VAIL SUCKS

[raisingarizona]

Not so sure if it's all about greed, or possibly some greed with a healthy side of trying to "force" folks into the Vail big resort model that has generally worked out West at destination resorts, but may not be nearly as applicable in the day to day operations of generally smaller Eastern and Midwestern resorts that rely for the vast majority of their customers as day (or night) and weekend at most visits, where the geographic driving distance of so many of their properties and the large population base within that driving distance, makes things like more transparent snow reporting more pertinent than for the Western resorts where so many booked their travel weeks or months in advance and will go regardless of the weather in the immediate few days prior.

I will be curious over the next year or so to see if the new CEO makes any pivots in operations positions compares to what Rob Katz did?

I like that. This is interesting for sure.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Well if anyone has a brain in Broomfield they should realize that there needs to be pivoting. There is a way to utilize their "pass" model as well as business models that have worked in the east in the past. They just need to stop being so narrow minded and "all in" on the unified one size fits all.

 

[ss20]

Well if anyone has a brain in Broomfield they should realize that there needs to be pivoting. There is a way to utilize their "pass" model as well as business models that have worked in the east in the past. They just need to stop being so narrow minded and "all in" on the unified one size fits all.

Eh....to be fair, Vail has a stupid, incomprehensible number of season pass options. Like a lot of members have said...some are such a good deal they can't not buy a pass...senior, midweek, military, local, etc. Honestly I wish Ikon had a lower tier budget option, like a $500 midweek pass. My current plan for 2022-2023 season is to re-join Ikon and teach full-time at Alta again (if I like it, of course). That's a tough, expensive pill to swallow as I would probably only manage 12-15 Ikon days across the season, mostly pre-Christmas and post-early April so very weather dependent.

 

[snoseek]

Epic pass gives me a fat discount as a veteran. Ikon you need to be active or fully retired so the price difference is pretty significant but in the end worth it. The problem I have with ikon is there's no unlimited options under 2.5 hours which is an issue

 

[Smellytele]

Yup. They should get a room at motel 6 and have some of that hot and steamy man on man hate love.

ABC is a female

 

[Mum skier]

Epic pass gives me a fat discount as a veteran. Ikon you need to be active or fully retired so the price difference is pretty significant but in the end worth it. The problem I have with ikon is there's no unlimited options under 2.5 hours which is an issue

We would have switched to Ikon if there had been a closer unlimited option as well. 2 hrs really is our limit for a day trip (from Boston) and with all the other kid activities we have it’s hard to do many full weekend trips. Maybe next year, woild love to try a coupe of the Ikon western resort for our annual bigger trip.

 

[Mainer]

I’m definitely a vail hater. But I got epic passes for the family, 2 mwv chamber passes, and a cranmore meisters pass for the same price as Shawnee peak season passes for the family.
I Love reading the wildcat Facebook page comments but they may have stopped allowing them

 

[raisingarizona]

ABC is a female

Damn it!

 

[Harvey]

Some people have no choice. They have property in a mountain Vail bought.

We all make choices. Some don't work out well. It's life.

Is there anyone who buys real estate (or any investment) not knowing it's a gamble?

 

[Harvey]

it's up to Vail management to choose whether they want to focus on short, intermediate or long term.

I think that choice has been made.

 

[abc]

We all make choices. Some don't work out well. It's life.

Is there anyone who buys real estate (or any investment) not knowing it's a gamble?

Not every real estate purchase is "investment".

So no, it's not a gamble for many. Unless you consider everyday life as a gamble.

 

[Harvey]

I get that. We'd never sell our place, so if you won't ever sell it, it's really not an investment.

But that doesn't change the fact that it's a risk buying it. You knew that right?

If Vail bought Gore, I'd be bummed, and I'd consider our property less valuable. I'm sure I'd buy a season pass too. But I'd know full well that Rob Katz would interpret my purchase as approval of his business model.

I actually April Fooled about it in 2014:

Vail Resorts Buys ORDA for $1.2B

Vail Buys ORDA: Resorts (VRMC) announced today that it has purchased New York's ORDA the state of New York for $1.2 billion dollars in cash.

nyskiblog.com

It's one thing that is awesome about public ownership of Gore/WF/Belle. Vail far less likely to be able to buy them.

 

[deadheadskier]

I get that. We'd never sell our place, so if you won't ever sell it, it's really not an investment.

But that doesn't change the fact that it's a risk buying it. You knew that right?

If Vail bought Gore, I'd be bummed, and I'd consider our property less valuable. I'm sure I'd buy a season pass too. But I'd know full well that Rob Katz would interpret my purchase as approval of his business model.

I actually April Fooled about it in 2014:

Vail Resorts Buys ORDA for $1.2B

Vail Buys ORDA: Resorts (VRMC) announced today that it has purchased New York's ORDA the state of New York for $1.2 billion dollars in cash.

nyskiblog.com

It's one thing that is awesome about public ownership of Gore/WF/Belle. Vail far less likely to be able to buy them.

I feel the same about Cannon. One of the things I loved about Wildcat is that it is just a ski area and not a resort. It's all about the skiing and likely will be largely the same if / when I have grand kids that ski there. Cannon is the same. Unfortunately Vail doesn't take their stewardship of Wildcat seriously nor due they seem to realize the historical significance it has as a New England classic. They either eventually get it or they sell it and I'll come running back quickly. Otherwise I'll keep my spend elsewhere.

 

[abc]

I get that. We'd never sell our place, so if you won't ever sell it, it's really not an investment.

But that doesn't change the fact that it's a risk buying it. You knew that right?

Living life carries risk too. But that doesn't mean living is a gamble.

Gamble means action targeting a specific outcome and knowing it may not materialize. Buying real estate isn't always a gamble. Not for many people. They prefer paying mortgage and maintenance rather than paying rent. Whether the real estate makes money or not is far down the consideration.

If Vail bought Gore, I'd be bummed, and I'd consider our property less valuable.

It maybe less valuable to you. But that's not necessarily less valuable to others.

You know that right?

 

[thebigo]

Most of the time yes, but following bad weather Loon is going to be a bit quicker to recover. It's not a bad mountain to ski groomers when it is uncrowded. I can also see scenarios in the spring when the bumps will soften earlier in the day than Cannon

I would rather drive the 10-15 minutes more to cannon than ski loon if I had both passes.

Did not ski loon for about a decade but enjoyed it last spring and this year. It is very good for what it is: high speed midweek cruising when you don't have a full day and we haven't gotten natural.

There may be point later in the season if the weather goes to shit I grab a couple nh days at cannon but good with ragged/boyne combo thus far.

Ski on high speed runs on walking boss this AM were best of the year. Damn near whiteout between the gun show and natural:

 

[Edd]

Started my season at Sunapee today. Nice not to dick around with a mask while skiing.

 

[Harvey]

Living life carries risk too. But that doesn't mean living is a gamble.

Gamble means action targeting a specific outcome and knowing it may not materialize. Buying real estate isn't always a gamble. Not for many people. They prefer paying mortgage and maintenance rather than paying rent. Whether the real estate makes money or not is far down the consideration.


It maybe less valuable to you. But that's not necessarily less valuable to others.

You know that right?

Right. But if I'll never sell, it doesn't matter.

 

[Smellytele]

I get that. We'd never sell our place, so if you won't ever sell it, it's really not an investment.

But that doesn't change the fact that it's a risk buying it. You knew that right?

If Vail bought Gore, I'd be bummed, and I'd consider our property less valuable. I'm sure I'd buy a season pass too. But I'd know full well that Rob Katz would interpret my purchase as approval of his business model.

I actually April Fooled about it in 2014:

Vail Resorts Buys ORDA for $1.2B

Vail Buys ORDA: Resorts (VRMC) announced today that it has purchased New York's ORDA the state of New York for $1.2 billion dollars in cash.

nyskiblog.com

It's one thing that is awesome about public ownership of Gore/WF/Belle. Vail far less likely to be able to buy them.

Well Sunapee is state owned but is leased to vail so never say never.

 

[Harvey]

You're right it could happen. Hope not.

 

[Cobbold]

Started my season at Sunapee today. Nice not to dick around with a mask while skiing.

How were the conditions?