Ikon Pass

[pfluffenmeister]

Attachment 274232

Pretty nice here too!

I think the Ikon’s been good for Aspen.
Getting a lot of first timers here, changing a lot of misconceptions.

Thar's good to hear, first timer here.
Your mountain(s) rock.
Serious sustained pitch.
May have ruined other mountains for me.

Riding back from Highlands to the Buttermilk lot, suffused with endorphins from the 10" day and way more in the bowl, I start a conversation with the local guy sitting next to me about how good of a day it was.
I mention what a good traveling ski year it has been for me:

"5 days @ Jackson Hole, 7 @ Aspen ..."
He looks at me "IKON pass?"
"Yeah, sorry about that."
"You know, we hate you."
"Yeah, I know"

In addition to that, I found out:

Aspen is no longer as exclusive.
Lines are three times as long on the weekends. (this was disputed by a different local sitting in the row in front of us)
Aspen season pass holders get nothing in return for their IKONISATION. (Also disputed by the noted local in front of us: Premier Aspen season pass holders get 1/2 off day passes elsewhere).
To which local guy says: " Yeah, but why would we want to go anywhere else when we have the Highlands?!?" (valid point as the Highlands rock).

But, most importantly of all "Now our secret parking spot is always taken!"

[Benny Profane]

...and the food on the hill is better as well.

Fuck.

[Benny Profane]

But do they have back bowls?

This place is a giant back bowl and the top of ABasin x10.


And, there's a bowling alley! And it smells like a bowling alley.

[m2711c]

So? You going to yurp agin next year or is it back to epikon fer you?

[Benny Profane]

Eh, who knows. This is a game changer, though.

[wickstad]

Picked one up for the four-year-old.

[skifishbum]

so whens me''s bro from another mo shows up at my home mountain with one of these round his neck to ski with the rest of the bakers
and thats one less ski bum that i need to spend my morning acquiring the hook a brother up passes

im sposed to be pissed?
shit im buying mrs. bum and i ones next season ifin i dont go back to alteratude and gits a free one
so my old man skibum skiing up your good shit on
tech binders
may just get #PRODEAL on black crowes and put ikon and will shred your stash stickers on em and
vape 9lb sledge hammer rips and crank waiting for columbus on a boombox in your long lift lines

[wickstad]

so whens me''s bro from another mo shows up at my home mountain with one of these round his neck to ski with the rest of the bakers
and thats one less ski bum that i need to spend my morning acquiring the hook a brother up passes

im sposed to be pissed?
shit im buying mrs. bum and i ones next season ifin i dont go back to alteratude and gits a free one
so my old man skibum skiing up your good shit on
tech binders
may just get #PRODEAL on black crowes and put ikon and will shred your stash stickers on em and
vape 9lb sledge hammer rips and crank waiting for columbus on a boombox in your long lift lines

I picked one up to ski Alta. Gonna save me some dough, hopefully. Feels like a gamble but the odds are pretty good.

[Ottime]

...and the food on the hill is better as well.

True. But even just being edible would be a step up from most US resorts.

[JaytaeMoney]

Thar's good to hear, first timer here.
Your mountain(s) rock.
Serious sustained pitch.
May have ruined other mountains for me.

Riding back from Highlands to the Buttermilk lot, suffused with endorphins from the 10" day and way more in the bowl, I start a conversation with the local guy sitting next to me about how good of a day it was.
I mention what a good traveling ski year it has been for me:

"5 days @ Jackson Hole, 7 @ Aspen ..."
He looks at me "IKON pass?"
"Yeah, sorry about that."
"You know, we hate you."
"Yeah, I know"

In addition to that, I found out:

Aspen is no longer as exclusive.
Lines are three times as long on the weekends. (this was disputed by a different local sitting in the row in front of us)
Aspen season pass holders get nothing in return for their IKONISATION. (Also disputed by the noted local in front of us: Premier Aspen season pass holders get 1/2 off day passes elsewhere).
To which local guy says: " Yeah, but why would we want to go anywhere else when we have the Highlands?!?" (valid point as the Highlands rock).

But, most importantly of all "Now our secret parking spot is always taken!"

People are clueless. Literally over 90% of the increased traffic this season is due to a massive increase in season pass use by locals because the conditions are the best they have been in over a decade.

[cdlv]

People are clueless. Literally over 90% of the increased traffic this season is due to a massive increase in season pass use by locals because the conditions are the best they have been in over a decade.

this ^^^^

Getting psyched to get all ikonified next week in Utah.

[Benny Profane]

People are clueless. Literally over 90% of the increased traffic this season is due to a massive increase in season pass use by locals because the conditions are the best they have been in over a decade.

Yup.

[TAFKALVS]

See?! Proof we're getting ripped off. Make sure to post a TR!!!

Now you too can laugh at the US mega resort companies trying to offer us their faux "Alp" experience.

It’s amazing in Europe. I don’t think I’ll bother traveling to ski unless it local from here on out. It’s cheaper, the lifts are newer, the terrain is incredible, food is excellent, and best of all people are way more spread out.

[TAFKALVS]

See?! Proof we're getting ripped off. Make sure to post a TR!!!

Now you too can laugh at the US mega resort companies trying to offer us their faux "Alp" experience.

It’s amazing in Europe. I don’t think I’ll bother traveling to ski unless it local or in Europe from here on out. It’s cheaper, the lifts are newer, the terrain is incredible, food is excellent, and best of all people are way more spread out.

[Name Redacted]

So everything is better in Europe?

So people ski more when the snow is good?

So we are supposed to dislike people who purchase a particular kind of season pass?

Mind blown, going skiing to return to center.

[Ski220]

It’s amazing in Europe. I don’t think I’ll bother traveling to ski unless it local or in Europe from here on out. It’s cheaper, the lifts are newer, the terrain is incredible, food is excellent, and best of all people are way more spread out.

Cool, one less person on the slopes here. I will give you that the lift tickets are cheaper, but ......

There are lots of old lifts, the terrain is incredibly more dangerous, excellent food can be had at any major N.A. resort, and best of all are the free for all lift lines. Here in the western United States we (generally) have a much more reliable and safer snowpack, and you won't get arrested for skiing in the trees.

[galibier_numero_un]

... the terrain is incredibly more dangerous ...

Isn't that the point, or is this place going more and more Gapic?

[BC.]

I do not know these people, yet now, I immensely dislike them.
http://www.thebigskifamily.com/meet-the-family/

After watching that.....it has me pondering life.....How the hell does a family like that pull this all off??? I’m the sucker that works my whole life......a family emergency away from bankruptcy....Zero federal/state aid for my kids college......Living off credit cards....just to try to “live a little”.....

These guys are driving around in a Mercedes Sprinter decked out in all Rossi/Dynastar/Lange/Patagucci....Ikon...probably all gratis’....just for making stupid social media posts. I guess I gotta give them credit for making it happen......nah....

Hopefully this family will eventually be indicted in the college admissions scandal....lol.....They seem a bit privileged🤪.....bribery, lying to get ahead and lawn mowing their kids lives seems like a good fit.

[old goat]

I do not know these people, yet now, I immensely dislike them.
http://www.thebigskifamily.com/meet-the-family/

WTF

[old goat]

excellent food can be had at any major N.A. resort

Huh? Maybe off the mountain at grossly inflated prices and it still won't be as good as the pasta at Courmayeur. The food in on the mountain cafeterias in Europe is incredible and cheap. Try the lunch of the day at the Requin hut on the Vallee Blanche run. (OTOH the food in the huts on the Tour du Mont Blanc sucks balls, especially in the Swiss huts where we were served potatoes and cheese three nights in a row, or the Flegere hut where we were served a few pieces of ham and some bread.)

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

After watching that.....it has me pondering life.....How the hell does a family like that pull this all off??? I’m the sucker that works my whole life......a family emergency away from bankruptcy....Zero federal/state aid for my kids college......Living off credit cards....just to try to “live a little”.....

These guys are driving around in a Mercedes Sprinter decked out in all Rossi/Dynastar/Lange/Patagucci....Ikon...probably all gratis’....just for making stupid social media posts. I guess I gotta give them credit for making it happen......nah....

Hopefully this family will eventually be indicted in the college admissions scandal....lol.....They seem a bit privileged浪.....bribery, lying to get ahead and lawn mowing their kids lives seems like a good fit.

Grifters.

[Benny Profane]

After watching that.....it has me pondering life.....How the hell does a family like that pull this all off??? I’m the sucker that works my whole life......a family emergency away from bankruptcy....Zero federal/state aid for my kids college......Living off credit cards....just to try to “live a little”.....

These guys are driving around in a Mercedes Sprinter decked out in all Rossi/Dynastar/Lange/Patagucci....Ikon...probably all gratis’....just for making stupid social media posts. I guess I gotta give them credit for making it happen......nah....

Hopefully this family will eventually be indicted in the college admissions scandal....lol.....They seem a bit privileged.....bribery, lying to get ahead and lawn mowing their kids lives seems like a good fit.

10% tithing tax free.

[Benny Profane]

Cool, one less person on the slopes here. I will give you that the lift tickets are cheaper, but ......

There are lots of old lifts, the terrain is incredibly more dangerous, excellent food can be had at any major N.A. resort, and best of all are the free for all lift lines. Here in the western United States we (generally) have a much more reliable and safer snowpack, and you won't get arrested for skiing in the trees.

Wow, dude, as far as the food, man, you don't know. I've only been to a few mountains on this trip, but, jeez, it's pretty amazing, the quality of food and service coming out of the restaraunts high on the side of an Alpine mountain. Furgetabout the scenery from some. Ridiculous.

Oh, and the lifts are new, and quite varied. Does any N.A. resort have a funicular? Sure, a few lifts are showing their age, but, man, there's a lot of them, everywhere. The lift lines take some getting used to, but, ain't that bad. Just stay away from low Gaper lifts.
Utah has the best snow in the world, I've been told, and I have to agree, but then again, you're stuck in SLC apres ski. Duh.

[JongDoe]

Attachment 274232

Pretty nice here too!

I think the Ikon’s been good for Aspen.
Getting a lot of first timers here, changing a lot of misconceptions.

I got the chance to visit Aspen a couple of years ago and my prior impression was that it was a hoity toity place like Deer Valley and nothing special about the terrain. I was surprised how much crazy, endless steeps and cool terrain is there and I was not skiing with locals who probably know a lot of secret caches. Looking at their web site now i see a 5 day pass and 6 day pass are $720/$864 respectively if you buy > 7 days out. A renewed Ikon base pass costs $620, so just for a trip out there I'd be hundreds ahead of the game and then I get 15 days in Vt to ski with Benny. Silly good deal.

[JongDoe]

Utah has the best snow in the world, I've been told, and I have to agree, but then again, you're stuck in SLC apres ski. Duh.

Well if you're into partying you can always create your own party. I'm usually so wiped after skiing that it's a few beers and go to sleep for the next round. Yes, I'm a lightweight, but I can party anywhere. Great skiing is limited.