Lift Ticket Prices, Season Pass Prices, Total Costs, Value, Etc.

[riverc0il]

The Ascutney thread got me thinking about Ticket Prices and value. Most of the major ski areas have had lift ticket prices in the +$10 range since Y2K averaging more than a dollar per year increase for a weekend full price day ticket. That seems to out pace both inflation and also (and more importantly) the consumer buying power of a dollar which continues to decline. Add in round trip gas and many metro location skiers are paying almost $100 for a single person weekend day of skiing. Clearly, skiing is better done in groups to maximize per person costs.

At the same time, Season Pass costs have come down in many cases or at least held level with many ski areas joining forces with combo and multi-area deals. Committing to a Season Pass has never been a better deal compared to the increasing Day Ticket costs.

But who pays full price these days? Most people ski on a Season Pass, get Lodging deals, group discounts, club discounts, comps, family discounts, special offers, etc. Industry folks are quick to point out that skiers demand discounts and won't ski at areas without discounts in many cases. The industry argument seems to be that full price Day Tickets subsidize discounts tickets and cheap Season Passes.

With all that in mind, what is a single day of skiing worth to you? Clearly, the Stowe's and Stratton's of the world have high priced lift tickets because they want to be exclusive. If you have to ask, you can't afford it and all that, keep the riff raff out and make their upper crust guests feel like they are skiing at someplace worth their money. But what about the other ski area Day Ticket prices? At what point do you say that "the price is too high, that is not a good value."

My current standard is $55.00 for a big ski area in the 2000 vertical feet or higher category. That price is right in line with several high quality mountains such as Mad River Glen, Cannon, Burke, Magic, etc. and higher than some really good places such as Saddleback. Obviously, the market I am in has dictated what I find to be an acceptable price. Where do you draw the line and why?

Personally, I am beside myself that people actually pay $60+ for a Day Ticket (plus round trip gas) for a single day of skiing. The $70-80 range simply boggles my mind, no day of skiing is worth paying that much regardless of quality of the ski area or how deep the powder might be. I am curious what is the highest price folks on here have paid for a Lift Ticket. I think I might have paid around $56 at Wildcat a few years back and I think that was my ceiling so far.

With the strong push for Season Pass sales, I think the 50% off offer for showing another mountain's Season Pass is a great offer and I wonder why more mountains have not taken this approach. Okay, I have exceeded my average word per post ratio, discuss.

 

[Zand]

I paid $72 for BMMC day last year at Killington. The day after, I bought another ticket for $54. That was the first day in 2 months that prices were under $72 there.

 

[JD]

12 bucks at blandford was a good value. I have a hard time paying for sking.

 

[thetrailboss]

I paid $72 for BMMC day last year at Killington. The day after, I bought another ticket for $54. That was the first day in 2 months that prices were under $72 there.

What is a "BMMC" day?

 

[John84]

I've spent about 850 dollars on skiing related items, trips, and a quasi-season pass, and the ski season hasn't even started yet. With that said, I'll be paying 51 dollars for a day of skiing this year when I feel like driving the 3 hours each way into WV. It'll be 31 dollars per day if I do my skiing at any of the three resorts that I have an "advantage card" for.

 

[Sky]

I'm sure I paid $60 or $70 @ Killington a few years back on New Year's Eve. We stayed @ a relative's place in Pittsfield and we only skied two days of the four we were there...so I justified and minimized. :<

I see WIldcat has increeased their "Ski the next day" price from $25 to $29. I paid $50? to ski there twa seasons ago...could have been $55. I don't remember because it was a fabulous day. If you can work out a second consecutive day...or more...the Cat's pricing gets better and better.

Cannon is priced right for me. I guess anyhting less than $60 for a quality day once in a while...but I like the under $50 crowd.

Wa's limited season pass gets me discounts @ Okemo, Sunapee, Jay and Sugarbush.

 

[andyzee]

What is a "BMMC" day?

TB, you got your ASC pass, now get with the program! Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge!

Last season the most I paid for a lift ticket was $47 at Snowbird, Solitude, and Alta.
The season before that was $52 at Sugarbush.
Season before that was $64 at Stowe.
Season before that was Okemo at $62

Got a trend going, the longer I ski, the more I learn how to save. This year, I have already gotten the Ski VT pass which gives me 3 passes for any VT resort for a total price of $125 or 41.66 per day and it is good at Stowe and Stratton.

 

[JohnGD33]

http://www.killington.com/i_gallery.html#

click on the BMMC video from this page and watch the video.......check out the last skier.


holy crap, that is a wipeout.

Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge. It is a good time! Their is a whole thread on it.

 

[AHM]

How do you put a price on "fun" ????

With all that in mind, what is a single day of skiing worth to you? Riv asks:

I look at it very differently than most. I actually pay not attention to the cost of a day of skiing. I have made the decision to ski that day (or season or for my life) and so I accept the cost. Obviously, the fun far out weighs the cost, or I wouldn't be at the hill.

I often hear skiers tell me "gotta get my money's worth" as I chat with them on the lift late in the day. I always find this strange as I simply can't put a price tag on fun. I also wonder how much fun they are having, as they are dog tired, are struggling to keep it under control, legs are dying, but they gotta get one more run, so it was worth it.

But let's take Riv's POV--> 55 $ a day max for 2000 verts hill. Not a bad number really. In fact one I find quite interesting. I rolled into Jay two seasons back quite late (10:00 am), on a Sat. Was on the lift by 10:30, pulled out of the ski area at 3:30. My friend and I logged 18,000 verts on my Suunto, 11 runs. Not bad, 5$/run. Pretty cheap really, cheaper than a movie. So, when we divide total cost/run number we find the sport is pretty cheap. Golf, which can cost a lot (I do not play) costs as much or more than 55 $ and it only lasts about 3 hrs (plus you lie about how you did, most skiers come clean about the crashes, but then again with that tell tale snowball on your hat/goggles, it is hard to BS your buddies).

So, I would be very carful putting a cost on the sport or any entertainment for that matter. When you sit back either later that day, or years later the cost of the event most likely won't be remembered, but the fun will be etched in your brain forever.

With the season just around the corner, take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. Blow off work for a day of skiing, go cat or heli skiing, start ski touring. Pay no attention to the cost. Life is short, the memories will last forever.

 

[snoseek]

I won't pay more than 40 for a lift ticket. Full price is really not an option for me. I wil only hit days at mountains that are deeply discounted like twofers ect. I think jay usually cuts pretty good deals for pass holders at other resorts. It kind of sucks because I really love to ski stowe, but they don't seem to cut any breaks for normal folks.

I have no problem paying more in Utah for obvious reasons, but even then it's usually under 50 if you buy your tix at canyon sports. Paying 49 dollars to ski at alta is no problem,and i would easily pay more because it's just worth it. I suppose if i lived in Utah that would be different. I guess someone has to pay for all the efforts of snowmaking on the east coast, just not me.

 

[riverc0il]

AHM mentions a cost per lift ratio which is an interesting point to bring up. I am a quality over quantity guy so never feel the need to get in "one more run." Some of my best lift serviced days I only got 10 lift rides in and spent half the day hiking. But that is part of the value of the equation, if the runs are epic, then 10 runs is a better value than 30 runs on the groomers.

AHM also mentions blowing off work for a day. This is essential for skiing mountains with higher than acceptable weekend day ticket prices.

I really wish I was in a position to pay no attention to costs, but there is more to life than skiing and I have recently realized that the big ticket items I want down the road including a house of my own cost big bucks and I am in no position to wildly toss around a couple hundred bucks for a cat skiing trip nor ignore the impact on my wallet for my lift ticket decisions.

It is interesting to juxtapose the responses of JD and AHM at the opposite ends of the spectrum. I fall pretty much right in the middle.

 

[Vortex]

I rarely pay for a lift ticket. I have the ASC bronze and the threedom anytime and ski Pats on the Monday Race league. My wife kicks my a-- if I pay to ski elswhere. That being said..... What ever it cost no boundries , usually a big event or something special.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I often hear skiers tell me "gotta get my money's worth" as I chat with them on the lift late in the day. I always find this strange as I simply can't put a price tag on fun. I also wonder how much fun they are having, as they are dog tired, are struggling to keep it under control, legs are dying, but they gotta get one more run, so it was worth it.

So, I would be very carful putting a cost on the sport or any entertainment for that matter. When you sit back either later that day, or years later the cost of the event most likely won't be remembered, but the fun will be etched in your brain forever.

Good points.

Blow off work for a day of skiing.

I'm doing more of that for sure this season. I have 250 sick days and I'm going to use a few on skiing this season. I hope to do some of the weekday AZ meets.

 

[AHM]

Missed my point......................

Riv: Although I overall do not pay attention to the cost, I also do a lot of skiing for free by hiking/touring. Whether I pay for the day or not, has absolutely no impact on the level of fun I have. This is the ticket here, it is all about the fun, and for me, fun really doesn't have a cost. Sometimes, I pay a great deal of money for a day of skiing, other times, I pay nothing. How much I pay, does not impact my day one bit and that is the point. I do not put a price tag on fun and that is the difference here.

 

[Talisman]

I have a hard time paying walk up rates to ski and belong to a ski club that among other ebenfits provides access to discoutn lift tickets that are 35 to 40% off walk up rates. This provides me with a variety of places to ski in New England at areasonable price. Walk up proces at $68 to $72 are crazy, but there are alternatives.

 

[billski]

Wandering

I pay the price for being a "wanderer." That is, I easily tire of the same place. I tend to be impulsive and reactionary in my destination-selection depending on the weather.

I'm learning how to do more midweek skiing, now that I'm rather established in my career. I just make it a priority. Wednesdays is simply blocked out for all of Jan/Feb. I'll take work calls on my cell from 6-8am and 5 to 7pm. It's not only cheaper, it's far less crowded on the roads and on the slopes. I know that even if I'm late, I'll still get lots of runs in and I won't have to trip over everyone's garbage in the lodge.

January typically has better "walk-in" deals, lots of discounted Wed and Thursdays.
I pay for it all in February, when there are not many deals to be had and I sometimes have to pay full price on a powder day.
Last year, when it seemed to rain nearly every week, I got out on all the great "powder days". Admittedly, I paid full price. But it was worth every buck.

 

[molecan]

I think the most I've ever paid is $80 for a full price ticket at Vail. Got employee coupons for the rest of the days from a friend of a friend, but the full price day was more than worth it.

The $70-80 range simply boggles my mind, no day of skiing is worth paying that much regardless of quality of the ski area or how deep the powder might be.

Um, well, um. hmm. I agree w/the notion that it is too expensive, but you are wrong that it cannot be worth it. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.

When my father started skiing, in the mid 1950's, him and a few friends would pile into a car friday afternoon, after working all day on the docks, drive 4-5 hours up to the Mt Washington Valley, (rt 16 was a winding rural road back then) stay overnight at a pub/inn in Jackson, and go skiing all weekend at Cranmore, Wildcat, Tyrol.

These guys could barely afford the gas, food, lift ticket, lessons, let alone boots (custom made leathers) skis (his first pair of metal Heads skis cost something like 3 paychecks), just to go do something remarkable that everyone in their lives thought was absolutely stupid, expensive, dangerous, better spent on family, here or abroad. Just the same they saved money all spring/summer/fall, and everywhere in between, just to be able to do it.
(Sound familiar?)

These were poor guys, sons of immigrants, born during the depression, brought up during WWII. They were long-shoremen, laborers, ditch diggers. The $5-10 pet ticket they were spending would be $200 today.

I agree that the resort-based takeover of ski areas has radically shifted the market of ski areas, especially out west in the past 20 years, but so has out entire society, and market system.
You gripe about lift tickets? I can't even purchase a house within 100 miles of where I was born due to the inflation of the market.

The business of skiing has always been geared towards emptying the pockets of the wealthy. The heart of skiing, is still those who overcome any obstacle to do it.

 

[andyzee]

WOW, I still do my best to get the lowest ticket prices, but damn Molecan, that was well stated!

 

[thetrailboss]

Very well stated.

These guys could barely afford the gas, food, lift ticket, lessons, let alone boots (custom made leathers) skis (his first pair of metal Heads skis cost something like 3 paychecks), just to go do something remarkable that everyone in their lives thought was absolutely stupid, expensive, dangerous, better spent on family, here or abroad. Just the same they saved money all spring/summer/fall, and everywhere in between, just to be able to do it.
(Sound familiar?)

Sounds like what I do.

You gripe about lift tickets? I can't even purchase a house within 100 miles of where I was born due to the inflation of the market.

I'm a Native Vermonter and am getting priced out.....we won't get me started on how :angry: this makes me.....

The business of skiing has always been geared towards emptying the pockets of the wealthy. The heart of skiing, is still those who overcome any obstacle to do it.

EXACTLY. This is what I do....it is not hard to get ski deals. You just need to know how to do it and put some effort into it.

 

[JimG.]

I love to ski...so I do it as often as possible whatever way I can. I ride lifts and I'll earn turns, whatever.

Quality? Quantity? It's all quality to me, the more the better.

What does money have to do with it?