The History of skiing revisited...

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I'm currently doing some spring cleaning and going through some books and magazines. In one of my boxes I found The White Book of ski areas...for United States & Canada 1994-95. When I was a teenager and bought the book I enjoyed studying the locations and statistics at various ski areas. It was also interesting to see the lift ticket prices.

Here are a few prices from the 1994-95 ski season..weekend rates..

Vail $48
Keystone $38
Bridger Bowl $25
Grand Targhee $30
Jackson Hole $44
Blue mountain $38
Camelback $38
Elk mountain $35
Greek Peak #33
Hunter $40
Killington$45
Mad River Glen $30
Okemo $43
Stratton $33
Belleayre $34
Stowe $39
Sugarbush $42
Sugarloaf $38
Loon $41

It's interesting some of the places that charged alot in 1994-95 have only raised their prices about 30% like Belleayre and Blue mountain..while others almost or more than doubled prices like Vail, Stowe, Stratton and Killington..

It's very interesting and alot of the price increases pertain to new ownership, capital improvements and inflation.

The picture on the back cover is of a group of ski Journalists on a clear crisp day at Waterville Valley New Hampshire...

It looks like a gaper day photo with long skinny skis..men wearing purple jackets that end exactly at the waist or one pieces..and bright rear entrys which were probably $3-400..no helmets..stunnah shades..mad steezy yo..


I bought the book thirteen and a half years ago at Nestors and I'm holding onto it forever..alot of my old magazines are hitting the dumpster..to cut down on the clutter..

In the days before ski areas had websites. I'd call the snow report for conditions..no photo of the day or mountain webcams..I stocked up on brochures at the Philadelphia ski show and caught a glimpse of downhiller Tommy Moe..In college Sugarbush extreme skier John Egan spoke to the ski club and showed a video. Riding the lift at Stowe with Jake Burton was cool a decade ago and it would still be cool today. My 198 K2 El Caminos with Marker M51 graphite bindings were some steezy skis..but had major delamination issues..along with the K2 Kreitlers..but both of those sets of skis were outlasted by my Pre M5as and M6as..which I actually saw for sale at Nestors for I think $90 in the plastic just last year..da damn..back then Helmets were for racers and little kids..I still remember my ski tote combination..and my apres ski drink was soda or Hot Choclate..not the tasty beer of today..Dieting was having 3 tacos instead of 4 tacos.

Ski Patrol and Aspen Extreme were in the theaters..tickets were clipped for getting air.."Keep your skis on the Snow"..was chanted by red-coats..Snowboarders were outcasts and banned from alot of mountains..and a Ford Explorer was a big SUV..lol..

Talk about some of your skiing memories in this thread..and things you miss from skiings history..

 

[riverc0il]

Those are some really interesting numbers for New England areas. Intersting that Bush and Loon were more expensive than Stowe at one point and Loaf was almost on par with Stowe. Only minimal difference between Stratton and Mad River Glen. And Okemo leading the pack with exception of Killington. Fascinating.

 

[BeanoNYC]

Great topic and Interesting stats. These are off season prices by todays standards. Anyhoo, using the consumer price index a ticket at Killington ($45) was worth $61 by today's standard with inflation. ...and you mention John Egan. I had a lesson/lunch with him this winter and it I consider it a turning point for me. More mentally than anything. He gave me a lot to chew on...