Mountain Collective Latest Additions!

[4aprice]

It would be cool if Boyne got in on the party ...

Isn't Boyne in the Max Pass group? Why would they go for MC?

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[abc]

Nobody has answered this: what other eastern resort(s) should be added?

Jay Peak!

 

[thetrailboss]

Isn't Boyne in the Max Pass group? Why would they go for MC?

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Exactly.

 

[4aprice]

True, but the whole point of MC is to compete against Vail and, to a lesser extent, Boyne. The resorts are mainly independent companies that got together to be a part of the MC pass. The two I would add would be MRG and Sugarbush...ala Snowbird and Alta.

Let's see, who are the "free agents" (independents so to speak)?

VT

Jay Peak
Smugglers
Burke
Mad River
Sugarbush
Okemo
Bromley

NH

Bretton Woods
Ragged
Sunapee
Waterville
Can't see Cannon as they are state run

Maine

Shawnee Peak
Saddleback if they ever reopen.

NY

Windham
Bell, Gore and Whiteface the same as Cannon

Not going to include the smaller close in places though I think they could be an important cog in these pass games. (Would love to see my home bump join one like Wachusett did last year).

There is an excellent thread on Epic about this and planning trips around it. I pretty much am doing that myself this season. I'm enjoying the pass games so far.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[abc]

The big if of a 2nd MCP mountain in the east is it breaks the MCP model.

All MCP mountains are "destination resorts", at least 4 hours away from any neighboring MCP mountains. Basically, mountains join MCP anticipating a captive audience once the MCP holder arrives at the mountain to use his 2 free days. Once that 2 days are used up, mountains have reason to expect their guest to "take advantage" of their 1/2 off for the rest of their stay... let's say 4 more days (assuming the typical 6 day ski vacation)?

There're no other "destination mountain" in the northeast that's 4 hours away from Stowe. Heck, how many destination mountains are there in the northeast?

 

[deadheadskier]

How about Mount St Anne in Quebec to fit that destination requirement. I would think it far enough from Stowe.

 

[Jully]

Saddleback again. Pretty sure that's 4 hours from Stowe. Le Massif as well.

 

[skiNEwhere]

I don't think the ski areas necessarily have to be big for MCP to try and add it to their collection.

I imagine the sales person, or whoever contacts the prospective mountain shows them statistics listing the average numbers of days and resorts used by an MCP holder.

Other than a skier not using the pass at all, I would think best case scenario for MCP is that the skier only skis at one resort. With that said, I would not be surprised if they tried to add a resort like Snowshoe or some other "large" but somewhat localized resort to the pass.

I'm curious as to whether the mountains on the pass collect a flat fee or a % of the overall revenue, based on the number of MCP ski days used at their resort.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

i had a mc pass the first year it came out. i ended up spending way too much money on the extra days. it's just not practical unless you're mounting the great north american road trip for a month straight. the resorts, however, i think are the best and most challenging of any of the major passes

i did epic pass 2 seasons ago, i think the "local", which took care of a 15 day colorado trip, and then the east was just ski and ride card, liftopia, etc

last year i did max pass, champlain valley card, and ski and ride card. by far my best value season of the 3 passes i've sampled. i ended up spending some a la carte money at alta snowbird.

i just wish max pass had some ballsier eastern options, and really hope they throw their hat in for jay/burke. champlain valley card eased that for me tho, with smuggs, mad, cannon, whiteface.

 

[SnowRock]

With Stowe in play last year for me it was worth it. I have two trips a year early (new years) and late (mid-march) that have become annual traditions up at Stowe so they net at least 5 days on mountain depending upon the specific plans. I usually get another trip up there during the season so have been averaging about 8 days or so the past few years. I had been using the Vermont Travel Club card which was a great deal, but Stowe added a blackout period between Christmas and New Years which had me consider the MC last season. Pulled the trigger then planned my western trip to one of the locations and landed on Jackson. With 7 days at Stowe and 3 at Jackson, the pass more than paid for itself.

As noted.. if you do one of 4-5 day on mountain out west it may pay for itself depending upon the mountain. Bought early this year to get the bonus third day at Stowe will make it a better deal. Telluride definitely in play for me now as it has been on the list. They also offer "lodging deals" associated with the pass at each resort, though I found those to be pretty terrible since most are at the high end properties.

When thinking about travel i also like the fact that they have Bird/Alta in the mix because it such an easy destination that you can hit as a quick trip if travelling for business or something. Whistler will be a loss next year, but not a deal breaker.... though its nice having options in different regions given weather variability.

I would love the addition of Sugarbush but agree with ABC that the mountain would be a departure from the current model. Lot of words to say I am a fan and think its a good product.

 

[abc]

I'm both proud and ashamed at the same time regarding my last season. I hit every single MCP resort in the east, the Rockies, and Tahoe. I'm proud I used all of my free days. But I didn't want to even begin to look at my travel expense report. Flights, rental cars, hotels... the lift ticket maybe "free" or 1/2 price.

Granted, the lousy weather had a lot to do with it.

Basically, I didn't ski much at all in the east. I mean very, very little. And two of them, of course, was Stowe, for "free".

With the east in such a bad condition, and a stable job with good vacation, I hit the road. Erh, I mean I hit the airports.

I know in the back of my mind it's over 10 grand. I don't want to know over by how much...

 

[deadheadskier]

If you can afford it, then no need to worry about the bill.

 

[xwhaler]

I think if I didn't want to commit to a home hill for next season to base my young family out of (son in seasonal ski lessons) I would be looking at the Max Pass for sure.
If you do any EC skiing I think Max is a much better play than the MC.

 

[dlague]

If you can afford it, then no need to worry about the bill.

Then again if you can afford all the lodging, flights and food etc. The lift tickets are not a big deal and a pass probably is not a huge concern.

 

[abc]

Then again if you can afford all the lodging, flights and food etc. The lift tickets are not a big deal and a pass probably is not a huge concern.

For us flatlanders, lodging and food has to be paid EVERY day we ski, EVEN in the east.

So, flight and rental car expense aside, the pass cost IS a concern.

Put another way, without MCP, I would have spend the same amount and ski fewer days. Or gone to less expensive mountains. The uniqueness of MCP being many of the mountains are "top tier", both in terrain and in lift ticket cost. So getting these "free" days for a fixed cost does matter.

 

[4aprice]

I think if I didn't want to commit to a home hill for next season to base my young family out of (son in seasonal ski lessons) I would be looking at the Max Pass for sure.
If you do any EC skiing I think Max is a much better play than the MC.

The combination of the east and west is Max pass strength. With the boy out in Colorado, family place in Utah, we will go out west twice. The wife and I will take advantage of the quasi empty nest (daughter still in NJ) and hit up Stratton, and Killington/Pico, probably 2 weekends each. Go see a buddy for a weekend at Sunday River and one at Loon (have to defend it, "because we like it"). That's a lot of skiing not including our home mountain pass. I probably don't get the best value in that Camelback is not member of Max Pass so I payed for each seperately. But the having it all done and set up is nice too.

Alex


Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[dlague]

For us flatlanders, lodging and food has to be paid EVERY day we ski, EVEN in the east.

So, flight and rental car expense aside, the pass cost IS a concern.

Put another way, without MCP, I would have spend the same amount and ski fewer days. Or gone to less expensive mountains. The uniqueness of MCP being many of the mountains are "top tier", both in terrain and in lift ticket cost. So getting these "free" days for a fixed cost does matter.

I get your perspective. I lived near ski country in NE. From Concord, NH we could go just about any where as a day trip. Now in Colorado we will continue to day trip. So we have limited travel costs and no lodging and we bring food and beverage.

The combination of the east and west is Max pass strength. With the boy out in Colorado, family place in Utah, we will go out west twice. The wife and I will take advantage of the quasi empty nest (daughter still in NJ) and hit up Stratton, and Killington/Pico, probably 2 weekends each. Go see a buddy for a weekend at Sunday River and one at Loon (have to defend it, "because we like it"). That's a lot of skiing not including our home mountain pass. I probably don't get the best value in that Camelback is not member of Max Pass so I payed for each seperately. But the having it all done and set up is nice too.

Alex


Lake Hopatcong, NJ

I like the Max Pass if I were to consider more out of state travel and still lived in NH. But with the Epic Local Pass we will have Colorado (day tips) Utah (quick flight) and Tahoe (another easy flight) options already for less than the Max Pass.

 

[4aprice]

I like the Max Pass if I were to consider more out of state travel and still lived in NH. But with the Epic Local Pass we will have Colorado (day tips) Utah (quick flight) and Tahoe (another easy flight) options already for less than the Max Pass.

The Max Pass has Winter Park, Copper and Steamboat. I'm kind of pushing the boy toward the RMSP because it has those mountains as well and he could ski with us when we come out to visit. If I lived out there I would probably do Epic Local for A Basin alone. Trip 1 will be Copper and WP in the front range. Trip 2 (his spring break) will involve a drive from/to Denver to SLC via Steamboat + Solitude and Brighton once there. Stratton Killington/Pico Loon and Sunday River are a nice variety for the east and of course the home bump. Looking forward to it.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[Edd]

I'm committed to a Peak Ranger pass this year but I just took a hard look at the Max Pass website. It's very fu**ing tempting. I'm going to consider it seriously next year.

 

[dlague]

The Max Pass has Winter Park, Copper and Steamboat. I'm kind of pushing the boy toward the RMSP because it has those mountains as well and he could ski with us when we come out to visit. If I lived out there I would probably do Epic Local for A Basin alone. Trip 1 will be Copper and WP in the front range. Trip 2 (his spring break) will involve a drive from/to Denver to SLC via Steamboat + Solitude and Brighton once there. Stratton Killington/Pico Loon and Sunday River are a nice variety for the east and of course the home bump. Looking forward to it.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

The Rocky Mountain Super Pass is a good alternative with Winter Park, Copper, Eldora and restricted access to Steamboat and Crested Butte.

However, the Epic Local Pass will keep us busy at Breck, Keystone, A Basin and 10 day at each for Vail and Beaver Creek. It will also give us access to Park City as well as Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood.