Ikon Pass

[machski]

It’s called a 3S gondola. All gondolas of that type have long spans like a tram.

No towers is not the problem. Any lift over the Long Trail will have opposition, guaranteed. Look at Killington, granted that section was also the AT, but they had to pay for and relocate the trail for the Pico Interconnect (the realigned trail is done, the interconnect not so much).

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[chuckstah]

I'm thinking the Ikon may work for me next season. As far as those who say the Peak pass sucks, it depends where you live. I picked up a midweek for about $270 using discounted gift cards. Living near Crotched, less than 2 hours to Snow, and a bit over 2 to Cat/Attitash got me about 50 days last season. Expect the same this year. About 5 bucks a day, and I can't remember many ski days not worth that, ever. Snow for early turns, Cat for pow days and spring, Crotched for before or after work turns, and blackout periods. I may even hit Huntah for a couple days? Mix in a Fox card and a few other days, and K spring pass and it works for me.

 

[TheArchitect]

I just bought the Base pass. I decided to extend my trip to Jackson Hole to make it a trip to Jackson Hole and then drive up to Big Sky. The base pass pays for the lifts on that trip and everything else back east will be free. I figure I'll use all 5 days at SB and then see how many days I can get in at Killington, Sunday River and Loon. I doubt I'll make it up to Sugarloaf.

 

[raisingarizona]

Maybe I should have been more clear that when I said "hiking" I was referring to any form of travel using your legs/feet (including skiing) as compared to using some form of mechanical travel (a lift, shuttle, etc). How "easy" the hike/ski itself is does not matter. Even a 5 minute hike across flat terrain will turn off many (or most) people. You're not looking at this from an "average" skier perspective. You will never be able to market Stowe/Smuggs as a single mega resort to the general public if you do not have a lift. And that simply is extremely unlikely to happen at this point.

I can only imagine what a European skier would be thinking if they read this.

 

[raisingarizona]

Snow cats running would be even have even more environmental issues

I don’t think there’s any environmental issues if there’s substantial snow covering the ground.

 

[Edd]

peaks pass makes no damn sense.

Depends on your situation. I paid $329 for a Traveler living near the NH sea coast. Cat, Attitash, Crotched, and Mt Snow are all within a 3 hr drive so.....

 

[sull1102]

peaks pass makes no damn sense.

Live well under an hour from Mount Snow and less than two from Hunter just to mix it up. At $400 for over 25 days easily, I'll take that all day.

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[Smellytele]

peaks pass makes no damn sense.
.

I ski 40 to 55 times a year and rarely go west. 30 days in the east is not reasonable for me also like the option to night ski at Crotched which is 20 minutes from me. driving 4 hours to hit Sugarloaf is really not what i want to do either. Also hate Stratton.

 

[Smellytele]

I don’t think there’s any environmental issues if there’s substantial snow covering the ground.

exhaust and noise.

 

[robocop]

And last but not least, Ikon announces they are adding the four resorts in Niseko United collective, Japan.

 

[BenedictGomez]

BG are you suggesting having the snowcat transport go through the 108 Notch? That's about 10 miles

Correct; but it's nowhere near 10 miles, probably more like 3 or 4 miles.

I'd run the cats from Spruce parking lot to Sterling parking lot, and doing 12mph in a cat and figuring a 4 mile trip at worst equals the 20 minutes I came up with. Not bad at all, and scenic as hell.

EDIT: I should add, I hope this never happens, but it's what I'd do were I Vail.

 

[speden]

And last but not least, Ikon announces they are adding the four resorts in Niseko United collective, Japan.

"Alfred, fuel up the jet..."

"Right away Master Bruce"

 

[deadheadskier]

Correct; but it's nowhere near 10 miles, probably more like 3 or 4 miles.

I'd run the cats from Spruce parking lot to Sterling parking lot, and doing 12mph in a cat and figuring a 4 mile trip at worst equals the 20 minutes I came up with. Not bad at all, and scenic as hell.

EDIT: I should add, I hope this never happens, but it's what I'd do were I Vail.

My bad. I must have entered wrong start and end points in Google maps. And I agree, I'd never want to see it.

I wouldn't want to see them combined period. Same as I don't want to see the K/Pico connect. I prefer the unique experience the areas offer separately.

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[abc]

"Alfred, fuel up the jet..."

"Right away Master Bruce"

Worth every penny!

 

[TheArchitect]

My bad. I must have entered wrong start and end points in Google maps. And I agree, I'd never want to see it.

I wouldn't want to see them combined period. Same as I don't want to see the K/Pico connect. I prefer the unique experience the areas offer separately.

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I'd only want to see it because I'm sure Vail would upgrade the lifts at Smuggs. I hate the lifts there and won't go back. I understand the logic of controlling on-trail traffic with slow lifts but it's painful at Smuggs. I like skiing, not riding lifts.

Now if Smuggs stayed independent and upgraded the lifts...

 

[raisingarizona]

I still don't think running one snowcat off of Spruce over to Sterling would have much of an environmental impact. Vail has the capitol to make that happen I believe. A little skating is good for the soul anyways. Maybe it would be a bit much for a few but so what? That duel citizenship pass would be sick.

I love both of those mountains but I gotta agree with thearchitect here. That Madonna chair may be one of the very best lift pods in the north east but my god is it slow and cold!

 

[Smellytele]

I still don't think running one snowcat off of Spruce over to Sterling would have much of an environmental impact. Vail has the capitol to make that happen I believe. A little skating is good for the soul anyways. Maybe it would be a bit much for a few but so what? That duel citizenship pass would be sick.

Do you understand how the State of VT operates?

 

[raisingarizona]

Do you understand how the State of VT operates?

I bet they like $

 

[skiur]

Its very difficult to do anything above 3500' in the state of Vermont.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Madonna chair may be one of the very best lift pods in the north east but my god is it slow and cold!

A HSQ there would be the best single lift upgrade I can think of in the east. I've been saying that since 1997 though, so I'm not holding my breath. Sadly, this will only occur under new ownership, who will screw up and change 101 other things that I currently love, and at that point I'd long for my old, decrepit, slow & cold double.

Do you understand how the State of VT operates?

Corruptly.