Do benefits matter?

[dmc]

Benefits get me to buy my pass earlier...

A season pass at Hunter gets you into Festivals and on the chair during summer.. Winter discounts are nice too...

 

[deadheadskier]

How much are Mtn jam tix for pass holders?

 

[dmc]

How much are Mtn jam tix for pass holders?

No discount.. Hunter has no part of the ticket sales.. It's all WDST and Warren.

Except the discounts that locals get from other locals working the fest...

 

[mattchuck2]

I'd imagine when people choose which season pass to buy, the biggies are location of the mountain and price, and after that everything else doesn't matter as much.

I'd say location is most important. The Colorado Pass looks like a sick deal, but I don't live there, so it wouldn't be so great for me.

 

[drjeff]

I also forgot tht via the Nor'easter pass at Mount Snow that I also get the equivalent shop discount at most of the other (non Mount Snow owned) ski shops in the area, and various other businesses in the area from masseuses to hotels/inns offer discounts to passholders as well as summer/fall scenic chairlift rides (you still need to buy a summer lift ticket and/pass if your going to do some lift served mountain biking though)

 

[Glenn]

I also forgot tht via the Nor'easter pass at Mount Snow that I also get the equivalent shop discount at most of the other (non Mount Snow owned) ski shops in the area, and various other businesses in the area from masseuses to hotels/inns offer discounts to passholders as well as summer/fall scenic chairlift rides (you still need to buy a summer lift ticket and/pass if your going to do some lift served mountain biking though)

Good point Jeff! They do that with all the passes I beleive. We've used that at Equip a few times.

And I'll "x2" what you said on first tracks. Some of my best runs of the season....I remember ripping down Lodge and Exhibition with Dave Molton on some nice firm cord as the sun rose. I also remember being there for 1st tracks on Saturday AM after the Snowicane. Friggin awesome.

 

[RootDKJ]

VIP lift line for passholders makes all the difference at Blue.

 

[Riverskier]

I'd imagine when people choose which season pass to buy, the biggies are location of the mountain and price, and after that everything else doesn't matter as much.

I'd say location is most important. The Colorado Pass looks like a sick deal, but I don't live there, so it wouldn't be so great for me.

Exactly. Sunday River is the closest big mountain to me at hour and 15 minutes and that is by far the biggest factor. Skiing could be free in Vermont and I would still buy the Boyne pass, as I am not day tripping 4+ hours each way. Luckily I love the mountain and find it to be a good value.

 

[Skimaine]

The benefits make a difference for me. As noted earlier, Boyne provides a number of specials and discounts through-out the season. I would like to see more lift ticket discounts for friends and family.

 

[deadheadskier]

I would like to see more lift ticket discounts for friends and family.

I think this would be especially beneficial for under the radar places like Ragged where I buy a pass.

Getting someone to a mountain for the first time is half the battle. People are creatures of habbit and tend to go where they know, especially with high cost activities like skiing.

 

[Geoff]

I think this would be especially beneficial for under the radar places like Ragged where I buy a pass.

Getting someone to a mountain for the first time is half the battle. People are creatures of habbit and tend to go where they know, especially with high cost activities like skiing.

And a mountain's season pass base tends to act as a huge unpaid marketing department. Other than one rather glaring exception, you rarely hear anything but good things about people's home mountain.

 

[RISkier]

I'd imagine when people choose which season pass to buy, the biggies are location of the mountain and price, and after that everything else doesn't matter as much.

I'd say location is most important. The Colorado Pass looks like a sick deal, but I don't live there, so it wouldn't be so great for me.

I'd think location and price are the biggies as well. We've never purchased a pass to a NE mountain. It's a good 90 minute drive for us just to get to Wachusett. When we start doing the "how many times do we have to ski someplace to start making a pass pay off" it never adds up for us. The CO Pass is a great deal though you do have to go to CO to purchase one. Last year we exchanged a Stowe time share for a Vail time share. We ended up buying the Epic Pass and doing two 8-10 day trips to CO. Ended up skiing for less than $40 / day. I doubt we'd have made a second trip to CO except that the pass made it economically attractive. So we feel like we got reasonably priced skiing and CO got more of our tourism dollars.

 

[gmcunni]

just saw this for Belleayre -

Belleayre Mountain - An added perk for people who purchase an adult or senior pass in August is a season long weekend workshop every Saturday beginning on January 1 with a $300 value. Midweek passholders will receive the Wednesday Workshop (also a $300 value) that lasts for the entire season starting on January 5. This offer of a free season long Workshop is only good from August 1- August 31.

seems pretty cool deal for buying early.