IKON Adds Zermatt

[Bosco DaSkia]

Thank you, you just made me feel incalculably better about never having skied in Europe.

You just missed the entire point. Almost all of them Euro folks stay on them super groomer trails. They don’t even go 1 foot off of ‘em. There can be endless amounts of powder literally just feet off of a trail that is completely clogged with people and it is not being skied at all. You can git plenty of powder fer yer self by heading just slightly off piste.....





Most of those tracks were mine..... lap after lap, right under the lift, with no competition. Twas sweet.






fact.

 

[chuckstah]

You just missed the entire point. Almost all of them Euro folks stay on them super groomer trails. They don’t even go 1 foot off of ‘em. There can be endless amounts of powder literally just feet off of a trail that is completely clogged with people and it is not being skied at all. You can git plenty of powder fer yer self by heading just slightly off piste.....


View attachment 25422


Most of those tracks were mine..... lap after lap, right under the lift, with no competition. Twas sweet.






fact.

+1. Just don't go off piste on a glacier without a guide, or at least good knowledge of the area.

Sent from my moto e5 cruise using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[ThinkSnow]

I didn't mean it a "mistake" you rented cars for your trip. But it's a mistake to include that in the calculation for pricing a ski trip to Zermatt, which would work far better by taking a train straight from the airport, as one would typically not going anywhere else but staying put the whole time.

Also, you were implying hotels cost more in the winter at Zermatt. I'm not sure that's a valid assumption.

Why take my word for it? I checked the same hotel website for 2020. In February cost of the least expensive room for 4 weeknights is 300/night with 1/2 board included. Room with Breakfast only is 220/night. Compare that to 4 weeknights in late May- same time frame when I visited- same room does not have the 1/2 board option, so room & breakfast is 145/night. But hey, what do I know?

 

[abc]

Why take my word for it? I checked the same hotel website for 2020. In February cost of the least expensive room for 4 weeknights is 300/night with 1/2 board included. Room with Breakfast only is 220/night. Compare that to 4 weeknights in late May- same time frame when I visited- same room does not have the 1/2 board option, so room & breakfast is 145/night. But hey, what do I know?

Hmmm... since I don't have the hotel in question in hand, I have no choice but to "take your word for it"!

February is peak season. That's the European school holiday period. Just like our President's week, only it spreads across multiple weeks as different countries have different week.

When I say $150/night in the Rockies, I did not include President's week. You'll have to book far in advance to even get lodging in some resorts (Big Sky for example), at significantly elevated price.

It wouldn't surprise me if Zermatt is more expensive than other European resorts. Nor am I arguing it isn't. Just that I've been to some other areas that others considered "expensive" only to find they're just... have range of options not that different everywhere else!

 

[JimG.]

Switzerland in general is pretty expensive.

Less so if you're going solo or as a couple, much easier to skimp on some things to save a bit.

Not the case for a family of 5 like mine. Good luck finding a decent travel package to Zermatt for less than 5 figures for a family of 5.

 

[thetrailboss]

You just missed the entire point. Almost all of them Euro folks stay on them super groomer trails. They don’t even go 1 foot off of ‘em. There can be endless amounts of powder literally just feet off of a trail that is completely clogged with people and it is not being skied at all. You can git plenty of powder fer yer self by heading just slightly off piste.....


View attachment 25422


Most of those tracks were mine..... lap after lap, right under the lift, with no competition. Twas sweet.






fact.

Very true.

I loved that side of the mountain--nobody over there and the new chair was pretty sweet.

 

[Bosco DaSkia]

Switzerland in general is pretty expensive.

Less so if you're going solo or as a couple, much easier to skimp on some things to save a bit.

Not the case for a family of 5 like mine. Good luck finding a decent travel package to Zermatt for less than 5 figures for a family of 5.

Easy, just join a ski club. Our club went to Zermatt last January. The cost was $1775 per person out of Syracuse New York. The cost included airfare round-trip plus ground transportation, the 7 nights in a hotel in the center of town, plus all breakfasts and dinners for 7 days and a free cocktail and cheese reception upon arrival. The cost for the one family of five that went with us was $8875. The only thing not included was the lift tickets. And that was only because we could not get a discount on the lift tickets to pass on to our club members. If you’re going on the Ikon pass then that will not be an issue for you.

Lunch was free pocket sandwiches made from the breakfast bar.








Oh, and as one of the trip leaders, my trip was free. I’m telling you, it’s worth it to join a ski club. Skiing doesn’t have to be expensive....








fact.

 

[JimG.]

Easy, just join a ski club. Our club went to Zermatt last January. The cost was $1775 per person out of Syracuse New York. The cost included airfare round-trip plus ground transportation, the 7 nights in a hotel in the center of town, plus all breakfasts and dinners for 7 days and a free cocktail and cheese reception upon arrival. The cost for the one family of five that went with us was $8875. The only thing not included was the lift tickets. And that was only because we could not get a discount on the lift tickets to pass on to our club members. If you’re going on the Ikon pass then that will not be an issue for you.

Lunch was free pocket sandwiches made from the breakfast bar.


View attachment 25423





Oh, and as one of the trip leaders, my trip was free. I’m telling you, it’s worth it to join a ski club. Skiing doesn’t have to be expensive....








fact.

So the cost of $8875 for a family of 5 was $8875 without ski passes. This leaves $1125 or $225 per person for ski passes.

We are eastern skiers who spend the majority of our ski time at eastern resorts. No offense to skiers at these hills, but the eastern offerings on either EPIC or IKON kind of suck save for 2 places: Wildcat or Stowe. Both of those are around 5 1/2 hours one way from where we live.

So as eastern skiers who drive each week to go skiing neither the IKON or EPIC pass offers us anything good in the east, save for Stowe and Wildcat which are just too far away for us. I would never ski 50 days a season if I had to drive 5 1/2 hours each way every week.

Which brings me back to my original post...you can't bring a family of 5 to Switzerland for less than 5 figures (unless you buy either EPIC or IKON, and those cost far more than $225 each); your example inadvertently just proved me correct, assuming that IKON and EPIC don't take over the areas I have passes for (Killington/Pico and NYS 3 in 1 for Gore, Whiteface and Belleayre). You are never going to pay for a week of lift tickets for a family of 5 for less than $225 each.

So, no way a family of 5 skis in Switzerland for less than 5 figures.

EDIT: I admire you for getting the free accomodations for being a group leader. I don't have the patience to deal with being a group leader.

 

[abc]

The title of this thread is “IKON adds Zermatt”.

Its only fair to assume everyone reading this thread either has Ikon pass, or at least considering buying one, in which case the addition of Zermatt may tip the scale!

 

[JimG.]

The title of this thread is “IKON adds Zermatt”.

Its only fair to assume everyone reading this thread either has Ikon pass, or at least considering buying one, in which case the addition of Zermatt may tip the scale!

My post was not directed at EPIC/IKON participation.

You mentioned that Switzerland is not as expensive as people think, Thinksnow replied that Switzerland is very expensive. I am agreeing with him. Bosco refuted my assertion that you can't bring a family of 5 for less than 5 figures but I disagree and proved it. Even if you have the multi passes you're going to pay 5 figures for a family of 5.

Nothing against Switzerland or EPIC/IKON. At the risk of being accused of privilege, my mom was Swiss and quite the skier so I have been to Switzerland skiing many times. Been to Zermatt, Davos, St. Moritz more times than I can remember. I learned to ski at these places and have nothing but awesome memories. But even back then Switzerland was expensive.

 

[cdskier]

The title of this thread is “IKON adds Zermatt”.

Its only fair to assume everyone reading this thread either has Ikon pass, or at least considering buying one, in which case the addition of Zermatt may tip the scale!

I disagree. I'm reading the thread but don't have Ikon and have no intentions of buying one. Just like I'll read any threads with "Epic" in the title. I still think these threads can have useful info and they often go off on tangents anyway so there's no reason to avoid it just because I don't have Ikon and am not considering it.

 

[abc]

My post was not directed at EPIC/IKON participation.

Yeah?

We are eastern skiers who spend the majority of our ski time at eastern resorts. No offense to skiers at these hills, but the eastern offerings on either EPIC or IKON kind of suck save for 2 places: Wildcat or Stowe. Both of those are around 5 1/2 hours one way from where we live.

So as eastern skiers who drive each week to go skiing neither the IKON or EPIC pass offers us anything good in the east, save for Stowe and Wildcat which are just too far away for us. I would never ski 50 days a season if I had to drive 5 1/2 hours each way every week.

YOU may not be talking about IKON in connection to the discussion to Zermatt. But other people are.

Your monologue against EPIC/IKON is irrelevant in this context.

 

[abc]

I disagree. I'm reading the thread but don't have Ikon and have no intentions of buying one. Just like I'll read any threads with "Epic" in the title. I still think these threads can have useful info and they often go off on tangents anyway so there's no reason to avoid it just because I don't have Ikon and am not considering it.

It is summer. We're bored. So people are reading threads even though it probably don't relate to where they ski. Heck, I'm reading about threads on "Labrador vs Toggenburg vs Song"!

But while any thread can "go off on tangents", one needs to keep in mind others may still be focusing on the original topic and ignoring the tangents. I'm not even suggesting the original topic has higher priority. But it's only logical that any statement needs to be read with the original (plus the tangential) context in mind.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I disagree. I'm reading the thread but don't have Ikon and have no intentions of buying one. Just like I'll read any threads with "Epic" in the title.

Same. I have no intention of buying an IKON or EPIC pass, and never will until/unless I become a local somewhere. That doesnt mean I don't keep up with ski industry & its' happenings. Not to mention, I think these mega passes are bad for our sport, so merely for that reason I keep up with how they're changing/morphing.

 

[JimG.]

Yeah?

YOU may not be talking about IKON in connection to the discussion to Zermatt. But other people are.

Your monologue against EPIC/IKON is irrelevant in this context.

You need to ski.

Not a rant against EPIC/IKON just a simple demo of why those passes make no sense for a skier like me. As such, there is no way my family of 5 is going to ski in Zermatt for less than 5 figures which was my only point.

I doubt I am an outlier in that regard.

 

[abc]

You need to ski.

I doubt I am an outlier in that regard.

In case you didn’t notice, no mountains in the east are open right now!

So any “skiing” will need to be getting on a plane. Clearly not suitable for a family of 5 under 10k

You may not be an outlier, that doesn’t mean there’re many others NOT like you.

I’ve been able to beat even the ski club prices by a big margin, even as a solo traveler. I would be able to do a family of 5 for under 5 figures. But it’s also obvious you are only using that number as a random justification for why you’re not the least bit interested.

 

[Domeskier]

But it’s also obvious you are only using that number as a random justification for why you’re not the least bit interested.

It was obvious to me that he was merely using that number as a refutation for the dubious claim people were tossing around that skiing in Switzerland is not expensive. Whether it's $8,875 for a family of five with Epic Passes or $10,000+ for a family of five without is really beside the point. A ski vacation to Switzerland is not an inexpensive alternative to skiing in the Rockies for an east coast family of five. In fact, it's probably significantly more expensive.

 

[JimG.]

It was obvious to me that he was merely using that number as a refutation for the dubious claim people were tossing around that skiing in Switzerland is not expensive. Whether it's $8,875 for a family of five with Epic Passes or $10,000+ for a family of five without is really beside the point. A ski vacation to Switzerland is not an inexpensive alternative to skiing in the Rockies for an east coast family of five. In fact, it's probably significantly more expensive.

Thanks, you get it.

After my youngest goes off to college next year we will be empty nesters. Perhaps after he graduates and is on his own my view of these multi east/west coast passes may change. No more tuition payments and the ability to get a smaller place and rent our current home will free up a lot of money.

But for now they make no sense to me that is true. And I of course acknowledge that many skiers love EPIC/IKON. That's great. And even though I agree with BG that these passes are not good for the average skier who does not get a season pass, it's the new normal. I don't like Facebook or Amazon but acknowledge those businesses aren't going away either.

 

[ghughes20]

Same. I have no intention of buying an IKON or EPIC pass, and never will until/unless I become a local somewhere. That doesnt mean I don't keep up with ski industry & its' happenings. Not to mention, I think these mega passes are bad for our sport, so merely for that reason I keep up with how they're changing/morphing.

What's interesting is that this is the first European Resort to align with either IKON or Epic. I suspect this is the first domino to fall and we'll be seeing a lot of alignment shortly. As an existing IKON pass holder, and for someone that would like to ski Zermatt some day, this is a positive development.

Any predictions which resort will be next? Val d'ISÈRE, Kitzbühel?

 

[abc]

It was obvious to me that he was merely using that number as a refutation for the dubious claim people were tossing around that skiing in Switzerland is not expensive. Whether it's $8,875 for a family of five with Epic Passes or $10,000+ for a family of five without is really beside the point. A ski vacation to Switzerland is not an inexpensive alternative to skiing in the Rockies for an east coast family of five. In fact, it's probably significantly more expensive.

I don't think you get the point.

The "dubious claim" was Switzerland is not as expensive as people thought. So let's examine what are people's "thought"? Right, "significantly more expensive"! So how significant is significant?

That's why the number got put on the page.

Is $10k for 5 "significantly more expensive"? That's 2k per person. Compare to where in the west? Salt Lake City? Reno? Breckenridge? Big Sky? Whistler?