Speaking of ski clubs . . .

[trtaylor]

I agree, I think all of the advantages of a ski club can be gained by joining an existing one. For those who don't already belong to a club, I'd suggest joing one of the clubs affiliated with the Connecticut Ski Council. For many you aren't required to be a resident of CT. AE Ski Club is one such club.

 

[Talisman]

I am a member of a CT Ski Council affiliated club for years and really like the benefit of discount bulk lift tickets, ski council days and other benefits. The savings and flexibility of discount bulk lift tickets made me give up buying a season pass. The bulk tickets go on sale in roughly mid-September and sales close in early October so if you are going to do this don't wait around.

 

[andyzee]

I am a member of a CT Ski Council affiliated club for years and really like the benefit of discount bulk lift tickets, ski council days and other benefits. The savings and flexibility of discount bulk lift tickets made me give up buying a season pass. The bulk tickets go on sale in roughly mid-September and sales close in early October so if you are going to do this don't wait around.

How's the pricing on bulk tix and how's it work? (too lazy to look it up )

 

[hammer]

I just did a few searches and saw this site:

http://www.nhskiclub.org

Anyone know about this club?

 

[wa-loaf]

How's the pricing on bulk tix and how's it work? (too lazy to look it up )

Here's a pdf:
http://www.skiclub.com/documents/CSCAw06-07plusdiscounts.pdf

Last years prices. And check out the benefits page I linked to earlier, discounts on lodging and even car rentals. In addition to the bulk tickets they also have standing discounts at some areas.

There is a club near me that belongs to the CSC, so maybe that's my best option. Either way I think it's kinda late to get something off the ground for this year, but if there is enough interest we should plan for next season already. I'd join the AZ club if it was available and am willing to help out.

 

[wa-loaf]

I just did a few searches and saw this site:

http://www.nhskiclub.org

Anyone know about this club?

These guys have a pretty complete list of ski clubs around the country.

 

[playoutside]

Pretty sure NHSC is run (at least from a ticket and trip perspective) by the same person who runs Central Mass Ski Club. I've been member of CMSG for 5+ years. Normally there is a discount day at some NE mountain each weekend day -- except holidays. Not a bus trip, just a discounted ticket. Price is generally best I've seen. Membership is cheap with no expectation that you come to meetings. They do have meetings and events and generally have good turnout, but it's not a requirement.

They also offer discount trips with great prices (Sunday River $189 in March for ski in/out & 2.5 day lift tickets -- with my a41 pass it was around 100). Normally also has several mountains that they have discounts to for most any day -- last few years this included SR, Wildcat, Attitash.

For discounts this is the best of the 3 clubs I belong to. Keeps its focus...It's about the skiing!

 

[andyzee]

Here's a pdf:
http://www.skiclub.com/documents/CSCAw06-07plusdiscounts.pdf

Last years prices. And check out the benefits page I linked to earlier, discounts on lodging and even car rentals. In addition to the bulk tickets they also have standing discounts at some areas.

There is a club near me that belongs to the CSC, so maybe that's my best option. Either way I think it's kinda late to get something off the ground for this year, but if there is enough interest we should plan for next season already. I'd join the AZ club if it was available and am willing to help out.

Yeah I saw that earlier and has some trouble understanding. As an example 2nd one down:

Date: 12/2/05 Day: Stowe Cost: $62/2

What does that mean:

Do you have to buy the ticket/tickets on 12/2?
Is it good on 12/2?
$62/2, is $62 the price for two tickets or one?

 

[wa-loaf]

Yeah I saw that earlier and has some trouble understanding. As an example 2nd one down:

Date: 12/2/05 Day: Stowe Cost: $62/2

What does that mean:

Do you have to buy the ticket/tickets on 12/2?
Is it good on 12/2?
$62/2, is $62 the price for two tickets or one?

Those are the skier appreciation days or something along those lines and the prices I think are only good on the dates listed, but you buy the tickets in advance. And the 62/2 means you pay 62 bucks for a two day ticket.

 

[MRGisevil]

I'm in so long as Andy makes me a sticker

 

[nycskier]

I'm in!

Especially so if it means club members would be willing to carpool up to the mountains with certain carless club members who happen to live in New York City!!!!!

 

[kingslug]

I'm in as well. If it saves money it's worth it.

 

[madskier6]

Those are the skier appreciation days or something along those lines and the prices I think are only good on the dates listed, but you buy the tickets in advance. And the 62/2 means you pay 62 bucks for a two day ticket.

You're almost correct. The $62 does get you a 2-day ticket but you don't have to buy them in advance. For skier appreciation days, you show up at the mountain on the day indicated, show your ski club membership card & you get the discounted price. No advance purchase required, except for the fact that you're buying a 2-day ticket on the first day of its eligibility.

Bulk tickets are different. Those you have to buy in advance in Sept - Oct and they are good any day of the season generally (unless a particular ski area has specific restrictions).

I'm a member of a CSC-affiliated club & the discounts are great. That's the only reason I joined the club was to save money. The club I joined has no residency requirement & I pay $40 per year for a family membership & that entitled me, my wife and all 4 of my children to discounts. We paid $26 per day to ski at Burke in early March last year & it was great! I also paid $32 to ski at Stratton when the normal ticket price is $76 or higher.

I think people should join an existing club. Forming our own club is a lot of work & you really are reinventing the wheel. Once people have joined clubs, then AZ'ers can just set-up ski days where we meet but every member gets the discounted price without all the administrative hassles involved with running our own club. Just my $0.02 :smile:

 

[Talisman]

CSC Skier Appreciation days mean you show up, show your ski club card and buy the lift tickets for $25 to $35 a day. No advanced financial commitment is required beyond joing the ski club.

The bulk tickets are boought in adance and are roughly 40% off of list price. For example K'ton tickets with no blackout dates were $42 last year and the list was $72 on weekends.

 

[billski]

Lots of clubs

There are tons of clubs already in the northeast, with various angles - some are social, some own houses, some organize trips, some sell bulk tix, some are geo-centric. You can find one to your liking. Point of entry on some are as low as $20US, depending what you get out of it.

My suggestion, if you want the camaraderie of the AZ club, get the AZ'ers interested and all join the same club. It's a helluva lot easier than starting a new club.

I've always been involved with clubs and have saved boatloads of $$ over the years. I organized a 350-person club, that had bulk tix, trips all over the world and weekly local trips, racing, monthly get togethers, discounts, etc. I ran that club as president for 10 years. I'm now affiliated with a club which is mostly monthly social and provides substantial ticket discounts. In fact, I just received my bulk ticket order form this week and I'll be buying tickets in August for 40-70% off window price. My club, (ACE) will have tickets available well into January. As a club member, you can leverage general club discounts (appreciation days) as well as anything the club has negotiated (which believe me is more work than doing the deal!)

The honest truth is that as a club leader you'll spend more time managing the club than you do on the slopes. There's a lot of risks to manage, mostly financial commitments that must be made early. I did my share, that's enough for me. So I recommend leveraging a pre-existing club.

 

[reefer]

My two pennies

I am heavily involved with the "Worcester Ski Club". See us at Worcesterskiclub.org
We lease a house in Wilmington set up with bunks and twins. Has two kitchens and bathrooms. Great ski bum type of place, not the Ritz but adequate. Kids only allowed (1) w/e per month, basically around the school holidays. To join a single is $50.00, for a family $75.00. To stay it is $20.00 per night, $25.00 on Saturday.
It is basically a bed any time you want it without having to make plans weeks in advance. It is (10) minutes from Mount Snow, (30) from Stratton, (40) to Magic, (60) to Okemo, (90) to Killington.
It's great when you see a dump coming, to make a call, and go wait for the storm up there! The only time we get a big group is the back half of presidents week. If you can ski midweek then the whole house is usually empty.
We allow guests two visits before we "strong arm" them into joining, so by all means send me a PM if you want to check it out this year. So keep this in mind if we do an AZ outing there this year.
On another note, one of the best ticket deals I have found is the Vermont Passport through the Vermont Ski Areas Association. They have a three pack for $125.00, or a five pack for $200.00. It is non-transferable and technically you can only use it at a resort only once, but I have never had a problem convincing the ticket window girls not to check off their hill, then I can go back. I usually get the two three packs just to be safe however, then you could go to Killington, Sugarbush and Stowe twice each with no strings! These are good at all Vermont ski areas but I usually use them at the high price places!

 

[Talisman]

IOn another note, one of the best ticket deals I have found is the Vermont Passport through the Vermont Ski Areas Association. They have a three pack for $125.00, or a five pack for $200.00. It is non-transferable and technically you can only use it at a resort only once, but I have never had a problem convincing the ticket window girls not to check off their hill, then I can go back. I usually get the two three packs just to be safe however, then you could go to Killington, Sugarbush and Stowe twice each with no strings! These are good at all Vermont ski areas but I usually use them at the high price places!

Thanks for sharing the Worcester ski club info. I have driven by that club 100's of time and always wondered what went on there.

I have used the VSAA passport before and if memory serves it has black out dates for the typical peak periods. I found CSC bulk tickets a better value because they don't have blackout dates.

 

[reefer]

Thanks for sharing the Worcester ski club info. I have driven by that club 100's of time and always wondered what went on there.

I have used the VSAA passport before and if memory serves it has black out dates for the typical peak periods. I found CSC bulk tickets a better value because they don't have blackout dates.

Passport is blacked-out Christmas and Presidents week. Not bad at all and areas do vary.

There are some better CSC deals and one should also join an affiliated club for those discounts. The beauty of the passport is no membership required.

Don't be afraid to try out the house someday! I'll set you up!

Keith

 

[reefer]

One thing I forgot to mention on the WSC, with our membership card Mt. Snow lets every member purchase up to (4) tickets a day at group rates! They do this as part of their "Lodge" program, for groups that run houses/lodges in the Deerfield Valley. Now there's a good way to impress your friends, save them each$25.00/$30.00 on a lift ticket, and $20.00/$25.00 lodging.
Now this hasn't been officially stated yet this year by the new owners, but every indication is this will continue along with all the other programs for now.

 

[Greg]

Are there folks here that belong to any?

Could we create an AZ ski club and get the benefits that other ski clubs get? It seems like we're pretty close to that anyway. I know everyone is spread out all over the northeast, but it could be an extension of the AZ gatherings and turn them into official ski club trips. Small dues from everyone (not for using the forums, but for getting discounts) could provide administrative support for organizing trips and what not. Maybe even a ski house somewhere ...

Maybe this has all been discussed before, but I just saw it mentioned in another thread.

Just reading this now. Seems like there's a fair amount of work in setting up/maintaining a new club as others have mentioned. In fact, there was a guy from SJ that tried to do this a few years back. It was a "virtual" web-based ski club called NEVSKI or something like that. It never even got off the ground. I toyed with the idea of making AZ subscription-based like Epic which might include discounted lift tickets or something. Didn't get much positive feedback on that one either. So with all that said, it seems like joining existing clubs is the best approach at this point.