 day trips a season to B-east and Catamount but want a long weekend type trip further afield. Stay in WV use your two days at WV and maybe at Cannon.

abc · Feb 26, 2021

xlr8r said:
Epic and Ikon have already claimed every major mtn in Utah and Colorado. Indy has found a niche in Washington and Idaho. Indy said they want to create clusters of mountains on their pass, which currently is the Northeast, Washington/Idaho, and the midwest. In the midwest Indy seems to have the prominent resorts over Ikon and Epic, like Lutsen, Granite, Crystal, Spirit, Caberfae etc. I think Indy could create another cluster around Tahoe as places like Sierra, Mt Rose, Homewood, are all free agents.

I'm not sure "major" mountain is what Indy is about though. Black, Bolton Valley aren't anywhere close to being "major" even by northeast standard. Yet, for northeast "type II" skiers mentioned above, together it forms a reasonable collection with Magic, Jay, Cannon etc.

2planks2coasts · Feb 26, 2021

xlr8r said:
Epic and Ikon have already claimed every major mtn in Utah and Colorado. Indy has found a niche in Washington and Idaho. Indy said they want to create clusters of mountains on their pass, which currently is the Northeast, Washington/Idaho, and the midwest. In the midwest Indy seems to have the prominent resorts over Ikon and Epic, like Lutsen, Granite, Crystal, Spirit, Caberfae etc. I think Indy could create another cluster around Tahoe as places like Sierra, Mt Rose, Homewood, are all free agents.

Loveland is still free of Epic/Ikon. They are on the Powder Alliance along with Monarch though. Much like Cooper, they have so many reciprocal pass arrangements that their pass is often a better deal than anything marketed as a multi-mountain pass.

For the life of me I can't figure out why Indy hasn't signed at least one Tahoe hill. Come on, even a small one like Donner Ski Ranch or Diamond Peak. I don't dare to dream of Homewood or Rose. Sugar Bowl would be a coup but they have been moving away from such partnerships, having left Powder Alliance this year.

There's interesting potential in the small groups as well Mountain Capital Partners owns Purgatory, AZ SnowBowl and a bunch of small resorts. They currently have their own corporate product, the Power Pass and partner with Cooper and others. Not sure how long that will last.

machski · Feb 26, 2021

I have to say one of the bigger gems on Indy might just be Castle Mountain in AB. The closest US resort and not on Indy is Whitefish at 3:30 drive time. Two triples, a crazy long T-Bar and a summit double are all that's there, though they do offer cat skiing in a dedicated area. But 2800' and over 3000 acres with what appears to be legit terrain. Too bad one only gets 2 days per, would make a cool trip in and of itself.

abc · Feb 26, 2021

2planks2coasts said:
Loveland is still free of Epic/Ikon. They are on the Powder Alliance along with Monarch though. Much like Cooper, they have so many reciprocal pass arrangements that their pass is often a better deal than anything marketed as a multi-mountain pass.

+1

That's what the northeast needs. Not a long list of small, non-destination mountains out west. Just a bunch of independent mountains for the northeast locals.

There're a lot of people who don't go out west. They don't have the time. They're too busy with kid's program on their home mountain. But a reciprocal program like the powder alliance would allow them to visit other mountains once in a while.

2planks2coasts · Feb 26, 2021

abc said:
+1

That's what the northeast needs. Not a long list of small, non-destination mountains out west. Just a bunch of independent mountains for the northeast locals.

There're a lot of people who don't go out west. They don't have the time. They're too busy with kid's program on their home mountain. But a reciprocal program like the powder alliance would allow them to visit other mountains once in a while.

The Freedom Pass was similar to the Powder Alliance (in format if not terrain) but while still kicking (7 NE resorts, 2 in CO and 1 in WI) it appears moribund. Fish said in a podcast last year that reciprocal partnerships like that don't bring in the revenue of something like Indy.

Interestingly enough, Coopers partnerships include 15 Northeast resorts. That's more NE resorts than any single NE resort can claim.

Cornhead · Feb 26, 2021

KustyTheKlown said:
never been to waterville and did not realize it is south of loon/cannon. its doable for me. whether its worth doing is another story, tho i found berkshire east worth doing, so I'll probably check it out at some point.

saddleback is a great add. far as fuck tho. my company gets good Friday off. maybe I'll do saddleback and sugarloaf and a full drive day with no skiing

I used to get Good Friday off, it was great, now no paid holidays between new years day and memorial day, yuck. Great time to ski too. I did a trip over Easter weekend once, Wildcat, Sunday River, and Sugarloaf. I didn't even know I'd be driving right by Sunday River on my way to Sugarloaf. Pulled in to check it out, guy sold me a ticket for $20, hooked up with some guys who where grilling in the parking lot, free meal. Next day was free, Easter Sunday. Girl boarding in ski pants and a bra. On my way to Sugarloaf, dj on the radio talking to fellow dj, "You closed down Sunday River yesterday, huh Joe. Yes I did, there was a girl boarding in just a bra! Just a bra?!, Well, she had pants on too." Too funny, great trip.

Smellytele · Feb 26, 2021

Indy needs a pod of indies in CO. Cooper, Loveland, Monarch and Sunlight would be nice bunch. Or wolf creek.

Killingtime · Feb 26, 2021

Smellytele said:
Indy needs a pod of indies in CO. Cooper, Loveland, Monarch and Sunlight would be nice bunch. Or wolf creek

That would be great. I wouldn't be surprised if something like that happens as the Indy Pass matures and gains a bigger fan base.

PAabe · Feb 26, 2021

Only place I ever skied out west was Sunlight! They have some rad lifts there.

NYDB · Feb 26, 2021

KustyTheKlown said:
and yea, i was gonna combine my ikon and my indy to do tamarack brundage beaver mountain big sky and whatever the other indy places in Montana are. have a friend who just relocated to bozeman so that trip is inevitable after covid.

No Bridger? I'd think that'd be right in your wheelhouse. I know it's not indy but

KustyTheKlown · Feb 26, 2021

NY DirtBag said:
No Bridger? I'd think that'd be right in your wheelhouse. I know it's not indy but

It would be inevitable for sure. Bozeman friend has a pass there

jaytrem · Feb 26, 2021

I was supposed to be at Bridger tomorrow, instead I'll be at Blue Knob. Not complaining though, it's all good.

abc · Feb 26, 2021

jaytrem said:
I was supposed to be at Bridger tomorrow, instead I'll be at Blue Knob.

?

jaytrem · Feb 26, 2021

abc said:
?

Cancelled my MT with 4 friends. Doing a Southern solo trip instead. Skied Tussey this evening. Not bad, but bumps thawed and froze solid with lots if ruts.

abc · Feb 27, 2021

Oh, like my plan of skiing slushy bumps at Stowe and Wildcat in April is now replaced with plans to mountain bike in the Carolinas.

Zermatt · Feb 27, 2021

If everyone buys the Indy Pass will the ski areas still be indy? Seems like they'll just get over run like Ikon and Epic resorts, but with fewer resources.

Any thoughts about changes to Ikon next season? I was under the impression that many partner resorts had a 3 year contract (like Jackson Hole) and maybe they won't return next season.

machski · Feb 27, 2021

Zermatt said:
If everyone buys the Indy Pass will the ski areas still be indy? Seems like they'll just get over run like Ikon and Epic resorts, but with fewer resources.

Any thoughts about changes to Ikon next season? I was under the impression that many partner resorts had a 3 year contract (like Jackson Hole) and maybe they won't return next season.

With only 2 days at each area on the Indy, it's more like Mountain Collective than anything else, and I have never heard complaints on that product and resort crowding. Even the Max Pass didn't generate crowding complaints and that offered 5 days at each area. It's Ikon and Epic with the unlimited areas or in Ikon's case, an area like SLC that has a bunch of areas on it driving up visitation in the area and locals Cherry Picking days even more.

ss20 · Feb 27, 2021

Zermatt said:
If everyone buys the Indy Pass will the ski areas still be indy? Seems like they'll just get over run like Ikon and Epic resorts, but with fewer resources.

Any thoughts about changes to Ikon next season? I was under the impression that many partner resorts had a 3 year contract (like Jackson Hole) and maybe they won't return next season.

My prediction is that AltaSnowbird joins Jackson with being blacked out on the base pass unless you pay the upgrade fee.

I could also see something like an Alterra-only pass as that could come with a lower price point than the Ikon Base, Alterra could keep all the $$$, and there's enough destination mountains to keep things interesting.

abc · Feb 27, 2021

machski said:
With only 2 days at each area on the Indy, it's more like Mountain Collective than anything else, and I have never heard complaints on that product and resort crowding. Even the Max Pass didn't generate crowding complaints and that offered 5 days at each area. It's Ikon and Epic with the unlimited areas or in Ikon's case, an area like SLC that has a bunch of areas on it driving up visitation in the area and locals Cherry Picking days even more.

ss20 said:
My prediction is that AltaSnowbird joins Jackson with being blacked out on the base pass unless you pay the upgrade fee.

AltaBird and Jackson are all 5 days only. Yet they got overrun!

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