definitely :lol:
...and I agree about the spring scene at Killington. Stowe has a similar vibe mid-week, though not on weekends
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I guess not everyone loathes Okemo...
- Thread starter Greg
- Start date
definitely :lol:
...and I agree about the spring scene at Killington. Stowe has a similar vibe mid-week, though not on weekends
Geoff
Well-known member
Killington spring skiing: RIP
The announced closing date is April 13th. They've completely destroyed the Killington brand which was to market the heck out of their snowmaking by offereing October to June skiing. Sugarbush just announced a $199 spring pass. If they market that they're going to try to make at least the first weekend of May with a big base on a trail or two I'll bet they sell a thousand of them to Killington people and pick up a bunch next fall. If you're in a share house, you're pretty mobile and there an awful lot of people in Killington share houses who would be bored with an Okemo product. The extra drive starts looking attractive.
There are any number of ways Killington chased customers away who often ended up at Okemo:
* They killed the ski club discount voucher discount program for metro-New York and Connecticut ski clubs. That used to give you a 40% discount on vouchers bought in early October. Everybody else from Sugarbush southwards participates. Unless you show up in a tour bus with a group, it's tough to find a discount on their walkup day ticket price on a weekend or holiday.
* They killed off the ability to buy a season pass to the kid ski school programs and jacked up the day fee to $180. Families not welcome unless they have a huge income.
* They announced their opening and closing dates when they put their season passes on sale in early July. They chopped 2 months out of the season. Killington caters to more advanced skiers. They ski in the spring when intermediates have hung it up because "it's too slushy".
* Season pass prices went up but the $1000 early rate for an unlimited pass and $600 for a blackout pass were still pretty reasonable by pre-ASC standards where you broke even at 20 or 21 ski days and they had no blackout pass program.
They have worked hard to get to where they are...I was down in Ludlow yesterday visiting a client and the town and resort really had a nice feel. I think I would get bored with the terrain in a hurry though. No challenge. But for a certain (large) share of the market, groomed cruisers fits the bill nicely.
people are throwing around assumptions and generalities in here like dollar bills at a strip club.
if the killington skier is the advanced skier and okemo is for fat lazy gapers from connecticut, then why are all the killington skiers ending up at okemo? maybe killington isnt quite as bad ass as people like to make it out to be.
if the killington skier is the advanced skier and okemo is for fat lazy gapers from connecticut, then why are all the killington skiers ending up at okemo? maybe killington isnt quite as bad ass as people like to make it out to be.
ya know, a strip club would probably make a killing on the killington access road :lol:
gmcunni
Active member
maybe Okemo isn't as lame as everyone makes it out to be?
yes, i should've thrown that in too.
LOL, i'm sure thats exactly what powdr is after.
oh, I'm sure there would be quite the uproar. I remember back in the late 90's someone opened up a porn shop on the Mountain Road in Stowe. The locals freaked! It ended up closing in a few months do to lack of business, but the town quickly changed it's laws to disallow such businesses in the future.
bobbutts
New member
I support Okemo and have a pass there (mainly because it's included on my Sunapee pass which I bought for value and proximity) but in challenging terrain they are not in the same league as Killington. Everything going down the fall line at Bear and Canyon and many runs on other pods at Killington are far more challenging than anything at Okemo. Neither of these places is 'really bad ass' but there really should be no argument about Killington's huge advantage in steep/challenging terrain
no way would i try to put okemo in killingtons league as far as steep terrain. cant make that comparison. just saying that if okemo is stealing all of killingtons skiers and killington caters primarily to the advanced skier, something is wrong with that statement. Maybe killington doesnt cater just to the advanced skier. cant be if they are all fleeing to okemo.
anyway, i dont really give a hoot. I'll still ski at killington and i'd go back to okemo again. I'll ski just about anywhere and let everyone else worry about what areas suck and which ones grow hair on your ass.
tequiladoug
New member
my only comment: I always have fun at Okemo.
Clearly Okemo doesn't get a good rap here. In general the outspoken minority of this board don't fit the target demographic. Besides, we're too damn cheap.
If I had my choice (and I do) between Okemo and Bretton Woods, I'd take BW, but only because it is less crowded. They both pitch "convenience" to the suburban crowd. BW used to pitch it as "low stress skiing."
Once you have kids and try to take a wad of them to a ski resort for a few days, you'll appreciate why "convenience" and "low stress" are so important. It is a major hassle to juggle all the equipment of a family from those whose kids cannot take care of themselves or older kids who just want mom and dad's money.
For the resort that can make it easier for families to ski, those families will often pay the extra to take some of the stress out of THEIR lives.
Before we flame, we have to realize there are different slopes for different strokes.... Areas that choose to target their market are smart. they are making best use of their investments.
What thee, the el-cheapo, hard-core skier (or me the wannabe) needs to do is recognize this and formulate your strategy based on the strengths of each area. I would never consider Okemo on the weekend. But give me a midweek day, if I'm in the mood to cruise and carve, that might suit the bill perfectly.
Lastly, there are many, many people who fit those demographics who lurk on this forum. They remain silent because they know they'll get crap. Only the very thick-skinned were speaking up. And frankly, THAT JUST AIN'T FAIR, SIR!
I remember a discussion last year when I suggested the forum was acting exclusive. The bottom line response was, "hey, if I haven't experience it (motherhood, fatherhood, old age, etc.) I haven't anything to say about it." True and valid point. Since we've worked harder to draw out a diversity of interests (and be respectful of all), the group has become much wider-ranging and much more inclusive. My kudos to the yackity-yackers.
I can find warts on even my favorite areas - every area has it's core value and that's what we have to find. But look at the thread about what areas others have been exposed to because of AZ. That is very telling, and very important. Never underestimate the impact of your remark. Remember, we're 2.5% of the US population, that's it!
I'm off my soapbox now. I have to take my meds
totally agree on the "exclusive" point. While I understand Okemo isn't a place fore the "hardcore" If you can't go there and at least enjoy yourself, are you really that much of a ski enthusiast? If you are, shouldn't anyday on snow, anywhere, be fun? I feel like people hate, just to hate cause it's not "core" enough. I've been there 2 times, and had a blast both times. You have to take it for what it is.
It's like golf, I'm an avid golfer...obviously I'd rather be playing Augusta, but I'll still have a lotta fun at my local crap courses. It's all about going out there and doinng what I love, regardless of venue.
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