Lift Ticket Prices 2013-14

[AdironRider]

Do you really expect a competitor to give employees of his competition free skiing? Newsflash, that deal doesn't really exist outside of a select few options. If you worked at Gillete would you expect free razors from dollar shave club?

 

[deadheadskier]

When I worked at Stowe in the mid-90s, I recall getting a letter from HR and skiing Sugarbush, MRG, Smuggs and Jay that winter (95-96) for free. As recently as 2004 the first Thursday of every month was industry day at Stowe and as long as you worked in a hospitality business, if you showed up with a current pay stub you skied for free. Maybe that's changed.

 

[BushMogulMaster]

Do you really expect a competitor to give employees of his competition free skiing? Newsflash, that deal doesn't really exist outside of a select few options. If you worked at Gillete would you expect free razors from dollar shave club?

As a matter of fact, it absolutely does exist in this business. The Real Deal program here in Colorado includes Steamboat, Winter Park, Copper Mountain, Sunlight, all Aspen mountains, Durango Mountain, Loveland, Crested Butte, Telluride, Eldora, Powderhorn, Ski Cooper and A-Basin (and note that the list includes lots of large and "exclusive" resorts). So yes, I generally do expect that. The ski industry is a tight-nit industry, and reciprocal skiing is one of the perks of working in the business. Of course, Vail Resorts has every right to opt out of it, and I understand why they would make that choice. But since everyone else is playing the game, it sticks out like a sore thumb when someone decides not to participate.

 

[BushMogulMaster]

On the flip side, however (credit where credit is due, ya know), the Epic Pass provides unlimited access to all of Vail's resorts (and several days at European resorts) for just $729. That's a pretty quick break-even price point there. So while the $119 day ticket is exorbitant, ski 20 days on your Epic Pass and you've only spent $36.45/day.

 

[meff]

As a matter of fact, it absolutely does exist in this business. The Real Deal program here in Colorado includes Steamboat, Winter Park, Copper Mountain, Sunlight, all Aspen mountains, Durango Mountain, Loveland, Crested Butte, Telluride, Eldora, Powderhorn, Ski Cooper and A-Basin (and note that the list includes lots of large and "exclusive" resorts). So yes, I generally do expect that. The ski industry is a tight-nit industry, and reciprocal skiing is one of the perks of working in the business. Of course, Vail Resorts has every right to opt out of it, and I understand why they would make that choice. But since everyone else is playing the game, it sticks out like a sore thumb when someone decides not to participate.

That list reads like the Colorado Ski Country USA list - a group Vail Resorts is not part of and hasn't been for years now. While it might stick out like a sore thumb to you, it clearly is a business decision VR has made, and in theory hurts their employees too.

 

[BushMogulMaster]

That list reads like the Colorado Ski Country USA list - a group Vail Resorts is not part of and hasn't been for years now. While it might stick out like a sore thumb to you, it clearly is a business decision VR has made, and in theory hurts their employees too.

Yes, an interesting choice. I've often wondered why they chose not to be part of CSCUSA. But I'm sure there is some logical reasoning to it. And while it does stick out, it's really not too big of a problem for anyone. If you think about it, those of us outside of VR have a huge list we can ski. And those working for VR have Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, and A-Basin. So we're all getting plenty of free turns. It would just be nice to "round out" the list with the Vail Resorts included. Oh well.

 

[meff]

VR pulled out of CSCUSA around the same time they came out with the Epic pass.

 

[Domeskier]

While it might stick out like a sore thumb to you, it clearly is a business decision VR has made, and in theory hurts their employees too.

I suppose you are right, but most business reasons have sound economic foundations. The marginal cost of permitting a handful of employees from other resorts to ski for free is probably zero or close to zero. When you add in the revenue from food and beverages, it's probably a net gain. It's not like people with the option to ski for free at the mountains BushMogulMaster mentioned are going to pay walk-up price for a day at Vail. The only reason I can think of is perhaps overly cycnical - lifties do not fit in with their target clientel.

 

[Smellytele]

Do you really expect a competitor to give employees of his competition free skiing? Newsflash, that deal doesn't really exist outside of a select few options. If you worked at Gillete would you expect free razors from dollar shave club?

While working at a ski area up to 2009 my wife up used to get letters from her boss that gave her free skiing all over the place in New England. So I disagree with you.

 

[meff]

I suppose you are right, but most business reasons have sound economic foundations. The marginal cost of permitting a handful of employees from other resorts to ski for free is probably zero or close to zero. When you add in the revenue from food and beverages, it's probably a net gain. It's not like people with the option to ski for free at the mountains BushMogulMaster mentioned are going to pay walk-up price for a day at Vail. The only reason I can think of is perhaps overly cycnical - lifties do not fit in with their target clientel.

I'm pretty sure it has more to do with VR pulling out of CSCUSA than trying to keep the lifties out.

 

[thetrailboss]

Can't you ski for free on one of the lifts at Alta after 3? Or did they get rid of that?

Might have been addressed, but not anymore. About half-way through the 2011-2012 season they announced that it would be a nominal fee....like $5 or something like that. Coincidentally that season really sucked for snow.

Last season you could have gotten an "After-3pm Season Pass" for some small fee....I want to say like $45.

I recently looked it up and I have no idea what they are doing for a "After-3pm Season Pass". They say it is free, but you have to buy a "My Alta Card" product...whatever that means....

But you can ski Albion, Cecret, Sunnyside, and the beginner lifts for $10 from 3-4:30 everyday, or a $5 reload if you have a card.

 

[thetrailboss]

And Deer Valley is $108 regular season, $114 for holidays.

http://www.deervalley.com/Tickets/Ticket/TicketLanding

Canyons, walk up rate, varies widely apparently, but is about $108 for Christmas:

http://www.canyonsresort.com/lift_tickets.html

 

[Domeskier]

I'm pretty sure it has more to do with VR pulling out of CSCUSA than trying to keep the lifties out.

That makes sense to me, although I doubt that their reasons for pulling out of CSCUSA had anything to do with their not wanting to provide free skiing to other members' employees. I suspect the latter was just a consequence of whatever business reasons they had for pulling out of CSUSA and was not itself based on any business considerations.

 

[quiglam1]

No such thing as skiing/boarding on the cheap. :wink:

 

[abc]

Do you really expect a competitor to give employees of his competition free skiing? Newsflash, that deal doesn't really exist outside of a select few options. If you worked at Gillete would you expect free razors from dollar shave club?

Boy, that's one ignorant statement, with such conviction too ;-)

 

[Smellytele]

Boy, that's one ignorant statement, with so much cconviction too ;-)

I have come to expect nothing less than that from AdironRider.

 

[meff]

That makes sense to me, although I doubt that their reasons for pulling out of CSCUSA had anything to do with their not wanting to provide free skiing to other members' employees. I suspect the latter was just a consequence of whatever business reasons they had for pulling out of CSUSA and was not itself based on any business considerations.

I never said they pulled out of CSCUSA to not give other lifties free days. They pulled out because they felt the money spent on CSCUSA would be better spent on their own marketing plan and said as much when they did pull out.

Seems to be working for them FWIW.

 

[Domeskier]

While it might stick out like a sore thumb to you, it clearly is a business decision VR has made, and in theory hurts their employees too.

I had this quote in mind, where it looked like you were suggesting that they had business reasons for not providing free skiing to employees of these other resorts. If all you meant was that they had business reasons for pulling out of CSCUSA, you'll get no argument from me.

 

[meff]

I had this quote in mind, where it looked like you were suggesting that they had business reasons for not providing free skiing to employees of these other resorts. If all you meant was that they had business reasons for pulling out of CSCUSA, you'll get no argument from me.

They had a business reason for pulling out of CSCUSA the free skiing agreement was an side effect of their decision and by no means a primary cause.

It is odd to see the CSCUSA stuff that makes it look like Summit and Eagle have like no ski areas however.

 

[Smellytele]

Same thing happened here in NH with Wildcat, Attitrash and the Crotch pulling out of SKINH