Hawk wrote:

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

This just in....Kmart raises price to $ 1,049 up $50 bucks....

http://rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080319/NEWS04/803190398/1024/NEWS04

SB most likely for me...

Split car topic into Misc section.

How many people out there are 80 and ski?

happygirl wrote:

How many people out there are 80 and ski?

Not that many, but enough that it is important to offer that discount to those who do. It's definitely something to be admired.

I've skied with an old fellow out here in CO who's been skiing for over 70 years. I'm not quite sure how old he is, but he must be about 80. He can still rip up the mountain pretty well.

I also personally know several folks who ski Sugarbush on a regular basis who are 70+, and who will likely still be skiing into their 80's. You don't see many, but they're out there!

One time I was at Killington taking a lesson and my instructor looked like he was 90 or something. He was totally awesome on skis, I could not keep up with him. I was in my 20's at the time, I know sometimes they can be the best skiers on the mountain.

Before ASC, folks 70+ skied for free at the Bush. They always like to remind us of that even tho they get a pretty cheap price for season passes.

it is clear that Sugarbush wants to be in the same league pricewise as Stowe. Stratton cheaper? Wow. There will always be people able to pay those prices but the number will get smaller each time the price is raised. Last I checked the the economy is not looking too good with many people living on borrowed time..er money. Which will go first? The 40+K SUV? The Red Sox tickets? The ski pass? The vacation home/condo they use 2 or 3 weeks a year? And as Win (and others) raise the price they better be prepared to hear more and more complaints as people will not be willing to put up with any management claims of mechanical problems, the 'cost' of making snow or the cost of running lifts after President week (hmm.. Inverness?) when it is 'just' season pass holders.

beelze wrote:

it is clear that Sugarbush wants to be in the same league pricewise as Stowe. Stratton cheaper? Wow. There will always be people able to pay those prices but the number will get smaller each time the price is raised. Last I checked the the economy is not looking too good with many people living on borrowed time..er money. Which will go first? The 40+K SUV? The Red Sox tickets? The ski pass? The vacation home/condo they use 2 or 3 weeks a year? And as Win (and others) raise the price they better be prepared to hear more and more complaints as people will not be willing to put up with any management claims of mechanical problems, the 'cost' of making snow or the cost of running lifts after President week (hmm.. Inverness?) when it is 'just' season pass holders.

FYI, average profit margin in the ski business is 3%. Even with pass prices this high. Bitch all you want, there's not money going into anyone's pocket at the ski area.

And I don't even want to get into the lifts/snowmaking cost equation right now. Most people have zero idea of what it takes to make that happen, both physically and financially.

What you have to understand is that the poor economy doesn't just affect the guests. It can affect the area as well. You say fewer people will buy the pass each time the price is raised? But it has been raised just about each year in the past, and Win has told us on this forum how much pass sales have been going up in recent years. As much as I agree that skiing is, unfortunately, not very affordable for the average person, it doesn't look like pass prices are causing much of a detriment to sales. On the contrary, sales continue to rise.

My $.02

They travel in big groups, drink lots of beer and eat plenty of nachos, not having to get back to work. They may ski on a discounted basis, but my hunch is that they leave lots of $$ on the mountain!

What's happygirl drinking as the Spring begins? We need to know!

Fourwide wrote:

They travel in big groups, drink lots of beer and eat plenty of nachos, not having to get back to work. They may ski on a discounted basis, but my hunch is that they leave lots of $$ on the mountain! What's happygirl drinking as the Spring begins? We need to know!

Right now, I am just drinking water and a shot of Dunkin Donuts coffee!

I think the MT Ellen Plus pass is the best deal in Vermont skiing.

You pay $529.00 for the Mt Ellen pass and for $160.00 more you get 5 days at Lincoln Peak which comes out to $32.00 a ticket. This year I used my 5 Lincoln Peak days on holiday weekends when tickets are much more expensive. If I wanted to go to Lincoln Peak during mid week I used a Mobil coupon, ski with the point, or some other deal. You can ski Lincoln Peak when Mt. Ellen is not open yet and after it closes.

And of course you have unlimited days at Mt. Ellen which has the greatest vertical drop of any Vermont ski area, awesome woods, and an "old school" less-crowded feel.

And you can ski the rest of this year too if you don't already have a pass.

Sure skiing is expensive but on it is sooooo fun and worth every penny on a day like yesterday!

I agree fully with "Last Tracks". I had the Mt Ellen pass last season and had the ME Plus pass this season and I have not been disappointed. Its still amazing at how uncrowded ME is, especially on the weekends and during holidays. On most days I'm there, its like my own private playground. The feel and attitude of the mtn is great and I'm definetely gonna renew my ME Plus for next year. As nice as an all-mtn pass would be, I'd have to ride A LOT of days to make it worth the $$$ plus you never know what next season will bring. Plus, I'll be at LP before and after ME opens/closes anyway so I'll get my fill on all of my slopes. And perhaps by next season, I'll brave the only ME trails I haven't done yet to date (FIS, B/D, Bravo, Exterminator).

Last Tracks wrote:

I think the MT Ellen Plus pass is the best deal in Vermont skiing. You pay $529.00 for the Mt Ellen pass and for $160.00 more you get 5 days at Lincoln Peak which comes out to $32.00 a ticket. This year I used my 5 Lincoln Peak days on holiday weekends when tickets are much more expensive. If I wanted to go to Lincoln Peak during mid week I used a Mobil coupon, ski with the point, or some other deal. You can ski Lincoln Peak when Mt. Ellen is not open yet and after it closes. And of course you have unlimited days at Mt. Ellen which has the greatest vertical drop of any Vermont ski area, awesome woods, and an "old school" less-crowded feel. And you can ski the rest of this year too if you don't already have a pass. Sure skiing is expensive but on it is sooooo fun and worth every penny on a day like yesterday!

That sounds like a deal compared to the other mountains around like Killington etc.

beelze wrote:

it is clear that Sugarbush wants to be in the same league pricewise as Stowe. Stratton cheaper? Wow. There will always be people able to pay those prices but the number will get smaller each time the price is raised. Last I checked the the economy is not looking too good with many people living on borrowed time..er money. Which will go first? The 40+K SUV? The Red Sox tickets? The ski pass? The vacation home/condo they use 2 or 3 weeks a year? And as Win (and others) raise the price they better be prepared to hear more and more complaints as people will not be willing to put up with any management claims of mechanical problems, the 'cost' of making snow or the cost of running lifts after President week (hmm.. Inverness?) when it is 'just' season pass holders.

Have you check the cost of energy lately???? I don't know much about running a ski resort but based on how much it costs to fill up my oil tank and gas tank - prices are going up. I have to assume that the biggest expense of a ski area are their enery costs (lifts + snow making) I don't like the idea of lift ticket and season pass prices going up either, but,... based on the cost of energy I think it is justified.