For the first time in two years, the National Ski Areas Association recently concluded its in-person annual national convention held in Nashville. The biggest announcement for this gathering of industry professionals was the skier visit tally for the 2021-22 season. Guess WHAT!? U.S. ski areas hit an all-time-high 61 million skier visits for the 2021-22 ski season …
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Indy is at it Again and Vail Finishes Strong!
Indy Pass recently announced some major updates to its 2022-23 product line with three new downhill and two new cross-country ski areas. Indy dropped a western partner; introduced a new blackout grid; and rebranded its core pass product. New downhill partners are Bluewood, Washington; Kelly Canyon, Idaho; and Ski Sawmill, Pennsylvania. Alberta-based Marmot Basin will …
New from Indy Pass – One for XC Skiing!
Info for this article provided by Roger Lohr – Most dedicated winter sports enthusiasts are familiar with the major season passes such as Epic, Ikon, Mountain Collective and Indy Pass, among others. So far, these passes have been geared toward Alpine skiing and snowboarding. Not anymore! Make way for a new season pass specifically for …
Season Pass Chess Game: Reciprocal Programs VS “The Nationals”/What’s the Best Value?
Most in-the-know skiers and snowboarders are familiar with Ikon, Epic, Indy and The Mountain Collective. But what about the Powder Alliance, with its 16 resorts in the U.S., Canada and Japan or the the Freedom Pass, a collection of smaller size resorts in the U.S. plus one in Spain. There are various reciprocal lift ticket …
Season Pass Chess Game: Reciprocal Programs VS “The Nationals”/What’s the Best Value?Read More
Epic Raises Prices, Adds Perks and is Still Cheaper than Ikon.
Major season pass players Epic and Ikon continue to duke it out for customers but there are additional options including the Mountain Collective, Indy Pass and something called Mountain Capital Partners. More on those later. We previously looked at Ikon so it is Epic’s turn this time. Vail has increased the cost of its 2022-23 Epic …
Epic Raises Prices, Adds Perks and is Still Cheaper than Ikon.Read More
Figuring Out 2022-23 Season Pass Programs is More Complicated Than Playing Chess
Earlier this month, the Ikon Pass released its 2022-23 pass prices. The cost of an Ikon Pass went from $999 to $1,079. The discounted renewal rate is $979 (until April 21). The Ikon Base Pass went from $729 to $769 (renewal discount is $719). The Ikon Session Pass comes in two-, three-, or four-day increments. As in …
Figuring Out 2022-23 Season Pass Programs is More Complicated Than Playing ChessRead More
Curious Instagram Account Contributes to Epic Results
To say that this has been a curious winter for the ski industry is putting it mildly. Early winter challenges with making snow, lack of personnel at resorts due to Covid and low wages, and dearth of affordable housing for employees have been well documented. The staff and customer revolt at Washington state’s Stevens Pass …
Curious Instagram Account Contributes to Epic ResultsRead More
With Training Costs Averaging $500,000, Will the U.S. Ever Have Winning Ski Olympians Again?
Recently, my friend and former ski journalist Charlie Leocha (And now president of Travelers United) sent me something that made my jaw drop. It actually was more shocking than the $269 one day lift ticket at Steamboat, harder to fathom than photos of long lift lines at Vail Resort properties and more amazing than the …
The “Perfect Storm” Creates Angst for the Ski Industry
This winter may be remembered as a year of reckoning for the ski/snowboard industry. A flood of what many industry insiders consider “bad press” has been plaguing them for the better part of the season. Early on, social media posts focused on lack of terrain available and poor customer service resulting from lack of staff …
The “Perfect Storm” Creates Angst for the Ski IndustryRead More
What Do Climate Change and the 2022 Winter Olympics Have in Common?
This may be one of those odd years when one of the ski industry’s growing concerns – climate change – is merging with the Olympics. China has taken a lot of heat (no pun intended) for the way the Water Games (Feb. 4-20, 2022) are being handled and especially the Alpine ski locations. If you …
What Do Climate Change and the 2022 Winter Olympics Have in Common?Read More
Tips on Purchasing XC Ski Equipment as the Sport Surges
In early January, the Cross-Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA) and Snow Sports Insights conducted a survey of cross-country ski areas to get a reading on how the season is going so far. We learned that season pass sales are up, day pass sales are down slightly, demand for rental equipment is up, retail sales at …
Tips on Purchasing XC Ski Equipment as the Sport SurgesRead More
The Resorts Everyone Loves to Hate
Vail Resorts properties seemingly have become the resorts everyone loves to hate. Why? It’s true that the network has gotten a lot of not-so-flattering press lately for its long lift lines and ability to open terrain. Much of that changed recently with the storm that brought a significant snowstorm to New England and the lower …