Day tickets going through the roof in Vermont

[boston_e]

The nearly $200 per day walk up ticket price is only for people dumb enough or rich enough to pay that price.

Just for kicks I looked up single day advance purchase lift ticket prices at Sugarbush with All Mountain tickets at a high of $139 on weekends with plenty of days available at $109 and $119. Mt Ellen only tickets range from $50 to $79.

Sure but do those prices go up as it gets closer? And what if someone pre-purchases their $139 lift ticket and it ends up raining? I can see why the occasional skiers are deciding to pass on the sport.

As for me, I'd likely never buy day tickets at that price to ski outside of my pass. (Again to my point from earlier about friends not skiing together anymore if they have different pass products)

 

[cdskier]

I think $185.20 is the walk up window rate. The pre-purchase rates are lower.

According to Sugarbush's website...there are no walk-up purchases period this year for lift tickets. All must be purchased online. The highest online price right now is $139 which they list as an 18% savings. That puts the full ticket price as $169. So where is the $185.20 coming from?

 

[cdskier]

Sure but do those prices go up as it gets closer? And what if someone pre-purchases their $139 lift ticket and it ends up raining? I can see why the occasional skiers are deciding to pass on the sport.

As for me, I'd likely never buy day tickets at that price to ski outside of my pass. (Again to my point from earlier about friends not skiing together anymore if they have different pass products)

Yes the prices go up not just as you get closer, but as they "sell out" of tickets in each tier. They only sell a certain amount at each price point and then the price increases. But it never increases beyond what the "0% savings" rate would be...which if my math is right based on the prices listed available now, comes to $169.

 

[cdskier]

Ahhh....taxes aren't included in the listed rates. So 169 + tax comes to 179.14 (which is still a bit short of their listed amounts from the article...maybe they're also including the $5 fee to get an RFID card if you don't already have one?)

 

[boston_e]

Ahhh....taxes aren't included in the listed rates. So 169 + tax comes to 179.14 (which is still a bit short of their listed amounts from the article...maybe they're also including the $5 fee to get an RFID card if you don't already have one?)

That math seems like it works. So yeah, for the occasional skier who did not save his RFID card it could be $185 ish to ski for a day if he waits to buy a ticket a day or two in advance. Crazy.

 

[raisingarizona]

Totally agree...can't pass up a good deal..and it got me 6 days at Jackson.

Jackson has been ruined by the IKON pass crowding.

 

[abc]

You guys are all commenting from the point of view of having live (or have a second home) within day trip distance.

For those "resorts" in the Epic/Ikon group, they're mostly focusing on people who're "vacationing". For them, lift ticket is only one of the many items they have to spend money on, AND BOOK IN ADVANCE. I have friends who fall into that category. Their perspective when I ask them? 1) They tend NOT to shop for mountains based on price, 2) they tend to either get a lift ticket deal from lodging or buy in advance. So the day ticket price hike doesn't really hit them directly.

Locals who want to ski a particular mountain on a whim? Vail/Alterra don't want you. You don't buy lunch with drinks. You don't rent skis and pay for full day lessons. You're not a "profit center". You just take up capacity! Fortunately for those of you, there're always a few local mountains nearby that you can go to. There won't be half as big a lift line also. So just don't bother joining the crowds in the mega resorts.

 

[thetrailboss]

I think $185.20 is the walk up window rate. The pre-purchase rates are lower.

That's my read as well.

 

[fbrissette]

You guys are all commenting from the point of view of having live (or have a second home) within day trip distance.

For those "resorts" in the Epic/Ikon group, they're mostly focusing on people who're "vacationing". For them, lift ticket is only one of the many items they have to spend money on, AND BOOK IN ADVANCE. I have friends who fall into that category. Their perspective when I ask them? 1) They tend NOT to shop for mountains based on price, 2) they tend to either get a lift ticket deal from lodging or buy in advance. So the day ticket price hike doesn't really hit them directly.

Locals who want to ski a particular mountain on a whim? Vail/Alterra don't want you. You don't buy lunch with drinks. You don't rent skis and pay for full day lessons. You're not a "profit center". You just take up capacity! Fortunately for those of you, there're always a few local mountains nearby that you can go to. There won't be half as big a lift line also. So just don't bother joining the crowds in the mega resorts.

I have a season pass. As others have said, it would be nice to go ski with friends who also have a season pass at another resort. But I won't book weeks ahead cause conditions/weather could be shitty. So, personnaly, I would like the opportunity to buy a last-minute lift ticket at a reasonable window rate.

 

[jimk]

$50 for Mt. Ellen is the bomb!
Exterminator Glades:

 

[cdskier]

I have a season pass. As others have said, it would be nice to go ski with friends who also have a season pass at another resort. But I won't book weeks ahead cause conditions/weather could be shitty. So, personnaly, I would like the opportunity to buy a last-minute lift ticket at a reasonable window rate.

That's one area where I do like Epic's "Day pass" idea. You can buy a single day ticket pass that you can use at any time for a reasonable price. You do need to buy early, but at least you don't have to commit to a specific date.

 

[ThatGuy]

$50 for Mt. Ellen is the bomb!

$28 for a Mt. Ellen ticket on Valentines Day. My girlfriend probably won’t be happy but thats a deal I can’t refuse.

 

[thetrailboss]

I also love Sugarbush North!

 

[faceplant]

They're using a western pricing model for the east- but out west conditions are pretty predictable while in the east rain happens, alot- you think customers are gonna pay those prices to ski in the rain here? keep dreaming, nobody likes a cold wet ass
These areas better be praying for great conditions cuz if not folks will be driving right past to non greedy areas
But maybe thats their plan- less crowds for dummies willing to pay thru the nose- obviously they couldnt care less about the rest of us

 

[thetrailboss]

They're using a western pricing model for the east- but out west conditions are pretty predictable while in the east rain happens, alot- you think customers are gonna pay those prices to ski in the rain here? keep dreaming, nobody likes a cold wet ass
These areas better be praying for great conditions cuz if not folks will be driving right past to non greedy areas
But maybe thats their plan- less crowds for dummies willing to pay thru the nose- obviously they couldnt care less about the rest of us

But they won't drive by. Especially if they have the respective multi-resort season pass. That's the point.

 

[NYDB]

They're using a western pricing model for the east- but out west conditions are pretty predictable while in the east rain happens, alot- you think customers are gonna pay those prices to ski in the rain here? keep dreaming, nobody likes a cold wet ass
These areas better be praying for great conditions cuz if not folks will be driving right past to non greedy areas
But maybe thats their plan- less crowds for dummies willing to pay thru the nose- obviously they couldnt care less about the rest of us

I know a lot of friends who do book holiday weeks in the east way in advance. Tickets and lodging. 10 day /yr skiers. Kids, etc. it’s pricey and I would hazard a guess they get shitty conditions more than 1/2 the time. Crazy low temps are the worst. They can deal with warm and rain. Kids usually Have fun regardless and the adults just start drinking earlier.

if You are beholden to school schedules, you can’t wait to make sure you have good conditions to book vacations even in the east. At least usually. Don’t know if COVID will have any effect.

 

[WWF-VT]

Middlebury Snow Bowl 2021-2022 Adult Weekday Tickets are $40 Weekdays and $60 Weekends and Holidays - great deal for day tickets at one of my favorite non resort mountains in VT.

 

[deadheadskier]

I think what I'd like to see is the return of banding together as an industry. You want to go crazy with the last minute pay out the ass price model? Ok that's fine. Lots of things in life have "surge" pricing at the last minute and peak times.

But this whole Ikon/Epic cut throat business model just kinda sucks. Sure ski resorts have always been competitive with one another. But, there had always been numerous options of the mountains agreeing to some lost leader type products that get the casual skier to their mountain and if they deliver a good enough product, maybe you luck out and sell that family passes the next season.

Bring back the ski VT 3 and 5 packs.

SkiNH had 4-5 mountain group ticket packages. Can't find information on their website on pricing and it wasn't the SkiVT steal, but it was something. They go on sale 11/6. Will be interesting to see what they offer.

Fox44 cards

And lastly and perhaps most importantly, the ski club deals. The history behind New England ski clubs is really something cool that should be preserved. They tended to have a local social component in the flatlands that helped people try the sport affordably. All of these clubs are gonna die it seems.

Maybe I'll find my way back to the Evil empire again. Maybe I'll look at Alterra/Ikon. I'm in no rush though. And I kinda hope they crumble like ASC and Intrawest before them.

For now, Indy just feels more in tune with my values.

 

[cdskier]

I think what I'd like to see is the return of banding together as an industry. You want to go crazy with the last minute pay out the ass price model? Ok that's fine. Lots of things in life have "surge" pricing at the last minute and peak times.

But this whole Ikon/Epic cut throat business model just kinda sucks. Sure ski resorts have always been competitive with one another. But, there had always been numerous options of the mountains agreeing to some lost leader type products that get the casual skier to their mountain and if they deliver a good enough product, maybe you luck out and sell that family passes the next season.

Bring back the ski VT 3 and 5 packs.

Is the Ski VT 4 pack not a decent compromise? $194 for 4 tickets is a pretty decent deal (and even the evil empire resorts are still included!). Expected to go on sale sometime in early November

 

[deadheadskier]

Didn't realize those were still available.