Ikon Pass

[Benny Profane]

They make grand plans and talk a big came about ski season and then just never go.

I don't think collectively people will ski more days, they will just have more and better options. Based on the conditions, the good days could be busier at the favored locations.

Yup. Its a zero sum game. You're not buying more days, you're buying options.

[AlpineKevin]

IKON Pass with an AltaBird pass will do it for me this year.

[TAFKALVS]

If Ikon added 1 more PNW resort I think I could convince myself to buy one.

[jackattack]

IKON Pass with an AltaBird pass will do it for me this year.

I would hope so.

[powdork]

They are teasing more, we'll see what else they have up their sleeves.
Locally, I still don't think it moves the masses over from Epic, especially with the CB addition and Telluride days.
I guess it's all good, but it does further devalue lift tickets to the non Ikon/Epic hills.

Hope the dice come up Sierra at Tahoe!

[MMMSKI]

Ikon pass changing Boyne New England resorts (Loon, Sunday River, Sugarloaf) to 5-7 days at each area will make a difference for us New Englanders who plan to use it for a ski trip as well

[jskunsa]

They've really increased the value of the pass since april

[jacob_dbu]

They've really increased the value of the pass since april

I'm pretty annoyed by that to be honest. I hate how they dance marginally lower prices in front of you and then change the details throughout the year. I pull the trigger on the Mountain Collective and then they added a bunch more resorts.

[TahoeJ]

I'm pretty annoyed by that to be honest. I hate how they dance marginally lower prices in front of you and then change the details throughout the year. I pull the trigger on the Mountain Collective and then they added a bunch more resorts.

I think you meant to post this in the First World Problems thread.

[neufox47]

To people talking about the impact on ski area profits, Ive analyzed several large and small ski areas. Fixed costs are the vast majority of their expenses. There are a fair amount of expenses when they decide to open for the day. But variable expenses that are skier visit related are extremely minimal and mostly related to COGS. For most resorts whether they have 500 or 5,000 people may only result in a 2-4% increase in costs, excluding COGS (food, merch,etc).

[gregL]

If Ikon added 1 more PNW resort I think I could convince myself to buy one.

Adding Crystal today, I believe . . .

[summit]

How long before these smaller resorts realize it's not worth the commitment of being on these passes? It lessens the value of their own season passes, and they'll get such a small cut of the Ikon Pass revenue that they'll be kicking themselves in a year or two. But you know, the grass is always greener.

A different question is how long are the partnership contracts?

[wolfelot]

Crystal was added. I just received the email. This is crazy.

[Danno]

Crystal is unlimited. That's huge.

[PNWbrit]

Crystal was added. I just received the email. This is crazy.

Crystal is being bought by Alterra.

[TAFKALVS]

Adding Crystal today, I believe . . .

Crystal was added. I just received the email. This is crazy.

Yeah, unlimited access! Pretty nuts. Wish Crystal was a tad bit closer to me...

This whole thing is shaping up to be a pretty major Vail vs. Alterra battle... I wonder how many of the remaining independent ski areas will get bought up by one or the other?

[PNWbrit]

unlimited access!

Awesome! More people skiing on reciprocal pass benefits will only make the experience better!

Give me a shout if you get down there.

[Name Redacted]

Interesting. Where's all the money for these acquisitions coming from?

What's funny is people cheering on Alterra as the anti-Vail and Vail=the devil, but Alterra has yet to prove themselves as anything more than another monopolistic corporation that exists solely to maximise investor returns. At least you know that that is what you get with Vail as they have a track record to look at. Alterra is an unknown at this point.

What happens when either company starts struggling, gets over leveraged and has to start closing the resorts because they put everyone who they could have sold them to out of business?

Enjoy it while it lasts folks!

This season should be pretty interesting to see how it all shakes out.

[2FUNKY]

I wish any of them were close to me. Damn.

[TAFKALVS]

Awesome! More people skiing on reciprocal pass benefits will only make the experience better!

Give me a shout if you get down there.

I'm sure Stevens being on the Epic Pass will vastly improve the experience there as well.

Yeah, I'm in a real quandary now - how many trips to Crystal would I end up making if I got the Ikon? Could/would it be worth it? Also, is Alterra going to shut down RV parking at Crystal?

[TahoeJ]

What's funny is people cheering on Alterra as the anti-Vail and Vail=the devil, but Alterra has yet to prove themselves as anything more than another monopolistic corporation that exists solely to maximise investor returns. At least you know that that is what you get with Vail as they have a track record to look at. Alterra is an unknown at this point.

Well, let me give you a Tahoe perspective, since it's one of the major battlegrounds between these companies. Alterra (aka KSL) have kept lifts turning at Squaw into late May and June, moving snow around to stay open as long as possible (I have other issues with them for sure, but this is undeniably true). Vail, on the other hand, shut down Kirkwood on April 7th last season despite it having the second highest elevation of any resort in the area and a solid base after a huge March. Fuck Vail.

[PNWbrit]

Also, is Alterra going to shut down RV parking at Crystal?

I very much doubt it at least not straight out of the gate.

[TAFKALVS]

Interesting. Where's all the money for these acquisitions coming from?

What's funny is people cheering on Alterra as the anti-Vail and Vail=the devil, but Alterra has yet to prove themselves as anything more than another monopolistic corporation that exists solely to maximise investor returns. At least you know that that is what you get with Vail as they have a track record to look at. Alterra is an unknown at this point.

What happens when either company starts struggling, gets over leveraged and has to start closing the resorts because they put everyone who they could have sold them to out of business?

Enjoy it while it lasts folks!

This season should be pretty interesting to see how it all shakes out.

I sincerely hope in the short term that it means vastly improved lift infrastructure and terrain at some of these ski areas that have been independent or badly managed. Stevens Pass has serious overcrowding issues and has had a MDP approved for 3 new lifts and a big expansion of intermediate terrain which is badly needed. That MDP has been approved since 2007. Other than open a small bike park and replacing a fixed grip quad with a high-speed lift (that wasn't really needing a replacement) they haven't done anything on the MDP.

Vail resorts has already started doing improvements since buying Stevens, including rebuilding a lift unload station that had been neglected for years. The rumor mill in town is that Vail plans to do a lot of work on the MDP.

Long Term, who knows.

[detrusor]

To bored or lazy to look but are there any Oregon resorts?


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[Norseman]

Crystal is being bought by Alterra.

Huh. Didn't expect that move. JK has only owned it for a little while... probably turning a big profit with the flip. Will he hang in with a Mtn Ops cap?