As sometimes we say in Almatay ... the Marc can eat a spoiled piece of cow hoof!
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Magic Mtn's Prices for '07-'08
- Thread starter madskier6
- Start date
As sometimes we say in Almatay ... the Marc can eat a spoiled piece of cow hoof!
MadPadraic
Active member
So, um, this is just an information finding question...not meant to antagonize anyone. In the YouTube video earlier, there was tons of steep terrain and some entertaining looking bumps. There were even some nice looking trees, but..., but the cat tracks looked very very flat. Is this the case at Magic? Are the traverses completely flat? If so, are they needed to get from one part of the hill to the next, or are there more downhill alternatives?
ski_resort_observer
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Last winter I planned a day at Magic sometime in late March...the day before the trip they closed, will try again this season. Great memories there back in the college days.
riverc0il
New member
The bottom section of the mountain is kinda flat. Not "run out" flat but still pretty darn mellow. The only real traverse on the mountain is from the top of the chair to wizard, that is a bit of pole planting but nothing to severe. The only other traverses are if you want to go from one side of the mountain to the other which is not really the easiest way to ski the place. You gotta go either right or left and stick with the trail you pick. That is one really great thing about Magic, most of the trails are really distinct and you really have to work at linking traverses and connector trails, if you are into those things.
These arguments (which I might add should not drive anyone away from posting here cause it's no biggie) all lead back to the common perogative:
You cannot judge a ski area until you have skied there 3 times or so. Sometimes your choice is location dependent and sometimes it's a conditions call. Money is also a factor.
I defy anyone on this site to tell me they would not rave about a place like Hunter on the following theoretical day:
Drive takes an hour longer than planned due to snow; pay $55 for a lift ticket; conditions are excellent due to a foot of snow the night before and lingering flurries and squalls; extra bonus of widespread woods shots because of recent good snowfall patterns.
But that is Hunter maybe 4-5 days a season on average; maybe. You hit it then and you think it's the best. On the other side, you hit it after a thaw/freeze and it's the "worst".
At this point, the cost is irrelevant...if you want to enjoy a ski area, go there a few times. Give it an honest chance. Wherever, whenever, however much.
At least from my point of view.
You cannot judge a ski area until you have skied there 3 times or so. Sometimes your choice is location dependent and sometimes it's a conditions call. Money is also a factor.
I defy anyone on this site to tell me they would not rave about a place like Hunter on the following theoretical day:
Drive takes an hour longer than planned due to snow; pay $55 for a lift ticket; conditions are excellent due to a foot of snow the night before and lingering flurries and squalls; extra bonus of widespread woods shots because of recent good snowfall patterns.
But that is Hunter maybe 4-5 days a season on average; maybe. You hit it then and you think it's the best. On the other side, you hit it after a thaw/freeze and it's the "worst".
At this point, the cost is irrelevant...if you want to enjoy a ski area, go there a few times. Give it an honest chance. Wherever, whenever, however much.
At least from my point of view.
Marc
New member
Sorry Jimbo, I had to add that. Because in actuality, you can judge any ski area you want to, even without knowing anything about it save for its name. It just won't mean anything is all.
Thank you oh master of syntax.
Marc
New member
I prefer 'close encounters of the engineered kind.' :dunce:
Marc
New member
I was a recovering engineer, but then I relapsed.
billski
Active member
case study
I read this thread through twice. This is a classic b-school case study in free-market economics. The fundamental are what others have suggested - supply and demand drive the market; you can only charge what the market will bear, regardless of what your investment is. What people will pay depends on what they value and what their other options are of course, so you must identify your market and target it. And of course, all owners are inherently investors, everyone wants a profit! Gold's Gym doesn't advertise in senior citizens centers!
The fundamental question is, who does Magic mountain management believe their target market is? Are the AZ "challenge" questions still open for Magic? Once you know their target market, you can probably explain how they came up with the price, their programs, their promotions.
If you look at Berkshire East, at one time their target market was once Boston, now it's mostly local markets. The prices are commensurate - they don't have lodging, not much snowmaking, no apres-ski, etc. If they had that, they'd have to change their target market.
Wachusett can offer more and charge more because they sell "convenience" and a lot of metro boston will pay for that.
In this day, every smart mountain manager has a target market in mind and keeps it focused. They know they can't be all things to all people, they don't try to be, but they just don't say it out loud either.
For us hard-cores, we will never be a target demographic. There is no money in us. We are simply on our own, to dig out those gold nuggets ourselves, and try to preserve them.
When they finally close down the last winding, narrow trail in New England, it will be a sad day...
I read this thread through twice. This is a classic b-school case study in free-market economics. The fundamental are what others have suggested - supply and demand drive the market; you can only charge what the market will bear, regardless of what your investment is. What people will pay depends on what they value and what their other options are of course, so you must identify your market and target it. And of course, all owners are inherently investors, everyone wants a profit! Gold's Gym doesn't advertise in senior citizens centers!
The fundamental question is, who does Magic mountain management believe their target market is? Are the AZ "challenge" questions still open for Magic? Once you know their target market, you can probably explain how they came up with the price, their programs, their promotions.
If you look at Berkshire East, at one time their target market was once Boston, now it's mostly local markets. The prices are commensurate - they don't have lodging, not much snowmaking, no apres-ski, etc. If they had that, they'd have to change their target market.
Wachusett can offer more and charge more because they sell "convenience" and a lot of metro boston will pay for that.
In this day, every smart mountain manager has a target market in mind and keeps it focused. They know they can't be all things to all people, they don't try to be, but they just don't say it out loud either.
For us hard-cores, we will never be a target demographic. There is no money in us. We are simply on our own, to dig out those gold nuggets ourselves, and try to preserve them.
When they finally close down the last winding, narrow trail in New England, it will be a sad day...
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MadPadraic
Active member
Well, locals certainly aren't the target marget, but aren't hard cores destination guests just like every other destination visiter? And, unless I'm mistaken, Stowe and Sugarbush are two of the most expensive NE mountains and two mountains that are heavily celebrated for classic NE trails.
Back to your original point, the crowds and prices at Okemo, Stratton, and Snow would indicate that there is strong demand for the region. ... But, do you want Magic to be as crowded as the others?
billski
Active member
As much as I hate to say this, it really doesn't matter what I want.* I don't own the place. They can either be a Mcdonalds franchise and have vanilla, identical offerings, or they can carve some sort of niche. If they start making huge investments and incur huge debt, they have no choice but to compete for the deep pockets.
In many ways, they could up competing with Bromley, Mt. Snow, maybe even a section of the kmart crowd or the berkshires crowd.
* - I'd prefer to keep it the way it is, I love it, but I know that's not a viable economic model.
Marc
New member
Well, I don't call myself hardcore, but I certainly like skiing challenging terrain without crowds I and I ski a lot... and if others like me mimic my spending habits, I couldn't agree more with billski.
I spend nothing at a mountain when I ski except for the lift ticket... and on occasion when I find I've packed moldy-liquid bread for lunch I'll spring for a small lunch of whatever is cheapest in the chow line.
I spend nothing at a mountain when I ski except for the lift ticket... and on occasion when I find I've packed moldy-liquid bread for lunch I'll spring for a small lunch of whatever is cheapest in the chow line.
pepperdawg
New member
The loss of the $25 midweek ticket will thankfully cut down the long lift line times....heh heh heh 
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