Crystal Mountain Becomes Alterra

[phatty]

Pouring one out for my Crystal friends while excited Alpental will see a decrease in crowds.

[Toadman]

My conspiracy theory has always been that they took it off unlimited IKON and upped the price to maintain revenue while reducing demand while they rebuilt the base area.

Now that the construction should be wrapped up before next season, this move makes sense.

That sounds logical. But isn't Crystal under perpetual construction for one thing or another?

[Fishskisurf]

Ikon full pass went up $200 no?
The inevitable increase in cost after many years of being (too) cheap is upon us.

[nickwm21]

Interesting. I wonder if that will mean Alpy and Stevens will see some relief next season as the priced out of the market hordes return to Ikon Pass next season.

I doubt it means anything on the lift line. I think the vast majority of Ikoners are base passers and are happy with 5 days at Xtal, 5 days up the 90, and one trip out of the area….

I wonder what the average ski days per year is for Ikon or Epic pass holders. I bet it’s under 10. Maybe under 5…:


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[Ørion]

https://snowbrains.com/the-behaviora...resort-passes/

The stats are pretty wild. Only 7% ski 21+ days a season, 70% ski less than 10 days but a shockingly high percentage of them still buy season passes. 37% of people polled who skied 0-2 days still bought passes...

[Fishskisurf]

Most of that due to the reservation/day pass surge pricing/blackout/parking reservation cluster maze that a seasons pass seems to solve (and clearly by design by Alterra/Vail)

[The AD]

70% ski less than 10 days but a shockingly high percentage of them still buy season passes.

The shocking thing is that still pencils out in most cases. Not much reason not to buy some kind of pass these days.

[eSock]

ah, the siren's call of full crystal access for "only" $1.25k

[Fishskisurf]

The 4am wake ups to beat the 7:30 greenwater / blvd red snake, 4x a winter pineapples and $24 half plate of fish n chips out of a shipping container don’t have you jazzed to spend 4 digits?

[skaredshtles]

The shocking thing is that still pencils out in most cases. Not much reason not to buy some kind of pass these days.

This.

In Colorado, it generally makes sense if you're going to ski even 5 days at any of the "majors" 'round here.

I've been on one sort of "mega-pass" or another since the '96/'97 season when I had a Summit Pass that covered all the resorts in Summit County. And it cost a grand, IIRC.

[puma]

The shocking thing is that still pencils out in most cases. Not much reason not to buy some kind of pass these days.

Skiing is sure not cheap...

We have family in Bend with a week for Xmas. The other blackout dates are key dates EVERYONE with kids has to target for ski vacations.

We will be close to breaking even for this maiden voyage of the Ikon pass. Without a doubt, I missed unlimited access to Alpental...but overall, it's hard not to go with the no blackout option, and it's nice to see Crystal at unlimited for the coming year. Not sure I understand the Ikon hate...who is paying 150 a day X however many you have in the family who ski regularly...

[PNWbrit]

Not sure I understand the Ikon hate...

Try harder.

[puma]

Try harder.

Ok.

[Toadman]

Ok.

That doesn't sound very convincing.

[Stairmaster]

I can only hope they drop the 5-days at Snoqualmie Pass.

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[puma]

That doesn't sound very convincing.

Yeah, perhaps I did not express myself well. I can certainly see why locals don't like it as it certainly brings traffic to the local hill that may not have been there before. Perhaps I misread comments, but it seems there is hate for those who purchased one. That we are all just Jerrys\newbs that get into trouble in that local gnar. (not you of course)

In any case, gone are the days I can leave at the drop of a hat and ski pow. Maximizing my options, checking out areas I'd not normally hit, and not paying the ungodly day pass rates worked for me.

And yeah...I look forward to invading your hill this coming Xmas. I might need to invest in a pass holder so I can proudly display on my helmet!

Way off topic, apologies.

[nickwm21]

37% of people polled who skied 0-2 days still bought passes...

It’s the gym membership phenomenon- “This year is the year I’ll hit the slopes more!”

People’s eyes are bigger than their stomachs…

A guy I work with has full Ikon full Epic this season. Like $1900 in passes. So far he’s clocked 1 day at Crystal, 1 at Stevens, 2 at Whistler.



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[californiagrown]

it seems there is hate for those who purchased one. That we are all just Jerrys\newbs that get into trouble in that local gnar. .

Well, the description is remarkably accurate if you go to alpental on a powday.


I do think the stigma comes from a Ikon/Epic holder not having a true "home mountain", and thus not supporting and keeping alive "local culture", etc. Its supporting The System/The Man, and selling out. Its similar to shopping at Walmart or Amazon instead of the local stores.

[ptavv]

there's a lot more to pass purchasing than the raw breakdown of how many days you can ski at what price with what pass regimen

past a certain middle-ish income bracket buying a pass and under utilizing it is worth it simply to not have to worry about all the other nonsense that goes with it, never mind if you were a few hundred dollars sub-maximally efficient about the whole thing

in a region as expensive as pugetopolis, the cost of a pass spread over a ski season or an entire year, just isn't that much to most residents

[phatty]

Ikon + Snoqualmie remedy pass is the way to go. I don't ski many weekends in Jan/Feb, but try to get as many nights as possible.

[SirVicSmasher]

I can only hope they drop the 5-days at Snoqualmie Pass.

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Help me dig a moat ?!

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[Toadman]

It’s the gym membership phenomenon- “This year is the year I’ll hit the slopes more!”

People’s eyes are bigger than their stomachs…

A guy I work with has full Ikon full Epic this season. Like $1900 in passes. So far he’s clocked 1 day at Crystal, 1 at Stevens, 2 at Whistler.



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That's not bad. It's 4 more days than I have at those ski areas.

[GoldMember]

I just checked Schweitzer and we still have a pass. $909 for a renewal but I'm sure it's just a matter of time for us to go Ikon. I'm not too excited for that since we really don't go to any of the areas with Ikon.

[f=ma]

It’s the gym membership phenomenon- “This year is the year I’ll hit the slopes more!”

People’s eyes are bigger than their stomachs…

A guy I work with has full Ikon full Epic this season. Like $1900 in passes. So far he’s clocked 1 day at Crystal, 1 at Stevens, 2 at Whistler.



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This...is a good thing

[BaseFloopy]

I'm not sure crustal going back to unlimited will move the needle much. Any well-anticipated pow days will still be a cluster like everywhere else.
Alterra will likely continue creating choke points, while simultaneously avoiding adding any new lifts or additional terrain.