Vail Meet your Match: Alterra

[p_levert]

Combination of Altitude and Terrain supposedly.

Never even heard of Altria and barely know what Phillip Morris is. How well known is the owner of a bunch of cigarette brands these days?

We're all entitled to our opinion, of course. But you can't change the fact that Altria is a tobacco company with a market cap of $134 billion and is thus well known to a bunch of people. If it was up to me, and it isn't, I would go with a name that more clearly indicates mountains.

 

[BenedictGomez]

The hills some will choose to die on.

 

[Jully]

Terratude

Significantly better! Hahaha.

 

[taul]

Actually it doesn't include Aspen's resorts. They will remain under control by Aspen Ski Company. I am guessing that is because Aspen Ski Company has a much smaller share of Alterra, compared to KSL

Guess I should have read the article.
I bet when they announce their pass offerings in the spring it will include tiered access to all of them, like the Epic Pass structure. Doesn't make sense for them not to.

 

[taul]

I wonder how the Max Pass will compete minus the Intrawest resorts.

 

[Jully]

Guess I should have read the article.
I bet when they announce their pass offerings in the spring it will include tiered access to all of them, like the Epic Pass structure. Doesn't make sense for them not to.

Unless Aspen doesn't want them too. Just because Henry Crown is a minority investor doesn't mean that he wants Aspen to become a part of this new pass. That would mean the new pass would either have to be priced well above the current Aspen season pass price or Aspen would need to lower their Aspen only passes.

I'm betting that, similar to the Epic Local, you'll get a few days at Aspen with the most expensive pass option.

 

[Jully]

I wonder how the Max Pass will compete minus the Intrawest resorts.

I've thought about this a bunch this year, and I really hope the Max doesn't die. Intrawest pulling out hurts the CO offerings for sure, but it doesn't really impact me in the northeast much. I've spent 2 days at Stratton this year and will be spending 3 in Tremblant. While it will be a bummer, there's plenty of roughly equivalent places in the east already on the pass, at least IMO. One big resort addition would be great though (Jay please). I think it is still hands down the best multi-mountain pass for an eastern skier making at least 1 trip west.

I'm also going to Winter Park this year on the pass, but could just have easily gone to Bachelor, Big Sky, or done a second trip to Utah for SolBright.

 

[xlr8r]

Max will really have a void now that Intrawest is no more. First of all i think Max Pass was managed out of Intrawest's offices, it was really a creation of Intrawest that evolved from their Passport Pass in 2014/15. So the management of Max pass will fall to someone else now. Also while I think most of us can live without Stratton on the pass, losing Steamboat and Winter Park severely hurt the western options. The first year of the Max Pass I did a trip to Steamboat because it really is the most well rounded destination resort out west on the pass. Already pretty much every major destination out west is tied to either MAX, Vail, Alterra, or MC, so there is not much for Max to add to replace WP and Steamboat

 

[taul]

I loved my MaxPass, and told everyone who would listen about it during it's first season. I'd have one again this year, but decided to get a pass at Magic instead of adding Max to my Stratton pass. I don't have the free time to go driving all over New England any more to make Max worth it to me. Losing Stratton after adding Okemo is a push, Tremblant and Snowshoe too far to really factor. I hope they're still able to make it work for the coming seasons. Adding Jay would have me signing up again.

They had the same questions about pass price when Vail bought Stowe last year, they'll figure something out.

KSL is loathed by the locals in Tahoe, this new company has some work to do.

 

[p_levert]

My guess is that Winter Park stays in the Rocky Mountain Super Pass and Maxpass. Steamboat, probably not. I think this will be decided on a resort by resort basis, and I think the Max and RMSP are very important for WP. And the Alterra resorts are not horribly attractive for Denver skiers.

The Alterra resorts have regional appeal. Fantastic if you live in CA. Also good if you live in Toronto. Not so hot for Denver and NE. So arrangements will be made.

 

[Jcb890]

Not a fan of ski resort mega-mergers & acquisitions. Makes SOTC that much harder.

I disagree with that statement. You can get your daily average much lower on a season pass than you can using SOTC deals... if the pass and locations make sense that is.