Stowe Releases Pass Rates

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Mani? You mean Mansfield?

No Mani..that's what the legit people call it..

 

[campgottagopee]

Mani? You mean Mansfield?

Yup

 

[Geoff]

I spent $2,267 on season passes for a family of four by buying early at Sugarbush. Still to go is paying for the kids seasonal programs. Just like drjeff it's pretty easy to hit close to five grand when you commit your family to the lifestyle of skiing for the winter but like the Mastercard commercials say the experience is "priceless"

...and for most people, the amount of money you fork over to the mountain is chump changed compared to housing and transportation.

If you own a vacation home in Vermont, the state school tax hits pretty hard. If it's a condo fee, you pay roughly the same again in condo fees. If you have a mortgage, you pay that bill. You have to pay utility bills and heat the place. Factor in the $0.55/mile your car really costs you to drive up every weekend. Even with a modest place, eating in and brown bagging it most of the time, and a moderately priced family hauler, it's big bucks.

 

[mondeo]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspicuous_consumption

I think that may have something to do with it...

Aside from being a skier's mountain, Steaux has some elitism to it. That has draw to some richer people. If you're looking to show off your money, buying a season's pass at Steaux is a much better way to do it than buying a pass at Killington.

There are some products that actually sell more as the price goes up, to a point.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspicuous_consumption

I think that may have something to do with it...

Aside from being a skier's mountain, Steaux has some elitism to it. That has draw to some richer people. If you're looking to show off your money, buying a season's pass at Steaux is a much better way to do it than buying a pass at Killington.

There are some products that actually sell more as the price goes up, to a point.

Mondeo have you skied Stowe?

 

[mondeo]

Mondeo have you skied Stowe?

Yes, though conditions were teh suck when I was there, and it was a while ago.

Do you disagree that it guns for the upper class, luxury market?

 

[deadheadskier]

It definitely guns for the top. There's reason as to why it's often referred to as the Aspen of the East.

To their benefit, they happen to have the best combination of terrain, natural snowfall and now slopeside amenities in the east.

I'm glad they still at least offer ski club discounts etc, so that the common man can experience it.

 

[campgottagopee]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspicuous_consumption

I think that may have something to do with it...

Aside from being a skier's mountain, Steaux has some elitism to it. That has draw to some richer people. If you're looking to show off your money, buying a season's pass at Steaux is a much better way to do it than buying a pass at Killington.

There are some products that actually sell more as the price goes up, to a point.

Agree, I'm sure some peeps buy a pass just 'cause if for no other reason----if I still lived up there I'd buy a pass at Smuggs for 470 bucks and lap the dang birthday bowls like it was my job!!!

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Do you disagree that it guns for the upper class, luxury market?

I agree that Stowe guns for the upper class, luxury market but so does Killingklton, Mount Snow, Okemo, Stratton and Sugarbush...There is so much reasonably prized lodging at Stowe and often internet specials for lift tickets and other promotions like canned food day which makes the place reasonable. Back in April, me and 4 PASRs met at Stowe Easter weekend and lift tickets were had for either $80something for two days or $122 for 3 days. Lodging was secured for under $80 a room..and they even gave free doughnuts...Stowe gets a bad rap because of their $90 Holiday rates and Uber luxury hotel but you can ski it on the cheap. A weekend or midweek trip to Stowe midseason would run about the same at Killington vs Stowe. Stowe is farther away but that means less crowds..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Agree, I'm sure some peeps buy a pass just 'cause if for no other reason----if I still lived up there I'd buy a pass at Smuggs for 470 bucks and lap the dang birthday bowls like it was my job!!!

the slow lifts..long liftlines and short season at Smuggs would rule out the choice of a season pass there..sure Smuggs has the BDAY bowls but Stowe has everything..just looking at a topo map makes me drool...

 

[campgottagopee]

the slow lifts..long liftlines and short season at Smuggs would rule out the choice of a season pass there..sure Smuggs has the BDAY bowls but Stowe has everything..just looking at a topo map makes me drool...

I hear ya, but I dig the place and know my way around that hill pretty good. Besides you can ski right over to Stowe and "steal" the goods for nadda!!!!!:smash:

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I hear ya, but I dig the place and know my way around that hill pretty good. Besides you can ski right over to Stowe and "steal" the goods for nadda!!!!!:smash:

At Spruce???

 

[campgottagopee]

At Spruce???

Well, sure, but I was thinking off of Mani---you get to know peeps and the "green bud" pass will get you a ride to the top for sure, ifin you know what I mean.

 

[marcski]

Apples to Oranges on the pass price comparison. I would venture to say that pass holders make up 10% of the skiing revenue out west compared to probably near 50% in the east. That is what enables them to offer such a low price.

Depends where you ski out west. Alta's got a huge % of pass holders. But I totally agree with you, the epic pass ski areas are all destination resorts.....for weekly vacations etc....whereas that is not as extensive in the east, even at Stowe.

Stowe is, was and always will be the most expensive in the east. It is definitely part of its panache and I believe its intentional on their part. And now....they don't have AIG to pump it up anymore so they need to make some real money. Also, they're probably thinking that their sales numbers will be down....due to the economy so perhaps to try and bolster their bottom line...esp. considering the mtn is for sale, they raised prices even more?

Like others....my girls are are still quite small and we don't have a place up in Vt. anymore since they were born. In addition, I'm not so sure, I will buy a place in Vt. anymore. If anything I believe I'd do seasonal rentals. I like to head out west at least once a year and I'm not quite sure the cost of a 2nd home/condo justifies the expense of owning up in Vt. these days.

$700 got my family of four full seaon passes at Catamount. I am in no way comparing Catamount to vermont...but...frankly, these days I enjoy skiing with my girls a whole hell of a lot. I've skied Mt. Snow so often in the past 30 years.....the only real fun and most of the challenge I have there is in the woods. If I'm alone or with my buds...that's the only place I/we ski in southern vt. (unless of course we're at Magic).

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Well, sure, but I was thinking off of Mani---you get to know peeps and the "green bud" pass will get you a ride to the top for sure, ifin you know what I mean.

Yes I know what you mean..Michael Phelps would approve..

 

[RISkier]

Apples to Oranges on the pass price comparison. I would venture to say that pass holders make up 10% of the skiing revenue out west compared to probably near 50% in the east. That is what enables them to offer such a low price.

I wouldn't disagree with your numbers cause I have no idea. No doubt a much higher percentage of the revenue at most Western resorts comes from vacationers. But places lie A-Basin or Loveland are more locals oriented and offer inexpensive season passes. And lots of the front range crowd at Breck, Keystone, etc. are weekend warriors from the Denver area. We've skied 10-12 days at Stowe the last several years, if they offered a $600 season pass we'd certainly consider it. We'd just go up for a few extra weekends spent elsewhere. But at $1300+ there's no way. We have always been able to get reasonable tickets either through ski club programs or the Vacation Rewards program. Actually quite reasonable tickets often under $50 / day.

 

[deadheadskier]

I won't argue that it is VERY expensive and a poor value in comparison to western season passes. One other thing out west that I'm sure keeps the pass prices down is the lack of snowmaking overhead.

 

[Geoff]

I wouldn't disagree with your numbers cause I have no idea. No doubt a much higher percentage of the revenue at most Western resorts comes from vacationers. But places lie A-Basin or Loveland are more locals oriented and offer inexpensive season passes. And lots of the front range crowd at Breck, Keystone, etc. are weekend warriors from the Denver area. We've skied 10-12 days at Stowe the last several years, if they offered a $600 season pass we'd certainly consider it. We'd just go up for a few extra weekends spent elsewhere. But at $1300+ there's no way. We have always been able to get reasonable tickets either through ski club programs or the Vacation Rewards program. Actually quite reasonable tickets often under $50 / day.

Of the ski resorts on an Epic Pass, only A-Basin is a locals area. Breck, Keystone, Vail, Beaver Creek, and Heavenly certainly attract a crap load of ski week traffic.

The Colorado economics are different from the Northeast. In Colorado, you only have a drive-to day trip and weekender market of a couple million. For Southern & Central Vermont, that market is like 50 million people.

The Epic Pass is really targeted at ski weekers. At that price point, it's designed so you don't quite break even in a ski week so you need to come back again to make your money back. The locals have the Colorado Pass that you have to buy in-person either at the ski areas pre-season or at places like REI. The Colorado Pass gives you 10 days at Vail/Beaver Creek blacked out during the holiday periods and unlimited at A-Basin, Keystone, and Breckenridge.

 

[billski]

Like others....my girls are are still quite small and we don't have a place up in Vt. anymore since they were born. In addition, I'm not so sure, I will buy a place in Vt. anymore. If anything I believe I'd do seasonal rentals. I like to head out west at least once a year and I'm not quite sure the cost of a 2nd home/condo justifies the expense of owning up in Vt. these days.

$700 got my family of four full seaon passes at Catamount. I am in no way comparing Catamount to vermont...but...frankly, these days I enjoy skiing with my girls a whole hell of a lot. I've skied Mt. Snow so often in the past 30 years.....the only real fun and most of the challenge I have there is in the woods. If I'm alone or with my buds...that's the only place I/we ski in southern vt. (unless of course we're at Magic).

Agreed. I finally bagged skiing at Stowe with my family after it became clear they weren't going to graduate to Mansfield. Just not worth the bucks. We now stay with friends in town but ski at BV, on bulk rates that average $10-20/day/skier. I save the Stowe days for skiing with the "big boys (and girls)".

Agree also about the woods at MS are the most fun spot for me too.

Land prices and taxes have gotten quite onerous in VT nowadays too.

 

[deadheadskier]

Land prices and taxes have gotten quite onerous in VT nowadays too.

probably cause NY, MA and CT bought the state

the vacation market bitches about high taxes in VT, yet the natives struggle to buy a modest home. Part of the reason I left. To damn hard to make ends meet in VT.

VT has a lot of programs in place to prevent flipping real estate for profit and making it more affordable for natives, but I could no longer imagine living there unless I was a highly educated professional in a medical field.