I was looking on the website today and I noticed that on the lift tix page, they list midseason, holiday, and early/late. This leads me to believe that they are charging the same for a weekend and midweek?!? If so, that seems pretty ridiculous that they want $63 for a midweek ticket.

Can anyone clear this up for me

I believe that is the case. Stowe started doing this years ago, there was only a difference in early and late season pricing.
My problem is that during the week the North Ridge Chair does not run at north and slide brook chair only runs on holidays and weekends, except for Fridays in peak season.

Yes, unfortunately, that is the case. SB started doing that at the beginning of last year. They pointed to Stowe as the example and said something like "the current trend in lift ticket prices is to not differentiate between midweek and weekend prices."

I agree with you that I think that practice sucks for all the reasons stated (same terrain and lifts not necessarily open midweek). I guess the only consolation is that you won't have to deal with the crowds midweek (although SB is not really that crowded on weekends anyway except during holiday periods).

SB also points to the reduced price for a Mount Ellen-only daily ticket ($48 or something) and that on Wednesdays during mid-season, a Mount Ellen-only ticket is $25.

I still don't like the practice.

I agree that this practice sucks! Especially for those who ski mid-week a few times a year. They offer the sugarcard that will allow you reduced mid week rates:

$59 (one-time membership fee) gets you…


SAVINGS- UP TO 25% DISCOUNT ON LIFT TICKETS!
Special Midweek rates for Sugarcard holders only! Ski or Ride the entire mountain for just:
$49 midweek/non-holiday
$55 weekends/holidays
Save up to $14/day! No blackout dates!

I would be pi$$ed if I bought a full price ticket and had to ride the damn shuttle bus over to ME. If they charge full price midweek then run the interconnect!

Get the Sugarcard for 49 midweek / 55 weekend tix - pretty sweet deal & no blackout dates

Got mine free a couple years back (some dopey firends I tiold to do same never did - - doooohhh!)

Now a $59 1-time fee to get card - - still a great deal

Yep...whatever Stowe is doing, SB does. It's kinda like the rate increase idea...Stowe makes you think that if they are the most expensive then they MUST be the best.

Quote:

I would be pi$$ed if I bought a full price ticket and had to ride the damn shuttle bus over to ME.

If you want to ski North, buy the Mount Ellen ticket.

It will save you $16.

If you want to ski South, the cost of the Sugarcard will pay back in 7 weekend days, and even quicker if you ski midweek.

boze wrote:

Get the Sugarcard for 49 midweek / 55 weekend tix - pretty sweet deal & no blackout dates Got mine free a couple years back (some dopey firends I tiold to do same never did - - doooohhh!) Now a $59 1-time fee to get card - - still a great deal

Well I already have a Smuggs season pass, Mad card and can get free Jay tickets, so I won't be skiing at the Bush too much. The plan is to go on the Fridays when the Point is there and ski for half price - other than that it's out of my price range right now.

They're always out there.

Still, can't argue with the Smuggs pass. Did quite a bit of skiing there.

It is a fun place.

The Bush has always charged the same for mid week and weekend. When I worked there I mentioned that this was wrong many times. Your always trying to get people to ski during the week. In the late 90's they did have a cheap Wednesday at Mt Ellen only and now you can ski just Mt Ellen for less.

There are many off site ticket locations, they are listed on the website, where you get discounted tickets, usually about 10 bucks off. Last year they were $52 bucks even good for holidays.

I have on main problem with the Mt. Ellen pass. When I ski at North, I like to go into Slidebrook. The problem is that when you come out, the shuttle always takes you to South. There isn't really anywhere to wait for a shuttle to take you back to North. If I took the shuttle back to South and then waited and went back to North again, there goes 45 minutes of my day. If I'm paying for a lift ticket, that's unacceptable.

ski_resort_observer wrote:

The Bush has always charged the same for mid week and weekend. When I worked there I mentioned that this was wrong many times. Your always trying to get people to ski during the week. In the late 90's they did have a cheap Wednesday at Mt Ellen only and now you can ski just Mt Ellen for less.

I think either 2 or 3 years ago, perhaps when the new owners first took over, they charged different prices for midweek and weekend. Perhaps that was after you stopped working there?

skibum1321 wrote:

I have on main problem with the Mt. Ellen pass. When I ski at North, I like to go into Slidebrook. The problem is that when you come out, the shuttle always takes you to South. There isn't really anywhere to wait for a shuttle to take you back to North. If I took the shuttle back to South and then waited and went back to North again, there goes 45 minutes of my day. If I'm paying for a lift ticket, that's unacceptable.

Is it too secret to ask where you could enter Slidebrook from North? I've heard it's possible but never done it. Perhaps by the top of Lower FIS? I took the tour (from South at the top of Morningstar) a couple years ago, and then last season went in a couple of times with friends from the same place the tour went. We stuck to the beaten path (some tracks, marked trees), because I didn't want to get stuck at the bottom not being able to cross the river, or come out somewhere away from where the shuttle stops or anything. If you go in at North, is there also a way to get down to ensure you won't get lost?

kcyanks1 wrote:

skibum1321 wrote: I have on main problem with the Mt. Ellen pass. When I ski at North, I like to go into Slidebrook. The problem is that when you come out, the shuttle always takes you to South. There isn't really anywhere to wait for a shuttle to take you back to North. If I took the shuttle back to South and then waited and went back to North again, there goes 45 minutes of my day. If I'm paying for a lift ticket, that's unacceptable. Is it too secret to ask where you could enter Slidebrook from North? I've heard it's possible but never done it. Perhaps by the top of Lower FIS? I took the tour (from South at the top of Morningstar) a couple years ago, and then last season went in a couple of times with friends from the same place the tour went. We stuck to the beaten path (some tracks, marked trees), because I didn't want to get stuck at the bottom not being able to cross the river, or come out somewhere away from where the shuttle stops or anything. If you go in at North, is there also a way to get down to ensure you won't get lost?

I'd rather not talk about it on the boards for the world to see and the way I go in is usually kind of hard to find. I'll be going to the Bush on a couple of Fridays this year. If you could make it up either of those days I would be more than happy to show you the light.

Just pointing out there is a handy thing called a private messages on this forum...

Just thought I'd mention that.