Paying extra $$ for all day VIP lift access?

[Euler]

Ahhh, the life of the 1%...

 

[drjeff]

Ahhh, the life of the 1%...

Nah, the 1% these days either go to Stowe or pony up the current 45k, about to be 60k come January 1st for initiation fees for The Hermitage Club

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[BenedictGomez]

My issue with skiing is that it is an exclusive, privileged, white sport, this would only add to it.

How in the name of god did you manage to inject "race" into this?

Also, FWIW, despite how many times you hear this repeated ad nauseum, skiing really isnt THAT exclusive or THAT expensive of a hobby if you have a modicum of shopping skills (some intellect helps too).

 

[C-Rex]

I think this would be a mistake for a place like Mt. Snow. If they want to offer exclusivity then they should buy back Haystack and make it a high end, limited occupancy, club-style resort. But then, there probably isn't enough demand for that to offset the cost of running an entire other resort.

I'd rather see an express line for pass holders or people who bought tickets more than a certain number of times the previous season. Make them earn it with loyalty, not just buying a privilege.

 

[Euler]

It would really irritate me and furthur push me to ski more often at little places like Bromley and Magic. Mount Snow has it's charms, but obnoxious, entitled people pushing me out of the way with their $$ wouldn't be among them.

 

[jack97]

It would really irritate me and furthur push me to ski more often at little places like Bromley and Magic. Mount Snow has it's charms, but obnoxious, entitled people pushing me out of the way with their $$ wouldn't be among them.

I have, been skiing small areas for the last two seasons. Lots of places I used to go has turned me off b/c the try to cater to the entitled.

 

[ScottySkis]

I have, been skiing small areas for the last two seasons. Lots of places I used to go has turned me off b/c the try to cater to the entitled.

You will not see that at Platty.

 

[gmcunni]

if it was only $5 to cut the line, would you do it? on a powder day?

 

[drjeff]

I think this would be a mistake for a place like Mt. Snow. If they want to offer exclusivity then they should buy back Haystack and make it a high end, limited occupancy, club-style resort. But then, there probably isn't enough demand for that to offset the cost of running an entire other resort.

I'd rather see an express line for pass holders or people who bought tickets more than a certain number of times the previous season. Make them earn it with loyalty, not just buying a privilege.

If anybody wanted to buy back Haystack(The Hermitage Club) now, given what Mr. Barnes has already invested in it, and the membership base of around 200 families (and growing) currently, I'm guessing that would be around a $75 to $100 million dollar buy back (word on the street is he's already spent well North of $50 million on the entire property between the ski area, the Inn, the golf course, the new base lodge under construction and the air strip) with another 30 to 50 million planned over the next 5 to 10 years. While the adage "everything has it's price" likely applies, what it would take to buy The Hermitage Club now is far greater than the 5 million the ski area sold for and far more $$ than it would be worth to see any appreciable return on investment with, especially given that Mount Snow is looking at a major snowmaking project in the very near future with a price tag comfortably into 8 figures

 

[drjeff]

if it was only $5 to cut the line, would you do it? on a powder day?

If that privilege was included with your season pass, would that potentially make you take a look at getting a season pass there?

 

[C-Rex]

Oh, I didn't realize that was the Hermitage club.

 

[hammer]

Also, FWIW, despite how many times you hear this repeated ad nauseum, skiing really isnt THAT exclusive or THAT expensive of a hobby if you have a modicum of shopping skills (some intellect helps too).

Whenever I hear mentions of skiing cost from my family, I either ask my brother how much he pays for playing golf or my sister how much she pays for their boat.

The key to keeping skiing affordable is to look for discounts. Only time you spend too much is when you buy unnecessary equipment or pay rack rates.

 

[drjeff]

Oh, I didn't realize that was the Hermitage club.

Yup, Haystack ='s The Hermitage Club

My guess is that it's now a 99.9999999999% certainty that ski trails and lifts will never connect Mount Snow and Haystack, unless of course Mr Barnes wanted to buy Mount Snow from Peak Resorts and extend the trail network North from The Hermitage Club to Mount Snow. As weird as it sounds, that's probably the more likely scenario if they ever were to connect, and even then I'd put the odds of that happening at 0.00000000001%

 

[Smellytele]

If that privilege was included with your season pass, would that potentially make you take a look at getting a season pass there?

No it would make me not want to make day trips there.

 

[jaytrem]

Yup, Haystack ='s The Hermitage Club

My guess is that it's now a 99.9999999999% certainty that ski trails and lifts will never connect Mount Snow and Haystack, unless of course Mr Barnes wanted to buy Mount Snow from Peak Resorts and extend the trail network North from The Hermitage Club to Mount Snow. As weird as it sounds, that's probably the more likely scenario if they ever were to connect, and even then I'd put the odds of that happening at 0.00000000001%

So you're saying there's a chance!!!

 

[drjeff]

So you're saying there's a chance!!!

I've been told that one should never say never! :lol: Although in this case, it's mighty. mighty, mighty close to never given all current scenarios!

 

[HD333]

If that privilege was included with your season pass, would that potentially make you take a look at getting a season pass there?

If it was on all passes the season pass only line would be longer than the other lines. If for some extra $ you could opt in for a pass with that privilege, maybe, depends on the $ and the mountain. The extra $ would need to make it worthwhile, it couldn't be diluted.

I think it would come down to pricing it so not everyone can/will take advantage of it but not so high that only the 1% would consider it. For that matter add $x to a day pass and you can buy the privilege too, just need to find the sweet spot for the $ amount to make it worthwhile for those that opt in, I'd be pissed if I ponied up a bunch of $ and then my "special" line was longer then the regular line.

I would foresee an uptick of douchbaggery in the liftlines if something like this was put in place at most places.

 

[deadheadskier]

No it would make me not want to make day trips there.

A resort offering this might not make me not want to make a day trip there, but it could potentially prevent me from returning. If I showed up at Mt. Snow on the weekend and the line at the Bluebird was insane, but the HSQ was ski on for the privileged, I'd be pissed. I'd want the the extra lift capacity spread out to ease the waiting for everyone.

I could maybe see them offering it on say the Ego Alley lift and not get upset about it or say one of the Northface lifts, but to have 1 of the only 2 base to summit lifts be dedicated to the privileged, yeah a bit snobby to me.

 

[deadheadskier]

I like Sugaloaf's "privilege product" with their first tracks program. On Sundays only, you get the mountain to yourself for an hour. Having enjoyed First Tracks at the AZ summit, it's pretty sweet. I think that's the better way of offering something special to those willing to pay for it without pissing off the rest of your customers.

 

[twinplanx]

Is it safe to say that most places open earlier for pass holders? I think it's not much of an issue because the day trippers don't really notice. Seems like a nice perk on those days when it counts

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