Season Passes or Lift Tickets?

[kinpa]

Just wondering.... do most of you ride at the same mountain most of the time and buy a season pass? Or do you buy lift tickets and go to many different mountains?

[slopetool]

Im going to have a problem with time management this season. While trying to hold down a 4 day a week job, with overtime occassionally, I've bought a few season passes. I've already bought an Unlimited Season Pass to Mt. Hood Meadows. And a weekday plus pass at Timberline. And I'm working on getting a group rate for a season pass at Mt. Hood Ski Bowl. And I plan on buying an Express pass at Mt. Bachelor and a 5 day pass to save a few $$.

I hope to use each pass during certain times of the week, night riding and Springtime. And I hope to do some travelling outside Oregon too. My job will suffer this season and the ass-kissing is already in full swing to the bosses. Then there is my wife. She loves to snowboard too. But now her attention in on updating our furniture and light fixtures. I'm trying to do all I can around the house until the season starts and save my money. Help!!!!

Ed

[Galen]

I bounce around a lot, last year 10 different areas. I usually stay in motels ( there's usually 5 of us) and look for places that offer discounted tickets with your stay, usually on par with what you'd pay if you had a pass.

[Guest]

Thankfully for me, my season's pass is good for four different mountains, all with totally different terrain.

[Pat Donnelly]

Season pass for the local hill 3 miles from home and discount passes for the destination resorts:

Colorado . . .

http://www.aspensnowmass.com/classicpass/

http://www.skiloveland.com/shopNew/page/season_pass.htm#4paks

Anyone going to Big Sky Jan 2nd - 6th?

And for Boyne Country (Northern lower Michigan)

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Frequent Skier/Rider Card

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=table>$50 (Limited time offer) SKI FREE January 2-6, 2006(8)</TD></TR><TR><TD class=table height=69>Save $10 per lift ticket purchase at Boyne Mountain, MI or Boyne Highlands, MI and Big Sky, MT. One card per person, non-transferable.Valid during all holiday periods. Good for Adult, Junior and Senior lift tickets. Not valid with other discounts, multi-day or ski & splash ticket purchases. Cards are available at Bloomfield Hills, Novi, Traverse City and Petoskey http://www.boynecountrysports.com/

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[ARCrider]

two season passes this year

one for my little home hill and another for CopperMt Colo. The Copper pass was cheaper than my local membership at MtKirby(315'vt). Planning two visits to Colorado this winter(Dec. and Feb)

[skatha]

My dream is to be able to buy a season pass. Heck, they usually aren't much more than a week's worth of individual lift tickets.

Riding is still a treat rather than a regular staple...

A few years ago, Frontier offered unlimited flying to Denver and season passes to some nearby resort for $2500 per person. Then, my problem was having two little kids.....

[nekdut]

At $450 for an unrestricted pass, versus $70-73 per day at my usual mountain (Mammoth), it was an easy choice for me. I should have no problem getting my money's worth before the new year.

[Daneille]

We get season passes too. Mt. Rose, great carving mountain, $299 full pass with a few blackout dates. It is even good Christmas day

Daneille

[Ray]

Thankfully for me, my season's pass is good for four different mountains, all with totally different terrain.

Same pass here. And I can't wait any longer :(

[jdgang]

None of those apply to me. Mountain Creek has a tirple play card for the price of one lift ticket you get to ride three times. After that you can add an extra day onto it for 25$

[DrCR]

Jim Callen, I've always thought of CO as the powder captial of the world - but therefore not really the place for carvers but rather, softies.

Where's the CO place for serious carving action? Enlighten me. :D

Me, travel all over and only get lift tickets since I can only board ~3 days per year. Like skatha, riding is a treat rather than the norm.

[LeeW]

Jim Callen, I've always thought of CO as the powder captial of the world - but therefore not really the place for carvers but rather, softies.

Where's the CO place for serious carving action? Enlighten me. :D

Me, travel all over and only get lift tickets since I can only board ~3 days per year. Like skatha, riding is a treat rather than the norm.

powder captial? I'd point to Mt Baker, without question asked. Hardbooter is next to non-existant up there.

Co -- Beaver Creek and Aspen area.

Back to topic, season pass hands down, allt he way, whether thru work or purchase.

[AndyYT316]

powder captial? I'd point to Mt Baker, without question asked. Hardbooter is next to non-existant up there.

Co -- Beaver Creek and Aspen area.

Back to topic, season pass hands down, allt he way, whether thru work or purchase.

I thought about applying for a job at Baker, just so I could stay at their employee housing and get a free pass there. I love that mtn, and powder days are great. Maybe they'll even get snow this year!

[Guest]

Yeah, the pow rocks here in CO, and I love it, but that also makes for the perfect groomed runs as well. Albeit I don't usually stay on them. It's funny. I'm not much of a carver, as an all mountain kinda guy. Carving just kinda happens when I'm riding.

[Jon Dahl]

powder captial? I'd point to Mt Baker, without question asked. Hardbooter is next to non-existant up there.

I exist up here just fine! Once in a while I go up there, too. Funny thing is how many locals up here know what hardboots are for, esp. mountain management. I normally ride at Stevens Pass, though, and bought a limited seasons pass there for the upcoming season. Used it once at the end of last season and only need to go 3 more times for the break even. I do plan on using it a LOT more than that! I already feel a sick day coming on!

[LeeW]

I exist up here just fine! Once in a while I go up there, too. Funny thing is how many locals up here know what hardboots are for, esp. mountain management. I normally ride at Stevens Pass, though, and bought a limited seasons pass there for the upcoming season. Used it once at the end of last season and only need to go 3 more times for the break even. I do plan on using it a LOT more than that! I already feel a sick day coming on!

You must be a rare dude spotted there. Yea, the howatt (spelling?) family are great snowboard-supporter. I wonder if they're havin' another Mt Baker Banked Slalom this year, considering the horrendous winter season last year? Ahhh.. Steven's Pass. I really liked that place. I long to return to Washington (if i can afford it, go back to queen anne) but I dont know how long it'll be before that actually happens. I definitly would like to check out Mission Ridge and their "lost plane" from WW2, if it exists there? U happen to know Ryan McDonald? he's from that area.

oh yea -- "-cough- hey boss, i caught a hb virus -cough-" "a what?" "a new virus called hb." "oh ok" -click- "-snicker- that was hardboot = hb."

[big mario]

I have the loveland pass, colorado pass, and I am going to pick up the Aspen classic pass later this week. There are some sceaming deals for front range riders/skiers. The above passes will give me unlimited at Lovey, keystone, a-basin, and breck, 10 days at vail/beaver creek,and 4 at aspen for less than 750 bucks. It would be nice if I didn't have to work...

mario

[Guest]

Let me know when you head down to aspen, we can go riding.

[Allee]

The season pass prices there are insane. The best we can do here is about $549 to the end of Sept at Sunshine, and $799 after that.

I can only manage 10-15 days a season and I like to travel around as well, there's some great deals to be had on weekend packages here, and with 10 good resorts within a 4 hour drive it's a lot of fun to get out of the city for the weekend.

So I'm a day pass girl - but I make sure I get the Sunshine card (1st, 3rd and 7th day free with $14 a day off any other time) and the Louise card (same deal, but at five ski areas, although the weekend packages to Fernie/Kimberley are often better).

[Ernie00]

I have a seasons pass at a local hill (Mont St-Sauveur) www.mssi.ca

It's fairely cheap 159.00$ Canadian for 7 days a week night skiing from 3 pm but they don't really check so you can go early. Also with this pass you have access to all their mountains (5 mountains in the same area). Nothing big but it's not far.

To go in eastern VT (Stowe, sugarbush, killington) I go with an organised club. The price for the day bus+lift ticket is cheaper than just buying the ticket if I go by myself. Bonus is, you can sleep on the way there + you can drink a few cold ones on the way back ! :) No stress.

Ernie

[ak_rider]

Mtn employee-instructor. so free season passes, and if i want to go somewhere else I usually get a discount or comp ticket for being a cert instructor and being employed at a mtn. Helps make the crappy pay worth it

[Jon Dahl]

You must be a rare dude spotted there. Yea, the howatt (spelling?) family are great snowboard-supporter. I wonder if they're havin' another Mt Baker Banked Slalom this year Yeah, Jeff Greenwood has his spot reserved for it, too.

oh yea -- "-cough- hey boss, i caught a hb virus -cough-" "a what?" "a new virus called hb." "oh ok" -click- "-snicker- that was hardboot = hb."

That is the virus I get when the work assigned to me sucks.

[Guest Randy S.]

I get a season pass at Alpine Meadows. My kids do ski "team" there and get in about 25 days (I have them on alternate weekends). I get about 35-40 days at Alpine. I also end up going to 4-5 additional Tahoe-Area mountains during the season. I'll ride 1-2 days at each. They are Kirkwood, Squaw, Northstar, Homewood and Heavenly. We have races at those places so I'll go there for the races and get discounted lift tickets. The only downside to having a season pass is the feeling that you are locked in to that one mountain for all your riding. It makes it difficult to justify making a trip somewhere (SES) just to ride. Oh well, at least it is great riding! Plus my kids really dig it. My son is going to be on the freeride team this season. That means they hike (open boundary) and huck crazy little cornices and cliffs. Its a blast to ride with the little rippers. Oh, to have 11 year-old legs again! This year my son's going to have to learn to wax his own skis. That'll be fun to teach.

[Dave Pushee]

Ski Patrol Ambassador at Loon Mountain in NH.

It's an unpaid volunteer position, but comes with a season pass. At least 20 days/season working (on snow) at Loon plus several more off duty at Loon or Waterville Valley. Another 10-15 days/season at other areas using day passes.