How do you measure a resorts worth?

This is a bit anal but my old home field has recently been taken over money hungry businessmen who all live somewhere else and prefer an expensive lunch to skiing. I want to find a way to measure the new cost vs. what it buys. I'm pretty sure this'll end up the most expensive ski field in the world.

This is what I've got so far - Multiply the number of seats available on lifts by the number of days the resort is open = amount x. Then divide the cost of a season pass by amount x?

I know terrain plays a role but that's hard/impossible to quantify.

So, without getting to prickly - any thoughts?

(Oh, and - apologies for the introducing maths into your day.) Ta

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Originally Posted by jerr

I know terrain plays a role but that's hard/impossible to quantify.

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Flat boring terrain = 0

Steeps and chutes = 10

terrain is everything.

If it's got an on-mountain restaurant that serves some kind of game on a pizza it's got to be good.

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Originally Posted by Core Shot

terrain is everything.

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I see what you mean.

Over 40% of this particular field is advanced terrain (over 40% int). It has good steeps and chutes. So perhaps we could keep the comparisons to fields with similar descriptions? That could work around the unquanifiable qualities?

what field in kiwi land are you talking about?

my vote for sick terrain, good patrol that gets shit done quick on big days without an attitude. also summer trail work in the main traffic areas and good snow management in main areas to keep the snow lasting through closing day....esp in kiwi land where that snowpack can be well.....thin.

Yes, terrain
And, above all (in Yurp) : Image in the UK...

number of hours open minus average time in liftline = x

Traditionally business are valued by their gross revenues and by their net profit. In different industries there are ratios/%s that the market values individual business by.

Apparently here in the US all that has gone out the window in that the real money making opportunity is all in the real estate. So divide your local place by how many condos/vacation mansions you can put there X the average cost less the cost of developing = how much your home resort is going to be worth to the 3 martini lunch guys.

turns per hour per day multiplied by snow quality, terrain, and smiles (can all be negative numbers) divided by cartime spent getting there and waiting in liftlines...skinning is even money but faceshots count double

I usually shoot just under par, which is good...

biggest variables in the equation are snow quantity and snow quality (not necessarily equal weighting).

Without snow we're hiking!

by height...

I don't worry about it, I let SKI magazine make all my decisions for me.

Goats vs. Sheep for trail maintenance.

10 - 12 times there annual revenue. This is used as a "general" guide in Realestate.

Of course there are many other things that can bring the price up or down.

I measure a resorts worth the same way I measure sunsets, dogs, love and burnt kitchen utensils.

Stop over intellectualizing. Look inside.

If you want to value it as a business, figure out the present value of anticipated future cashflows. If you want to figure out its value to a skier, I have no idea. Just depends on how much you like it.

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Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

I measure a resorts worth the same way I measure sunsets, dogs, love and burnt kitchen utensils.

Stop over intellectualizing. Look inside.

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I like this take on life.

I do add a few points for pow, though a resort really can't do anything to improve the weather.

There is no way to quantify what you want. Different things have different value to different people. Some people value a resort by the ability to buy an expensive lunch, and get a massage, hence the Beaver creeks, and Vails of the world. To others it is all about terrain, back country access, what ever, and that is why Silverton exists.

If you are bean counter in todays ski market, then it is all about realestate.

Glades, I like glades.

I like to feel like Luke cruising through the Ewok forest on a flying motorcycle.

Seriously, I like big old trees, Larch, Spruce, Doug fir. And I like them to have a canopy, and I like them to face North, so the sun never shines and the snow piles up in huge piles day after day, then the wind blows and more snow falls out of the trees, yeah, I like that. And I like them steep. Then if the resort has easy access open boundary bc hiking with more killer glades that are OB and never get racked out and go on forever, that's good too.

And a few steep chutes here and there are cool too.

I'd liken it to something close to golf course slope/rating. Slope would take into account terrain, obstacles and the "sphincter" factor (verts, pitch, terrain features, etc...) and maybe ratio of groomers. Rating would be the intangibles, asthetics, and - lift line waits, scenic views, food options, etc...

The highest cost resort (to ski, that is) must be the Yellowstone Club. 2200 acres with 235 members. From this article:

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Those invited to join must pay a $250,000 (pounds 141,000) initiation fee (ultimately refunded) and membership dues of $16,000 per year. They must also buy a property on the site. The cheapest deal currently on offer would be a one-acre building plot costing about $2m.

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Personally I value short lines, decent terrain, and minimal hassle over on-mountain dining and high fashion. Loveland would probably get my highest "valuation".