Indy Ski Pass

[kancamagus]

I was honestly pretty surprised to see that they not only are keeping the price the same, but are offering several different discounts to most people - With most other products inflating in price quite a bit I would expect day ticket prices to go up and cost/utility working out even better than this year

However with the amount of driving to hit Indy places for me personally it doesn't work out as nicely as it first seems if gas is at $4/gallon. Gas has been the biggest expense by far this year. Need to get an electric car I guess.

Even with cheaper Costco gas, I’ve crossed into the four figure range for gas expenses this season. Once there is a reasonably priced electric pickup that can get 400 ish miles of range, I’m trading in. That would enable a max reasonable length day trip of about 150 miles each way without having to stop to recharge along the way regardless of outside temps. I know for most stuff twenty minutes on a fast charger isn’t bad most of the time, but on those bell to bell long drive day trip days I want (need) every minute of sleep I can get.

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

I was honestly pretty surprised to see that they not only are keeping the price the same, but are offering several different discounts to most people - With most other products inflating in price quite a bit I would expect day ticket prices to go up and cost/utility working out even better than this year

However with the amount of driving to hit Indy places for me personally it doesn't work out as nicely as it first seems if gas is at $4/gallon. Gas has been the biggest expense by far this year. Need to get an electric car I guess.

The cost of travel isn't to me an argument to forego Indy's great deal, as I will always want to travel on vacation weeks and long weekends, and Indy crowds are more bearable during these times as well.

It is an argument to couple it with a more local pass, perhaps as an Add On to Montage for PA/NJ skiers - so there is a good more local option for 2 day weekends, as well as making Montage and option during the holiday Blackouts.

Another approach to minimizing always needing to go to far places could be coupling Indy with a more local "frequent skier card" program.

But really any regular ski habit is going to burn lots of gas unless one moves close to a place and gets a season pass. The next best way to optimize ski day to gas ratio is to spend more on hotels so one makes more multi day trips and fewer day trips. But that won't save $ - just gas.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

i'll get ikon again, and probably shoot for another trip to somewhere a little off the path like schweitzer, or red, or revelstoke, but it's interesting to me that i have more days on indy + magic sunday pass this year than on my ikon. indy alone, even with the +, isn't enough for me, but its become my dominant pass where it was the supplement previously

 

[Teleskier]

I'm tempted, but tend to buy one unlimited pass per season and stick with it. The Indy Pass two day limit just doesn't feel like enough skiing. Can you even get single night Saturday hotel stays anymore? Which means constant day trips, risking falling asleep behind the wheel sweaty, chilled and unshowered after a full day of skiing. And just when you might have figured out where some of the good trails are at the new mountain, you're forced to move on to yet another new and far away place. The fear is you might really like a place, and then are stuck waiting for the entire season, until you get another two days all the way until next season. Seems better for "I only ski a few runs, twice a year anyway" casual skiers.

 

[deadheadskier]

I'm tempted, but tend to buy one unlimited pass per season and stick with it. The Indy Pass two day limit just doesn't feel like enough skiing. Can you even get single night Saturday hotel stays anymore? Which means constant day trips, risking falling asleep behind the wheel sweaty, chilled and unshowered after a full day of skiing. And just when you might have figured out where some of the good trails are at the new mountain, you're forced to move on to yet another new and far away place. The fear is you might really like a place, and then are stuck waiting for the entire season, until you get another two days all the way until next season. Seems better for "I only ski a few runs, twice a year anyway" casual skiers.

You can buy multiple Indy passes if you want and grab 4 days everywhere instead of 2. Basically $700 for no black outs and four days at participating mountains. Still a great deal. I'd probably do that if my kids weren't involved in seasonal programs at Gunstock.

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

You can buy multiple Indy passes if you want and grab 4 days everywhere instead of 2. Basically $700 for no black outs and four days at participating mountains. Still a great deal. I'd probably do that if my kids weren't involved in seasonal programs at Gunstock.

I don't think you can. There is no card - it is stored by name and you need an ID. You could do so if you were a spy with documents for a secret identity.

 

[Teleskier]

You can buy multiple Indy passes if you want and grab 4 days everywhere instead of 2. Basically $700 for no black outs and four days at participating mountains. Still a great deal. I'd probably do that if my kids weren't involved in seasonal programs at Gunstock.

I hadn't thought of that... good tip! That might make it a lot closer to an unlimited pass for many.

 

[deadheadskier]

I don't think you can. There is no card - it is stored by name and you need an ID. You could do so if you were a spy with documents for a secret identity.

A friend emailed them and they said you could buy multiple. I imagine they have a way of figuring it out because some folks are likely to buy Indy Spring on top of their regular Indy.

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

A friend emailed them and they said you could buy multiple. I imagine they have a way of figuring it out because some folks are likely to buy Indy Spring on top of their regular Indy.

Actually their website states the opposite. Unless your friend actually managed to buy more than one pass under the same name I believe he misunderstood

 

[BenedictGomez]

Even with cheaper Costco gas, I’ve crossed into the four figure range for gas expenses this season. Once there is a reasonably priced electric pickup that can get 400 ish miles of range, I’m trading in.

Just be sure you do a full cost analysis first depending upon what you buy. We're still at a point where electric cars are more expensive even factoring in gas savings and/or a point where you'll need to at least own it 7, 8, 9, 10 years depending on model to hit your breakeven. That said, yes, EV are the future & there aint no stopping it.

 

[PAabe]

I am pretty sure Doug Fish himself was encouraging people to buy multiple Indy passes

 

[PAabe]

I am not sure I understand about not being able to use discount if you get Add On Pass. If you get the pass you are adding on to before discount expires, can you use it? Or does it not apply to add on passes at all?

If I were to ski Roundtop or Bear Creek regularly they are 45min vs 2hr for Montage/Shawnee/Blue Knob. Even farther for Greek Peak and others.

The issue is Bear Creek gets old after about 1 visit and is always packed, and Roundtop is owned by Vail who I would rather not give my money

However I understand Roundtop has not been nearly as bad as most epic places and it is a nice hill. Also, vail will now have hidden valley and Laurel mountain somewhat near me which are, or at least have been, cool low key places to ski. Laurel Mountain has really nice and consistent (for PA) cross country trails too. If Vail gets their act together I would consider getting a pass the following year despite my conscience.

But no matter what pass you get it seems like your friends and the snow always want to go somewhere else.

I might not even get a pass next year for all these reasons, additionally, I am getting a new job that I am not sure of my schedule, and I would like to try to increase my xc:downhill ratio. Day tickets have not yet hit insane levels at most of the places I like to ski in PA, especially if you go at night.

 

[AdironRider]

I went with the Indy for my first season back East this year, along with a pass to Dartmouth Skiway. Total change in pace from the Jackson and megapass world I was in previously. Really been enjoying it. I did spring for a week out in Crested Butte end of March to scratch an itch.

That said, I'll probably spring for the no blackout Indy+ as that is nice to have.

Favorite new place I've been so far is Suicide Six. Pretty awesome little place I've always just driven by and never given second thought to. Kinda bougie but still super fun hill and well run.

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

If I were to ski Roundtop or Bear Creek regularly they are 45min vs 2hr for Montage/Shawnee/Blue Knob. Even farther for Greek Peak and others.

The issue is Bear Creek gets old after about 1 visit and is always packed, and Roundtop is owned by Vail who I would rather not give my money

However I understand Roundtop has not been nearly as bad as most epic places and it is a nice hill. Also, vail will now have hidden valley and Laurel mountain somewhat near me which are, or at least have been, cool low key places to ski. Laurel Mountain has really nice and consistent (for PA) cross country trails too. If Vail gets their act together I would consider getting a pass the following year despite my conscience.

But no matter what pass you get it seems like your friends and the snow always want to go somewhere else.

I might not even get a pass next year for all these reasons, additionally, I am getting a new job that I am not sure of my schedule, and I would like to try to increase my xc:downhill ratio. Day tickets have not yet hit insane levels at most of the places I like to ski in PA, especially if you go at night.

Yeah Roundtop is far less crowded than other Epic places on weekends and is pretty nice. For me it is the same distance as Montage, which is even less crowded and even nicer.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

I'm tempted, but tend to buy one unlimited pass per season and stick with it. The Indy Pass two day limit just doesn't feel like enough skiing. Can you even get single night Saturday hotel stays anymore? Which means constant day trips, risking falling asleep behind the wheel sweaty, chilled and unshowered after a full day of skiing. And just when you might have figured out where some of the good trails are at the new mountain, you're forced to move on to yet another new and far away place. The fear is you might really like a place, and then are stuck waiting for the entire season, until you get another two days all the way until next season. Seems better for "I only ski a few runs, twice a year anyway" casual skiers.

I stay in rutland Montpelier or Manchester on Saturday only almost every single weekend.

 

[PAabe]

Yeah Roundtop is far less crowded than other Epic places on weekends and is pretty nice. For me it is the same distance as Montage, which is even less crowded and even nicer.

Current plan is to wait until fall/winter when I'm more sure of my schedule.
Might purchase Ski3 frequent skier card again. That has worked out pretty well.
Might purchase WNEP ski card if they do that. This year it was $119 for 1 of each Montage, Shawnee, Tussey, Big Bear, Sawmill, Swain. I could hit all those except Swain pretty easily. Less than half the price as Indy.
Supplement with day/night tickets to wherever myself or others want to go and with cross country. It is nice to not worry about limiting yourself to places on the pass!

Then see about either getting an Indy Spring pass or purchase a different pass for the following year and use the spring skiing perk

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

The one trick that could work for getting 4 indypass back to back days at one resort is as follows

1. Get IndyPass
2. Use all desired days except the one resort you want 4 consecutive days at on IndyPass
3. Get Spring IndyPass
4. Use 2 days at 4 day desired resort on IndyPass
5. Make first use of Spring IndyPass your 2 days at that 4 day desired resort.

I could see that working if one wanted to say get 4 consec days at a destination place like Powder Mt, Sunlight, or Jay in March

 

[Zand]

I'm pretty much guaranteed to eat the passes I bought this year (I did finally secure 2 weeks off the 13th-27th so I can finally ski at least a little bit) as the Indy+Ikon was ~$1200 and I'll be very lucky to get to 12 days to break it down to $100 per day. This summer I intend on working on my mental and physical health, maybe looking for a new job, and maybe moving somewhere else. Rock bottom sucks, so whatever I have to do to make sure I don't get there again is what I'll do. I can't wait to finally get away for 2 weeks though... I plan on spending 10 of those days in Vermont and the other 4 parked on my ass watching March Madness.

I still plan on sticking to the same plan with passes next year and hopefully none of the trials and tribulations of this year will happen to me again. I've always found that about 7-8 days out west nearly pays off the Ikon, so I look at it that any eastern skiing I do on the Ikon is essentially free once I factor that in. Then having some days at Jay, Cannon, Saddleback, Magic, BEast, etc is icing on the cake.

 

[Pez]

Hang in there man, it's been a rough few years.

 

[urungus]

Hey Zand glad to hear you finally got some time off to go skiing, getting out on the slopes is a great escape. Hope we will see one of your trip reports, I enjoy them.