Crystal Mountain Becomes Alterra

[optics]

As I understand from Crystal's facebook posts, Ikon pass holders will still be able to buy non-Ikon pass holders day lift tickets on weekends from the window, and get a 25% discount on those tickets. Ikon base pass holders can do this 8 times a season. So I'm not sure Crystal claiming they are not selling weekend day tickets is really going to change anything? Majority of skiers on the hill are Ikon pass. Then everyone who pre-buys ticktes (as in the night before), or has corporate vouchers, 5 packs, ect., still gets to ski weekends. And if you don't fit into any of those categories and want to ski just shoulder tap someone, offer them a $20, and have them use one of their friends and family discounts.

I called them to clarify (I am headed there with family this coming weekend, and that family does not have a pass...). As you said, they're allowing ikon holders to buy their buddy pass (or whatever they call it). But they are not selling tickets at the window, and they are already closing down some days for advance tickets (for example you cannot buy a ticket for this saturday...no advance web tickets, no window tickets).

I like the intent of diminishing crowds. Closing off window sales and limiting advance ticket sales could make for a hilariously problematic dynamic for people traveling in to ski there, who didn't buy advance tickets, and don't have an Ikon pass. Maybe that's a small enough demographic to not matter much in the end.

But imagine buying a plane ticket, prepaying lodging, etc - and then they won't sell you a ticket when you show up.

[Toadman]

Looks like Boise/Bogus Basin is having some of the same parking issues as Crystal.

https://unofficialnetworks.com/2020/...Uq45FYDS5l7XAU

It's all the people moving from CA to Boise. Apparently they all ski...

[californiagrown]

I called them to clarify (I am headed there with family this coming weekend, and that family does not have a pass...). As you said, they're allowing ikon holders to buy their buddy pass (or whatever they call it). But they are not selling tickets at the window, and they are already closing down some days for advance tickets (for example you cannot buy a ticket for this saturday...no advance web tickets, no window tickets).

I like the intent of diminishing crowds. Closing off window sales and limiting advance ticket sales could make for a hilariously problematic dynamic for people traveling in to ski there, who didn't buy advance tickets, and don't have an Ikon pass. Maybe that's a small enough demographic to not matter much in the end.

But imagine buying a plane ticket, prepaying lodging, etc - and then they won't sell you a ticket when you show up.

Still doesnt say anywhere on the website a layperson would look that they arent selling tickets at the window. they need to update this asap on the frontpage, as well as the buy lift tickets page.

[jrredho]

But imagine buying a plane ticket, prepaying lodging, etc - and then they won't sell you a ticket when you show up.

Imagine doing that and then try to get to a ski area with no parking and only a (somewhat) costly option (if not already completely booked) to shuttle up the hill from Enumclaw.

Hell, man, the transportation options for ski areas in WA really suck. In NM, if you advance-buy a Railrunner train ticket to Santa Fe, you can fly into Albuquerque, take a free shuttle to the downtown train station, train to SF, and take free public transportation from SF to Red River, Angel Fire, and Taos. In SF and Taos, you can even take town-to-ski area shuttles from the same outfit. (RideThe BlueBus.com)

Best of luck to all of you WAers,!

john

[icecoastpow]

No signage on the website, but day tickets are not available for Saturday 1/18 or Sunday 1/19 online anymore...

[californiagrown]

No signage on the website, but day tickets are not available for Saturday 1/18 or Sunday 1/19 online anymore...

"oh, they must be having problems with the website, ill just grab them at the window on saturday"...

[jrredho]

Well, you can't blame that on the mainstream Ikon Pass holder; they are blacked out for this weekend.

john

[CHAIR_97]

Well, you can't blame that on the mainstream Ikon Pass holder; they are blacked out for this weekend.

john

I'm pretty sure there's no blackout dates for Crystal

Sent from my I3123 using Tapatalk

[ptavv]

Well, you can't blame that on the mainstream Ikon Pass holder; they are blacked out for this weekend.

john

Incomprehensibly Ikon base blackout dates only apply to Squaw, Mammoth/June, and Solitude

[altasnob]

I'm confused and too lazy to call them to figure this out. On the Ikon pass website, it tells Ikon base customers they have 8 "friends & family discounts" (25% off window rate) at "all Ikon Pass destinations (except Zermatt) during the 19/20 season." I beleive that in order to use this discount you must buy the ticket from the window on the day you plan to use it because I am not sure how you would input your Ikon pass (and they would keep track of your 8 discounts) using the website in advance. So now Crystal is saying you can't use friends and family discount at the window on weekends any more? Seems like a legit lawsuit against Alterra if that is the case. Some would argue that one of reasons they bought the Ikon pass was for this discount, and now the discount is being taken away from them. I personally don't care one way or another but I could see how this could piss some Ikon customers off. They're apparently still letting people with founders club discounts buy tickets on weekends.

[optics]

They aren't saying that. At the window they'll sell you an ikon friend ticket (at the discounted rate). But that's the only way they'l sell you a ticket at the window.

[PNWbrit]

"oh, they must be having problems with the website, ill just grab them at the window on saturday"...

What a complete and utter clusterfuck.

Send this goon GM back to Clownshoe WV.

[Afkpuz]

yeah I guess I'm cautiously optimistic about what they said with stepping up the shuttle busing at least... pretty small timeframe to get a lot together but it's not like they're not making money up there.

[PNWbrit]

Was talking with a (non-skier) buddy about this mayhem and he brought up a seattle-specific X factor... how many of these passes were issued from XYZ tech company as performance bonuses or whatever? It would make a lot of sense if Alterra is doing some B2B salesmanship. The company buying gets a discounted rate, the employee gets a ski pass (in lieu of an actual check, pretty classic move,) everyone wins, etc.

This was the first proper ikon year, so that is a big factor, but the pass was around last year, and 300% more this year is a pretty astounding number if that's what it is. Ikon was the better deal but it's still kinda mind-boggling when I step back and think about it for five minutes. I mean generally the area doesn't have the infrastructure for the population, and this is a microcosm of that, but still... makes ya think I guess.

For fuck sake. Delete this in case they haven't thought of it yet.

[phatty]

Was talking with a (non-skier) buddy about this mayhem and he brought up a seattle-specific X factor... how many of these passes were issued from XYZ tech company as performance bonuses or whatever? It would make a lot of sense if Alterra is doing some B2B salesmanship. The company buying gets a discounted rate, the employee gets a ski pass (in lieu of an actual check, pretty classic move,) everyone wins, etc.

Definitely did not happen at Amazon, nor could I see it happening. We don't even get Prime free.

[PNWbrit]

Friday, Saturday & Sunday sold out.

It will be interesting to see what difference this makes.

I hope the glass at the ticket windows is toughened... going to be some irate punters up there.

[optics]

Guessing they’d have to tax it to avoid creating payroll tax exemption exposure? Probably negating any savings for the employee.

Alterra could offer direct favorable rates to employees of orgs who negotiate that...along the lines of their silly college pass sales channel. But guessing they won’t go there.

[optics]

hope the glass at the ticket windows is toughened... going to be some irate punters up there.

Seriously.

When I called earlier it was like they hadn’t considered that. I got put on hold and then told that “marketing will have to work something out”. I don’t envy those marketing folks come next Tuesday.

[ridinshockgun]

I hope the glass at the ticket windows is toughened... going to be some irate punters up there.

it is going to happen.... and even the calmest most collected person will morph into an animal after getting up at 5, driving to Crystal, parking, walking up to the ticket window and being told no. It doesn't matter how much they try to publicize it.

[PNWbrit]

Seriously.

When I called earlier it was like they hadn’t considered that. I got put on hold and then told that “marketing will have to work something out”. I don’t envy those marketing folks come next Tuesday.

They haven't been able to adequately communicate that lots were full to some people... how the fuck they explain to that same demographic that "yes we're a ski area, but no you can't by a ticket today" is beyond me.

[Danno]

It seems like the "lots are full" phenomenon is more widespread than I realized. Started to browse this thread, now I am subscribing so I can get updates on the impending shitshow.

[concretejungle]

It seems like the "lots are full" phenomenon is more widespread than I realized. Started to browse this thread, now I am subscribing so I can get updates on the impending shitshow.

Oh yeah, this doesn’t have the potential that the I-70 thread does but it’s a good one.

[wordbird]

Quick question: Have lots ever been completely full in Snoqualmie?

Like to the point where they couldn't even shuttle the excess Hyak/Alpy capacity to the main areas? I understand that the shuttles could not logistically handle more than like 100 or 200 at Summit... But that besides the point. Seems like an accident or a traffic jam will be created before this could happen, and last long enough @ summit that people will start leaving at noon to make room for late the crowd getting late there/waiting in the jam or behind the accident.

[oftpiste]

You forgot to mention that people are passing you because you're driving 20 MPH on 410 on dry pavement.

Leaving Seattle at 4am usually keeps me at the front of the pack except for the people passing me but they are usually out of sight within seconds so the traffic has been fine for me. I just wish that last 6 miles was a wider road because I never know where I will get stuck and need to install the tire chains but at least that process is faster now I am quite proud to be nearing 30 minutes elapsed time and I always have 4 people in the car so 3 can push to get us going again and we can park at the front lot so it all works out quite well.

[AK47bp]

Whoosh.