Ski Areas with Best Value Proposition

[dlague]

Wow, this is a mathematically interesting question.

I think Smuggler's Notch would be almost impossible to beat in this category.

The math can go several ways

Window Rate

$'s to trail count ratio
$'s to lift count ratio
$'s to lift capacity ratio
$'s to acreage ratio
$'s to trail ratings ratio
$'s to vertical ratio
$'s to cost of beer ratio

and many more, more than likely for some a combination of several

 

[cdskier]

The math can go several ways

Window Rate

$'s to trail count ratio
$'s to lift count ratio
$'s to lift capacity ratio
$'s to acreage ratio
$'s to trail ratings ratio
$'s to vertical ratio
$'s to cost of beer ratio

and many more, more than likely for some a combination of several

Interesting, you could certainly create a formula to assign a certain percentage or weight to each of the important ratios. Of course one problem is how arbitrary some of these can be. Trail count I don't think is anywhere near as important as acreage/mileage for example. With lifts I think lift capacity is more important than the number of lifts as well. Add in some sort of "x-factor" type value for the terrain variety and challenge and I think you'd have something really interesting.

For acreage, are we talking purely on-trail acreage or boundary to boundary acreage? Or on-trail acreage + official gladed area acreage?

 

[dlague]

Interesting, you could certainly create a formula to assign a certain percentage or weight to each of the important ratios. Of course one problem is how arbitrary some of these can be. Trail count I don't think is anywhere near as important as acreage/mileage for example. With lifts I think lift capacity is more important than the number of lifts as well. Add in some sort of "x-factor" type value for the terrain variety and challenge and I think you'd have something really interesting.

For acreage, are we talking purely on-trail acreage or boundary to boundary acreage? Or on-trail acreage + official gladed area acreage?

I tried creating website with a formula but certain factors would out weigh others and making things equal when they were not. It would make for an interesting discussion I agree!

 

[Smellytele]

I tried creating website with a formula but certain factors would out weigh others and making things equal when they were not. It would make for an interesting discussion I agree!

Also as noted else where no two areas rate their trails on the same scale...

 

[cdskier]

Wow, this is a mathematically interesting question.

I think Smuggler's Notch would be almost impossible to beat in this category.

Using math yields some quite surprising results. Using "Skiable Acres" provided by snocountry.com results in Killington and Sugarloaf being 2 of the best values at 6-8 cents per acre (walkup weekend day ticket prices). Skiable acres may not be consistently reported across resorts though and if glades aren't included in the acreage numbers, then those areas with lots of glades are vastly mis-represented.

For example Smuggs includes 45 acres of "official" glades in their skiable acre number but also has another 750+ acres of unmarked glades available. Smuggs "official" plus "unofficial but available" acre number would still not be quite as good a value per acre as using just Killington's reported "skiable acre" number (it is unclear whether K includes any glades in their acreage numbers).

 

[benski]

Using math yields some quite surprising results. Using "Skiable Acres" provided by snocountry.com results in Killington and Sugarloaf being 2 of the best values at 6-8 cents per acre (walkup weekend day ticket prices). Skiable acres may not be consistently reported across resorts though and if glades aren't included in the acreage numbers, then those areas with lots of glades are vastly mis-represented.

For example Smuggs includes 45 acres of "official" glades in their skiable acre number but also has another 750+ acres of unmarked glades available. Smuggs "official" plus "unofficial but available" acre number would still not be quite as good a value per acre as using just Killington's reported "skiable acre" number (it is unclear whether K includes any glades in their acreage numbers).

Also at larger ski areas it's just not realistic to ski the whole area in a day.

 

[dlague]

Also as noted else where no two areas rate their trails on the same scale...

Exactly, that is part of the problem in doing that. Not apples to apples at any ski area. Even black trails at a single resort cannot be compared apples to apples. For example a black bump trail compared to a black steep trail ski differently where an advanced intermediate might try one but not the other. So that concepts falls apart quickly.

 

[The Sneak]

Midweek my home mountains are pretty unbeatable. $30 at Mohawk, $25 at Butternut, and $20 at Catamount if you buy online. Catamount for $20 when there's plenty of snow is an amazing deal. No people, most diverse trail network south of VT/NH (imo), and they're not afraid to let things bump up on several trails.

That's it.
I have spent plenty of time at BEast and Jiminy, but have never once skied Butternut or Catamount. I would like to get there this year, midweek bargain powder day sounds good to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SIKSKIER]

This has to be one of the best values anywhere.
A-basin unlimited pass $309
•Unlimited, unrestricted skiing/riding at A-Basin for the entire 2016-17 season (tentatively scheduled mid-Oct. 2016 to early June 2017)

 

[x10003q]

Gore has Coca Cola Wednesdays - bring an unopened Coke product and a lift ticket is $48.

 

[dlague]

This has to be one of the best values anywhere.
A-basin unlimited pass $309
•Unlimited, unrestricted skiing/riding at A-Basin for the entire 2016-17 season (tentatively scheduled mid-Oct. 2016 to early June 2017)

Not sure about that the Epic Keystone/Abasin Pass is $329 yes there are black outs but at least there are a couple options.

 

[SIKSKIER]

Didn't see that one.Thats pretty good.Personally,I wouldnt give up all those dates as I ski every weekend so if I was going real cheap,the better deal would easily be my first suggestion.

 

[dlague]

Didn't see that one.Thats pretty good.Personally,I wouldnt give up all those dates as I ski every weekend so if I was going real cheap,the better deal would easily be my first suggestion.

I must agree! I do like the idea of skiing Keystone in that mix but the black out dates are a bummer. However, there are discounted ticket for those dates. Th next level is $529 for unlimited Keystone and Abasin with Breckenridge added in with black out dates. Which then leads to to consider the Epic Local Pass. Very smart with their pricing.

The again we have gotten away from the window rate discussion. If we are talking west then Loveland at $59 walk up rate is pretty darn good for 1900 acres. Includes free cat rides to the highest summit.

 

[jimk]

If you view Liftopia as more of an online ticket buying service, than an obscure discount you have to search hard to get, then it could change how some places rate for value. In March of 2013 I went skiing in northern VT with two other guys for the better part of a week. The cornerstone of the trip was the purchase off Liftopia when we all got 3 out of 4 day tickets for Mad River Glen for $74 each. MRG had excellent snow coverage at the time. It was an incredible value that was available to anyone from the general public.

The Value Proposition: some of the baddest a$$ skiing on the east coast in great conditions, small mid-week crowds, and less than $25 per day. More comments and pictures from that trip: http://www.epicski.com/a/mad-river-glen-a-pictorial

 

[drjeff]

The easy call is Hermitage Club being the worst value proposition.

Depends a bit on both perspective and when a member joined.

If a member joined a number of years ago before it officially reopened and the initiation fee was the 10k it was then vs the 65 or 75k it is now, (pretty sure it's one of those last 2 now and hasn't jumped to the 100k I've heard is the eventual plan) and then for 5k a year their family skis all year, including last year's addition of a heated high-speed bubble six pack with literally no more than a couple chair wait ever. To their target demographic, that may seem like a GREAT value given all the other amenities the club offers them.

If one is just looking at it from the perspective of "value" being the least amount of $$ per day on the hill, then the Hermitage isn't likely to top all but the most extreme of their seasons pass users value scale (I roughly figure given their basic current 50 day or so operating schedule and their pass scheme which is 1 unlimited season pass per family plus 150 1 day tickets - that works out to a potential roughly $25 a day if a member skis every open day and uses all of their vouchers). If "value" to others is a combo of costs and overall experience (things such as good snow quality all day long, little to no lift lines on any day of the season, and on and off hill customer service and amenities) then for those people, the Hermitage may very well offer the most value of any area in the Northeast - its entirely a relative thing on this one for sure

 

[WWF-VT]

Depends a bit on both perspective and when a member joined.

If a member joined a number of years ago before it officially reopened and the initiation fee was the 10k it was then vs the 65 or 75k it is now, (pretty sure it's one of those last 2 now and hasn't jumped to the 100k I've heard is the eventual plan) and then for 5k a year their family skis all year, including last year's addition of a heated high-speed bubble six pack with literally no more than a couple chair wait ever. To their target demographic, that may seem like a GREAT value given all the other amenities the club offers them.

If one is just looking at it from the perspective of "value" being the least amount of $$ per day on the hill, then the Hermitage isn't likely to top all but the most extreme of their seasons pass users value scale (I roughly figure given their basic current 50 day or so operating schedule and their pass scheme which is 1 unlimited season pass per family plus 150 1 day tickets - that works out to a potential roughly $25 a day if a member skis every open day and uses all of their vouchers). If "value" to others is a combo of costs and overall experience (things such as good snow quality all day long, little to no lift lines on any day of the season, and on and off hill customer service and amenities) then for those people, the Hermitage may very well offer the most value of any area in the Northeast - its entirely a relative thing on this one for sure

No matter how you try to spin it....it's still a lousy value proposition

 

[boston_e]

Pico at $76 is reasonable for an area with just shy of 2,000 ft. vert.

And their season pass price of $449 seems even more reasonable.

But it does come with "lower value" in a way than some other resorts as they usually have a firm opening / closing dates (even if they could open earlier and stay open later) and thus a somewhat shorter season than other comparable sized mountains. Also no skiing on Tuesday and Wednesday in non holiday weeks.

 

[Jully]

Doesn't K honor pico passes at certain points though? Not totally sure what the details are

 

[boston_e]

Doesn't K honor pico passes at certain points though? Not totally sure what the details are

No guarantee of that listed in the benefits of a Pico pass... but some years they have given Pico passholders a "bonus" day at Killington late in the season after Pico has closed.

With the tough winter, last year they did make Pico passes valid at Killington over Christmas break when Pico did not open... and did the same in March when Pico closed mid march, but again, no guarantee of anything like that listed when you buy a Pico pass.

 

[Jully]

Ahh, I suppose I was thinking of last year specifically. A bonus day is real cute though.