Big Sky nixes tram access to Ikon/MC/day pass holders

[Percy Rideout]

https://unofficialnetworks.com/2021/...y-tram-access/

Is this the beginning of the end for the mega pass battles?

Is big sky just trying to fill their pockets more, or are they trying to preserve the tram experience?

Will other resorts follow?

Is this good for us as the average skier or no?

[rideit]

[Bunion 2020]

# 1 thanks for making this a separate thread and not Thrunting up the MT thread.

A couple of thoughts

Total current Tram capacity is around 1200 passengers per day. When 2500 people on the mountain was considered busy that wasn't a big deal. Now a normal days is around 5000 and a LOT of them are MC/IKON passholders who came to ski the Tram. The line has gotten ridiculous.

Boyne could have just said fuckit and charged 10 bucks a ride at around $12K per day that would have added up to a nice chunk of change. Instead they developed this arcane system that is basically a money run for them and improving the experience "may" be a by product but I doubt it was the primary factor.

The people who have the cash will buy a Gold Pass and no skin off their ass. The rest will take their chances and buy whatever (the Blue pass is a bargain) and deal with a system where if they buy a pass this spring they really have no idea what the day cost for Tram Access will be. Right now the plan is, we will tell you in July.

I have had a pass and skied Big Sky since 1991, I haven't skied there since 3/14 of this season after a frustrating day that left me wondering if I have it in me anymore to ski there, BB midweek is looking pretty good.

Big Sky has gotten too crowded and there are a lot of blind intersections that are dangerous as hell. They are installing a new lift out of the base area that will be more reliable (one the kinks are worked out) but which adds very little additional uphill capacity. Meanwhile if you ride any of the other main lifts you need to use that base area lift to reach them unless you are willing to ride Explorer to Challenger. The Main lift on the Moonlight side is at capacity and hell will freeze solid before Boyne will invest in that side of the mountain.

[old goat]

This has been extensively covered in the IKON thread and the title is misleading--they aren't "nixing" access, they're charging for it.

[Talisman]

Boyne could have just said fuckit and charged 10 bucks a ride at around $12K per day that would have added up to a nice chunk of change. Instead they developed this arcane system that is basically a money run for them and improving the experience "may" be a by product but I doubt it was the primary factor.

Big Sky has gotten too crowded and there are a lot of blind intersections that are dangerous as hell. They are installing a new lift out of the base area that will be more reliable (one the kinks are worked out) but which adds very little additional uphill capacity.

+1 On the crowding at Thin Sky, particularly the base areas. Only a few seasons ago tram lines on a sunny day would be 30-45 minutes and then there was the step change of MC/ICON and 75- 90 minute tram lines became the norm. The irony is that $80K of the resort tax is used to promote BS so the lift lines can get longer.

One of the lessons from the COVID season for BS has been improved yield. Supposedly the number of visitors was down (hard to believe from the lift lines and parking lots), but by managing day ticket availability the resort likely substantially improved yield by forcing visitors to use resort accommodation bookings to ensure lift tickets would be available. It will be interesting to see what additional revenue streams can be developed beyond an up charge for tram access and the "early bird" hour to access Andesite like paid parking and "express lane" access to by pass the lift corrals.

While riding the Ram Charger one day a passenger at the other end of the couch says "I love this lift it is so much faster than the old chair." I pointed out that the haul rope speed is the same as the old lift and there are half as many chairs. He was quick to respond with "but each chair can carry eight people" and didn't want to hear the up hill capacity was about the same.

[yeahman]

Leftyt and his group (maybe 40 people in a loose knit gang that visit Big Sky at the same time) are not planning to take anymore trips there due to the tram access charge. Just anecdotal but I found it interesting.

[nest]

Leftyt and his group (maybe 40 people in a loose knit gang that visit Big Sky at the same time) are not planning to take anymore trips there due to the tram access charge. Just anecdotal but I found it interesting.

Awesome

[skifishbum]

blockin their wifi acess would probably hurt mur and
it aint like theres decent huts accessed off the stupid beer can
and i wont be back
well unless the plaid clad ex mayor hooks us up again

[Bunion 2020]

FYI employees and their families will have to pay the tram up-charge, or so I was told.

[ill-advised strategy]

FYI employees and their families will have to pay the tram up-charge, or so I was told.

Ew, that’s a bullshit move.

[CHAIR_97]

I couldn't get over the fact they were letting patrol ski up and hop on by themselves. As in 1 patroller as in 1 person per tram .After waiting an hour and watching that happen twice I decided big sky was a bunch of overhyped billshit.


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[Bunion 2020]

I can see how that would grate on you.

To answer the OPs question:

Is this good for us as the average skier or no?

There are no longer what you refer to as average skiers. And no, I fear this is the start of "well if you can afford it, sure its available for a minor additional fee, swipe your card right here".

[slatham]

While riding the Ram Charger one day a passenger at the other end of the couch says "I love this lift it is so much faster than the old chair." I pointed out that the haul rope speed is the same as the old lift and there are half as many chairs. He was quick to respond with "but each chair can carry eight people" and didn't want to hear the up hill capacity was about the same.

According to skiresort.info you are correct about line speed. However, uphill capacity increased from 1800 to 3200. So yes fewer chairs but not by half. At least not at built capacity. Whether they use all of them on a particular day I cannot say.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

I can see how that would grate on you.

To answer the OPs question:

There are no longer what you refer to as average skiers. And no, I fear this is the start of "well if you can afford it, sure its available for a minor additional fee, swipe your card right here".

That's the beauty of the RFID card, no need to swipe, just go through the gate - cha ching.

[yeahman]

I couldn't get over the fact they were letting patrol ski up and hop on by themselves. As in 1 patroller as in 1 person per tram .After waiting an hour and watching that happen twice I decided big sky was a bunch of overhyped billshit.


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That was a bummer this year, even though the reasons for it are obvious, but once they all got vaxxed they went back to riding with guests. They also started filling up the tram cars with more people and relaxing the capacity restrictions. The last few weeks of the season the line was much quicker IMO, and that was nice. Just one of those covid things we had to deal with this year.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Big Sky is crowded now? Couldn't be more than BB.

[Core Shot]

Jackson hole needs to do this.

Tram lines have been retarded even before Covid.

[Core Shot]

https://bigskyresort.com/tram-access-faq

I’m not sure about that pricing. Big sky wants $20 to $80 a day for tram access. And if it blows down after one run there’s no refunds. Ouch.

[Peruvian]

No way to buy a day pass that includes the tram?

Missed opportunity.

[Benny Profane]

Jackson hole needs to do this.

Tram lines have been retarded even before Covid.

Then you'll just have "retarded" gondola lines.

[Core Shot]

Then you'll just have "retarded" gondola lines.

The Gondi used to suck up a ton of people before Covid

And there’s always AV and Teton lift.

But the tram should be for tram addicts. And for sidecountry adventures.

PS. Look up the definition of retarded you “ retard”. It means slow

[Bunion 2020]

Be curious to see how they will manage the demand of the Scenic crowd.

[yeahman]

Faced with an upcharge, I'm guessing a lot of those scenic riders will opt out.

One possibility would be to let scenics ride for free for 30 minutes after the tram closes to skiers. That might go a long way toward smoothing any ruffled feathers among that crowd. And I predict there will be a LOT of ruffled feathers next year as a result of this change. Think Bridger Schlashman's guy freaking out X1000.

[Bunion 2020]

And I predict there will be a LOT of ruffled feathers next year as a result of this change

[stuckathuntermtn]

One could only hope it gets rid of the scenics. They're half the line! I haven't been on that tram many times in my life because of that damn line.