SKItheBOAT wrote:

Good winter...couldn't agree more. Bad winter....couldn't be more stressed.

Bad winters are stressful... absolutely. But it's just one more dynamic of the industry, and one more challenge to conquer. I can have lots of fun as both a skier, and an industry professional, even in a bad season.


Lostone... I like your comments re: college passes.

Lostone, yes it was on the first page. That was a nice day of down hilling. I can't wait to see what's up their sleeves this year.

Back on Topic.........Here is a smattering of pass prices at comparable resorts. Forgive me if this was posted somewhere before:
Sunday River - $899 before 4/30/08
Stowe - $ 1,305 - 07 Price (Didn't see '08 )
Killington - $ 999 - 07 Price (Didn't see '08 )
Smuggs - $ 469 - 07 Price (Didn't see '08 )
Jay - $ 634 - 08 Price
Stratton - $ 849 - 08 Price
Okemo - $ 1,029 - 08 Price

I think we are in line taking into consideration what we have to offer. This is skiing after all. At some point you have to face the fact that it is a very expensive sport/obsession.
So Tin and Madhavok were would you go? You could pay less but what would you realy gain?

Hawk wrote:

What will be the cost of the add on for the Summer Pass for MTB, F-Golf and Z-line? Is there a discount for buying both at the same time?

....be very aggressively priced. I think building on the energy of last summer's inaugural year for those activities is all about getting more happy, smiling faces on the hill....who then bring their friends and family.....who then tell their friends.....etc.

A good way to achieve this is enticing your core constituents to try it out. A good way to do that is.....aggressive summer activities pricing.

My .02

Yes, I have a gripe with the cost of season passes, and also how college students get the royal treatment. This goes for most ski resorts and I was not suggesting going else where, (unless Jay Peak magically moves closer to NYC).

Some college students are poor but some are not, yet they all are so important that most ski resorts feel the need to practically give away season passes to them. This means whether you like it or not, part of our ticket and season pass cost goes directly to subsidize the cost of their college season passes.

Meanwhile young workers / couples, struggling to pay back school loans & take on mortgages are obviously not important. Most of them don’t get a degree and instantly start making the “mad money”. It isn’t that easy in the real world.

madhavok wrote:

Yes, I have a gripe with the cost of season passes, and also how college students get the royal treatment. This goes for most ski resorts and I was not suggesting going else where, (unless Jay Peak magically moves closer to NYC). Some college students are poor but some are not, yet they all are so important that most ski resorts feel the need to practically give away season passes to them. This means whether you like it or not, part of our ticket and season pass cost goes directly to subsidize the cost of their college season passes. Meanwhile young workers / couples, struggling to pay back school loans & take on mortgages are obviously not important. Most of them don’t get a degree and instantly start making the “mad money”. It isn’t that easy in the real world.

Yeah and those damn 80+ year old skiers and their preferred parking spots. If they can ski they should walk from the back of the lot like the rest of us.

You need to chill

Howie -

I wouldn't complain about the 80+ preferred parking. Ever since Claybrook was built and the poor location for the valet parked cars walking up to the lifts at Sugarbush is no joke. Besides I would never get to the mountain early enough for one of those spots anyway.

On the other hand me complaining that part of my costs are subsidizing the college season pass, when I can't afford to do so, is a legitimate gripe.

madhavok wrote:

Howie - I wouldn't complain about the 80+ preferred parking. Ever since Claybrook was built and the poor location for the valet parked cars walking up to the lifts at Sugarbush is no joke. Besides I would never get to the mountain early enough for one of those spots anyway. On the other hand me complaining that part of my costs are subsidizing the college season pass, when I can't afford to do so, is a legitimate gripe.

If you did something productive instead of complaining on the internet, you would have made enough money to cover season pass for the rest of your life. Somehow I do not think that you are sleeping in the parking lot in your 15 year old honda civic on the weekends to afford skiing.

If you are planning to reproduce (oh horror ) your kids will benefit from this policy in a few years.

To say that Sugarbush does not give breaks to young families is ridiculous by the way:

1) 6 and under ski free

2) Buy an adult all mountain pass, and you get a youth pass for free.

Hawk wrote:

I think we are in line taking into consideration what we have to offer. This is skiing after all. At some point you have to face the fact that it is a very expensive sport/obsession. So Tin and Madhavok were would you go? You could pay less but what would you realy gain?

There are any number of discount programs available for day tickets. As a result, my break-even on the season pass is somewhere in the 20-25 day range, and that's a tough number to hit coming up from NYC with a young family. And this is for a guy with a house to use at his leisure - can't imagine how the calculation works for those w/o such a great asset at their disposal.

Tin Woodsman wrote:

Hawk wrote: I think we are in line taking into consideration what we have to offer. This is skiing after all. At some point you have to face the fact that it is a very expensive sport/obsession. So Tin and Madhavok were would you go? You could pay less but what would you realy gain? There are any number of discount programs available for day tickets. As a result, my break-even on the season pass is somewhere in the 20-25 day range, and that's a tough number to hit coming up from NYC with a young family. And this is for a guy with a house to use at his leisure - can't imagine how the calculation works for those w/o such a great asset at their disposal.

but that calculation changes when the kids hit 7.

Also, I skied a number of days this year because I had a pass and it didn't cost me anything incrementally.

Sugaree wrote:

To say that Sugarbush does not give breaks to young families is ridiculous by the way: 1) 6 and under ski free 2) Buy an adult all mountain pass, and you get a youth pass for free.

I guess the only logical thing would be to have a couple of kids so I can take advantage of those discounts!

One curve ball that hit me pretty hard this year was that the Mobil Ski Free (Buy one get one free) coupons were not accepted at Sugarbush on Sundays, as they were last year. Sucked for me big time although one positive was I got to ski Mad River Glen more, (when conditions permitted).

HowieT2 wrote:

Tin Woodsman wrote: Hawk wrote: I think we are in line taking into consideration what we have to offer. This is skiing after all. At some point you have to face the fact that it is a very expensive sport/obsession. So Tin and Madhavok were would you go? You could pay less but what would you realy gain? There are any number of discount programs available for day tickets. As a result, my break-even on the season pass is somewhere in the 20-25 day range, and that's a tough number to hit coming up from NYC with a young family. And this is for a guy with a house to use at his leisure - can't imagine how the calculation works for those w/o such a great asset at their disposal. but that calculation changes when the kids hit 7. Also, I skied a number of days this year because I had a pass and it didn't cost me anything incrementally.

I've got 6.5 years to go.

On your second point, I skied every day I was up in VT but for one, so it wouldn't change my behavior one bit.

Tin Woodsman wrote:

HowieT2 wrote: Tin Woodsman wrote: Hawk wrote: I think we are in line taking into consideration what we have to offer. This is skiing after all. At some point you have to face the fact that it is a very expensive sport/obsession. So Tin and Madhavok were would you go? You could pay less but what would you realy gain? There are any number of discount programs available for day tickets. As a result, my break-even on the season pass is somewhere in the 20-25 day range, and that's a tough number to hit coming up from NYC with a young family. And this is for a guy with a house to use at his leisure - can't imagine how the calculation works for those w/o such a great asset at their disposal. but that calculation changes when the kids hit 7. Also, I skied a number of days this year because I had a pass and it didn't cost me anything incrementally. I've got 6.5 years to go. On your second point, I skied every day I was up in VT but for one, so it wouldn't change my behavior one bit.

Well in that case, congratulations on the new addition to your family. Kids are great, but at least for me, when they are little it cut into the ski time. No wonder you haven't been around the board as much.

How does $45 a day for all-mountain, no blackouts sound?

Anyone can join our ski club for a nominal annual fee. The deals are incredible.

http://www.wintersetskiclub.org/AboutUs/Information.htm

madhavok wrote:

Yes, I have a gripe with the cost of season passes, and also how college students get the royal treatment. This goes for most ski resorts and I was not suggesting going else where, (unless Jay Peak magically moves closer to NYC). Some college students are poor but some are not, yet they all are so important that most ski resorts feel the need to practically give away season passes to them. This means whether you like it or not, part of our ticket and season pass cost goes directly to subsidize the cost of their college season passes. Meanwhile young workers / couples, struggling to pay back school loans & take on mortgages are obviously not important. Most of them don’t get a degree and instantly start making the “mad money”. It isn’t that easy in the real world.

FWIW SB offers their college pass to those who just graduated....