JohnE Posted January 5 Report Share Posted January 5 (edited) Interesting article: https://slate.com/business/2023/12/epic-versus-ikon-ski-duopoly-cost.html I used to think that Vail was nirvana (back in the 70's 80's and 90's). Not anymore. This article spells it out. I still go there for a few days each season to meet up with my college buddies but the riding pretty much sucks. Their uphill capacity is so huge that the lift lines aren't bad but the slopes are CROWDED! They list their "groomed" runs but they may not have been groomed in many days. Epic and Ikon have hyped the "experience" so much and they get people to make their choice in September about which pass they are going to buy. All of those people just cruise right past our little ski area and head toward the big resorts to the west. I hope the hoards never discover our little old ski area. Edited January 5 by JohnE Updates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carvin' Marvin Posted January 5 Report Share Posted January 5 I hope that author has plenty of cheese to go with his whine. I agree Vail sucks something awful. I've never had fun there and neither will anyone else. Stay away for your own sake. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted January 5 Report Share Posted January 5 I made reasonable use of an Ikon pass in 2023, but I had an extra advantage, I'm in New Zealand. A 2023 Ikon pass could be bought early and used for up to 7 days total during either the 2022 or 2023 seasons at NZ Ski resorts (Hutt, Coronet, Remarkables) I was also planning a trip to MCC for Feb 2023 with side servings of Aspen and Revelstoke. So I got my money's worth out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnE Posted January 5 Author Report Share Posted January 5 A skier friend lives in Edwards - just west of Vail. He is the biggest Vail booster I know. His wife has worked part time for Vail Associates long enough for them to earn lifetime passes. They have skied about 50 days a year for the last 30 years. He is so disgusted with the situation that they are considering a move out of state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan Posted January 5 Report Share Posted January 5 I'm a fan of the Indy Pass: https://www.indyskipass.com/ Support local ski areas. Less crowds, less attitude, less money, more parking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Job Posted January 6 Report Share Posted January 6 (edited) The problem is, it's too affordable. The passes really need to be 2k+ a pop. Almost anyone with a pulse in a white collar job is coming out of the gate ~150K/yr in Colorado. And if you have some sort of work ethic, you are hitting those numbers in a wide variety of professions or just getting a higher income. Add to the fact most Gen Z+ are financially illiterate and normalize spending near paycheck to paycheck with little put away in pre-tax havens. 150K/yr is ~106K take home after taxes, or 8.8K/month. Let's make it ridiculous. 1. I deserve it, YOLO. 4K rent. 2. 1K month car payment, because YOLO and I deserve it. 3. 2K month on restaurants, doordash, groceries, YOLO!!!!! 4. 7K spent, I have 1.8K left... What else do I spend money on? Oh yeah travel! YOLO!!!!!! Omg the Epic pass is only 600, 700, 800. whatever, YOLO! OMG I'm so loaded. I can live like a millionaire with my 150K income. Edited January 7 by Odd Job 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted January 6 Report Share Posted January 6 At most participating resorts Ikon gives 7 days riding. At only a few did it provide a season pass. To make the most of a pass we had to travel, and for many of the possible resorts the accommodation costs were eye-watering. My suspicion is that part of the reason the pass prices are relatively low is that the passes are a loss leader, to get people spending at the resorts, and that there may be some sort of background distribution of costs between the ski field operators and the accommodation and hospitality operators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st_lupo Posted January 6 Report Share Posted January 6 Really miss the Colorado of the 90s, and I'm glad that I moved when I did. Is the ratio of gapers to capable people getting worse too? @JohnELittle ski areas are the best, and you need to keep them hidden from the hordes! Screw the luxury experience, just go and ride. If you are lucky they serve chili in addition to french fries in the cafeteria. I've been able to choose to live in a small town with a small ski area within a 10 minute drive. Today it started at -28C so the chairlift wasn't running, only a t-bar that runs from bottom to top was open and most everybody indoors next to a fireplace. On the first two runs, it was only a ski-patroller and me on the mountain, and I got first tracks both times. Beautiful sunrise, perfect chalk snow and decent grooming. The only downside is that at these temperatures the snow is ssslllooowww without a decent pitch. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Job Posted January 6 Report Share Posted January 6 Colorado Front Range is where people who couldn't cut it in a real city like LA/NYC come for a lower cost of living. Because most get close to 0 days in the mountains overall. I mean close to 0 days west of Denver for the entire year, winter/summer/fall/spring combined. So you get some of the worst city-rats infesting CO, with some making their way to the mountains. For a city-brat getting under 50 days a year, It simply makes more sense to earn a big income in an actual city and enjoy world-class city amenities. Then drop 30-40K in several ski areas of your choosing for the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnE Posted January 6 Author Report Share Posted January 6 St_Lupo - The experience you describe and the photos look wonderful. A year and a half ago we did a cruise up the west coast of Norway up to Honningsvag and down the coast through Tromso and Lofoten during the summer solstice. What a beautiful country! The little non-corporate ski areas are the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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