VAIL SUCKS

[Hastur]

I just read that Katz recently bought $5mil more shares bringing his vail holdings to $40mil.

insider buying is usually a good sign. not so sure this instance

also, I read that vail spent about a billion repurchasing shares since 2022 in an effort to support the stock price. they paid way above current market value.

I guess they just dont have enough $ left over for a robust snowmaking effort at wildcat using all that $ to try and pump / support the stock price.

 

[thetrailboss]

I just read that Katz recently bought $5mil more shares bringing his vail holdings to $40mil.

"LET'S SAY THAT I DID. DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BIG BOY?"

 

[dB.cooper]

Other than Peak renovating the 4th pump house Wildcat hasn't had a pump upgrade in 30 years. Neither has Attitash, same thorn pond pumps, same attitash pond pumps...yeah some new guns but you got to have the water and air. Attitash used to rent a half dozen portable compressors to help with air, that also went away after Vail.

 

[urungus]

I read that vail spent about a billion repurchasing shares since 2022 in an effort to support the stock price. they paid way above current market value.

Imagine how many new chairlifts and snowmaking upgrades that billion dollars could have funded

 

[BenedictGomez]

Imagine how many new chairlifts and snowmaking upgrades that billion dollars could have funded

Especially in light of the fact the result is they essentially lit $600 Million on fire in a burn pile.

 

[thetrailboss]

"Hey guys! I wanted to take a break from all of your doom and gloom, and share our EPIC news! Check it out! You're welcome!"

Vail Resorts Scraps $50 My Epic Gear Membership Fee and Rolls Premium Rentals Out to Everyone - SnowBrains

Vail Resorts unveils plans to transform the rentals experience for every skier and rider; multi-year roadmap to bring more choice...

snowbrains.com

 

[thetrailboss]

Soooo......who is renewing their EPIC Pass?

 

[Zand]

Soooo......who is renewing their EPIC Pass?

Never thought I'd be going onto year 3, but here we are. Weekdays at Stowe cancel out whatever Vail baggage comes with owning an Epic Pass. Plus, I must admit I was quite impressed with Okemo's early season rollout and operations.

If I were an NH skier, I would definitely be pretty up in arms at this point. But as a primarily VT skier, this has been a better product for me than Ikon which I never thought I'd say (especially with Sugarbush really being a shitshow these days). I miss Killington a lot, but simply put Stowe is better and I don't have to ration my days.

 

[kingslug]

There are a few areas that I go to at pc that are very good on pow days when lcc and bcc are nuts. So...even though I'm not going to teach any more..for various reasons..ill get one.

 

[chuckstah]

Soooo......who is renewing their EPIC Pass?

I'll probably renew. Living +/- an hour from two Vail places (Crotched/Sunapee)is a curse. Epic is needed, but honestly both have been well run this season. Crotched has water issues and Sunapee is slow out the gate, but they get there. I buy the cheapest pass, less than $500, and five days at Stowe makes it worthwhile alone. One super annoying thing I've heard this year is that they're charging tax. In NH. Where does that money go? I've never paid sales tax here for anything. It's certainly not going to NH. If I can't get an answer I might not renew. But I probably will

 

[snoseek]

I'm on the fence but will probably not just to ski different things. I ski midweek so crowds are no issue, and things seemed ok aside from Wildcat having a rough year Attitash and Stowe were run ok. I really found myself skiing other areas off other passes more though. I have Cannon plus indy so far and may just pick up some ticket packs or a mtn collective if heading to Utah at some point next year. I'll wait till fall and pay the premium if I buy something else

 

[jimmywilson69]

the skiing 4 miles from my house is Epic. I really have no choice... queue the Katz meme

The one thing I am considering is dropping back to a northeast pass and getting a full Ikon.

 

[oldfartrider]

I haven't decided yet between Northeast pass or local. I might pick up a Jay pass. Already bought the Bolton and Cannon midweek. Sugarbush is out for next year. Even Sunapee was really good this year along with Okemo.

 

[2Planker]

Tough to drop Epic when you live 5 mins from 2 Vail resorts….
Black is our new “home mt.” so Indy and a Conway Chamber Pass it is

 

[pinion]

Tough to drop Epic when you live 5 mins from 2 Vail resorts….
Black is our new “home mt.” so Indy and a Conway Chamber Pass it is

Valley Rat here as well, Epic Northeast Value + Black (w/ Indy Add-on) for me is still a steal as I ski 30+ days a year

 

[jaytrem]

I'll be buying again for me and the kids. Wife probably not. Tempted to do Ikon one of these years. But then I'm going from an under 10 min drive to Mount Snow to around 30ish.

 

[BenedictGomez]

the skiing 4 miles from my house is Epic. I really have no choice... queue the Katz meme

Same. Though technically I'm actually even closer to Deer Valley, and the IKON pass is WAY better in Utah.

Problem is it's only 7 days at Deer Valley. Plus, the skiing at Park City is much better than the skiing at Deer Valley.

I really wish IKON didn't have Utah on lockdown. Even if Vail could partner with someplace like Bryan Head or Grand Targhee or something else drivable it would be a huge improvement. Basically my EPIC pass is Park City and Park City only, or a 6 hour drive for Breck, BC, Vail, Keystone. So EPIC it is. Screw you Rob Katz.

 

[jimmywilson69]

NO! Its screw you Mr. Gomez!

 

[thetrailboss]

"I will be scheduling an autograph session for copies of the Vail Daily that include this latest gem. Enjoy!"

Vail Resorts CEO Katz, 20 years on, talks pass products, crowding, acquisitions and growth

Feb. 28, 2026, came and went without much fanfare in a ski industry suffering through one of the worst snowpack seasons in modern memory in Colorado and across the West, but it was the noteworthy 20th anniversary of the day Rob Katz was first named CEO of Vail Resorts.

www.vaildaily.com

 

[deadheadskier]

Only way Vail gets me back full time is if they start running their NH mountains like Peak did. But that ain't happening. Early season aggressive snowmaking terrain expansion is the number one priority for me in our increasingly fickle climate in NH. Gunstock blows them out of the water in that regard.
I do appreciate the value in Epic day passes and some seasons I'll consider a couple to take the kids to some new places. But that might be a bit because there are many Indy places I either haven't gotten them too yet or they were too little to appreciate.

Good to hear that Crotched, Sunapee and Attitash are getting better, but in watching the snow reports, they still don't really go for it early and have open terrain percentages way behind the competition until after MLK. December turns matter more and more to me each year because with youth sports, I'm stuck with Sundays only come April.