Most overpriced season passes

[Tonyr]

Deer Valley has to be the most expensive, its $2850 for a season pass. Aspen is $2400 if you buy before mid November $2850 after but you get an ikon base pass too.

 

[Terry]

For me it is about convenience. Shawnee Peak is 10 minutes from work so I can ski 7 days a week if I want to. Most times I ski tues, Wed, and thurs nights plus both days on the weekend. I get a lot of days and nights with great conditions and some with not so good conditions. On those days I just quit early. Also have a great group of friends who ski there. The pass was also cheaper because we bought in the spring.

 

[Dickc]

Its only a 200 vertical foot bump, but its less than an hour away from me, and with all the back issues I’ve had, its a good place to see if my back and legs will “firm” back up. I’m 65 now, so the price is VERY much right. https://www.mcintyreskiarea.com/tickets-passes/seasonal-passes/

$30 yes, one zero, for a 65 plus season pass.

 

[p_levert]

While you're at it, aren't you going to add Ikon pass too?

Lots of people in CO have both. Ikon Base and Epic Local together are about $1400, depending on when you buy. Ski 20 days, that's $70/day. There's really nothing extravagant about doubling up.

 

[Tonyr]

Lots of people in CO have both. Ikon Base and Epic Local together are about $1400, depending on when you buy. Ski 20 days, that's $70/day. There's really nothing extravagant about doubling up.

I did the full Epic pass since we need to ski on the black out dates and added the Mountain Collective which came out to around $1400 as well with no black outs. We will easily get our moneys worth on both passes this year. If I lived in CO I probably would have bought both base passes instead.

 

[ss20]

Lots of people in CO have both. Ikon Base and Epic Local together are about $1400, depending on when you buy. Ski 20 days, that's $70/day. There's really nothing extravagant about doubling up.

I'm surprised more people don't do this here on the East Coast. I'm on a cook's salary yet I could still find $700 disposable income pretty damn easy if I had 4-6 months to save up for it. For the families tho, I understand that's a lot of $$$.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Deer Valley has to be the most expensive, its $2850 for a season pass.

I'm surprised they can still operate like that in the age of mega-passes. Especially in a place easy driving distance from 8 other legit ski resorts. I wonder if their season pass holders are just comprised of stereotypical uber-rich Park City folk? The other odd thing about it is, if I lived in Park City & bought a local season pass, I'd rather it be Park City/Canyons.

 

[cdskier]

Holiday Valley $1,025.00 ($1,081 if you include nights).

Bristol Mountain $895.00.

Actually, Bristol is a worse deal as the skiing really s*cks there.

I think that's the 2nd price for Holiday Valley. Although the price seems really high as compared to an Epic or Ikon pass, Holiday Valley really does have some special characteristics. There's lots of runs and high speed lifts. It's in a serious snow belt, so powder days happen on a regular basis. It actually has a fairly cool ski town, Ellicottville, right next door. So more than a few people will be willing to cough up the money.

Bristol Mountain is just overpriced. No snow belt, no ski town, boring runs. Lots of people here think that Elk is a waste of a good 1k vert mountain. It's true, Elk could be better than it is. But the real waste of a 1k mountain (actually 1.2k) is Bristol Mountain. I can't imagine who would be foolish enough to pay Bristol's price as you're better off at Holiday Valley or Greek Peak. But presumably someone buys these season passes or Bristol would price them lower.

Sorry, I just don't understand the love for Holiday Valley or the hate on Bristol (unless something has seriously changed from 15-20 years ago when I lived in Rochester). Bristol was a quick 45 minute drive away for what I felt was pretty good skiing. Holiday Valley (or Greek) were 2 hours away. I don't see either being that much better to justify a drive that is over twice as long. The whole "Holiday valley has a cool ski town nearby" argument is irrelevant for me.

That said, I do agree $895 is overpriced for Bristol when you compare it from a value perspective to other passes (like Ikon). However for people in the Rochester and Finger Lakes area that want a "local" option, there aren't a ton of choices. So for them it is hard to say it is "overpriced". I think their price is largely based on having a pretty captive audience due to limited choices.

Maybe my opinion today would be different if I skied them, but I still think it is easy to understand Bristol's price for people within an hour drive.

 

[Harvey]

I'm surprised they can still operate like that in the age of mega-passes.

Translation: I am not their customer and I don't understand the motivation of their customer.

 

[jaytrem]

Deer Valley has to be the most expensive, its $2850 for a season pass. Aspen is $2400 if you buy before mid November $2850 after but you get an ikon base pass too.

The pass is really only $1000, the other $1850 is the "no snowborder fee".

 

[BenedictGomez]

Translation: I am not their customer and I don't understand the motivation of their customer.

Who makes up the overwhelming preponderance of Deer Vail season pass holders geographically, and what is their motivation?

 

[Tonyr]

I'm surprised they can still operate like that in the age of mega-passes. Especially in a place easy driving distance from 8 other legit ski resorts. I wonder if their season pass holders are just comprised of stereotypical uber-rich Park City folk? The other odd thing about it is, if I lived in Park City & bought a local season pass, I'd rather it be Park City/Canyons.

There are alot of homes up in the Deer Valley area if you own one I guess the owners feel compelled to buy a season pass just like you would if you owned a home in Aspen, Jackson Hole or Telluride ect. I would assume people factor in the season pass costs into their annual expense maintaining their properties in those areas. Jackson's pass is pretty expensive too at $2400 for the season and it has sold out already.

 

[Tonyr]

Who makes up the overwhelming preponderance of Deer Vail season pass holders geographically, and what is their motivation?

There are plenty of households out there that can spend 8k to 10k on season passes for the family without thinking twice. Deer Valley attracts those type of households. I agree with you though, I'd rather ski at Park City.

 

[Harvey]

Who makes up the overwhelming preponderance of Deer Vail season pass holders geographically, and what is their motivation?

No idea.

I assume those passes sell. Who buys them?

 

[BenedictGomez]

There are plenty of households out there that can spend 8k to 10k on season passes for the family without thinking twice. Deer Valley attracts those type of households. I agree with you though, I'd rather ski at Park City.

No doubt. But are there really that many people to sustain an entire season pass base? It makes me wonder how many SPH they have. I also think Deer Valley is far more of a vacation destination than the average ski resort (i.e. maybe they dont care so much).

 

[andrec10]

Windham Ultra Pass. 1499. Nope... Are they f@cking high?

 

[BenedictGomez]

Windham Ultra Pass. 1499. Nope... Are they f@cking high?

Really? I think we have our winner.

 

[andrec10]

Really? I think we have our winner.

It does include the Ikon pass, but still, are they high?

 

[BenedictGomez]

It does include the Ikon pass, but still, are they high?

Oh, well that's a bit different. Is it the fully blown expensive IKON?

 

[andrec10]

Oh, well that's a bit different. Is it the fully blown expensive IKON?

Base Ikon pass. Like I said, they are high!