Ikon Pass

[phatty]

They added Big Sky this year. Losing Sun Valley and Snowbasin isn't really that big of a deal, honestly never skied either of them and while I'm sure they are fine resorts, they weren't even on my list of places to visit. The MC seems to be becoming the IKON light. Lots of shared resorts.

Big Sky was on in 2018 and it's still the only Boyne Resort on MC. While Sun Valley/Snowbasin may not be interesting to you, they were a big loss for me and many others, especially Epikon buying types. More importantly they are a litmus test for MC. They are well known, independent resorts that did not get bought by Vail/Alterra and chose to leave MC and go Epic. They seem to be showing that the economics of MC do not match what they can get from Epic. That may be skier numbers or vacationing skiers. Whatever it was, the jump was a clear sign that they saw Epic as a better deal for them.

I want MC to survive. I like the lower price point option and don't need unlimited days at any of the resorts on Epikon. Based on what I'm seeing, I'm not sure how long it (and Liftopia) can survive. I'm sure the parent company has lost a ton of business on daily passes with the advent of the super passes.

[Name Redacted]

Big Sky was on in 2018 and it's still the only Boyne Resort on MC. While Sun Valley/Snowbasin may not be interesting to you, they were a big loss for me and many others, especially Epikon buying types. More importantly they are a litmus test for MC. They are well known, independent resorts that did not get bought by Vail/Alterra and chose to leave MC and go Epic. They seem to be showing that the economics of MC do not match what they can get from Epic. That may be skier numbers or vacationing skiers. Whatever it was, the jump was a clear sign that they saw Epic as a better deal for them.

I want MC to survive. I like the lower price point option and don't need unlimited days at any of the resorts on Epikon. Based on what I'm seeing, I'm not sure how long it (and Liftopia) can survive. I'm sure the parent company has lost a ton of business on daily passes with the advent of the super passes.

Big Sky was not on in '17-'18 season.

[k2skier112]

Sure you have mb80ba. keep going.

We are bailing on mega passes - Ikon full last year till this year is done - hello July 15 lifts turning ?

More lodging/food/gas/air/hassles to cherry pick the buffet line. Establish community centric roots for family / town / hill
at much less cost, greater experience and family for years to come, independent of mega-passes/crowds/jongs/.05 backs lol...

Mega-Corporations - public and private have f-cked the common man experience. KMA.

What corporate America is becoming sucks ass. OK for us now, in 50-75 years we will have 4 corporations controlling everything and 1 overlord tell us what to watch, listen to, what to eat, and decide all of our entertainment for us

[phatty]

Big Sky was not on in '17-'18 season.

18-19. This current season.

https://freeskier.com/stories/big-sk...e-winter-18-19

[mel221]

Honest question.... do you think people with the Ikon Pass really get the sense that "locals" are pissed that their resort is getting more crowded? If they're not on TGR and they didn't happen to read the one or two articles about how the LCC resorts are more crowded, I'm willing to bet no one knows or cares.

I have skied about 40 days a year at Snowbird for the past 4 years. Powder days are always crowded. Nothing changed there. With this season being the best since 2010, no one should be surprised by the influx of skiers into the SLC area. I ski with a lot of single serving friends I meet on the lift. Some plan their trip months in advance and show up on a date. Many arrived on short notice because the awesome conditions.

If next year is a low snow year like 16-17, I don't expect Snowbird to be all that crowded... expect of the powder days.

Clearly, Ikon is a cheap pass and I would think it is costing the resorts money.

Also, independent of Ikon, the SLC area is growing and will continue to grow. The Wasatch is just going to be more crowded all year long.

[Bunion 2020]

If they're not on TGR and they didn't happen to read the one or two articles about how the LCC resorts are more crowded, I'm willing to bet no one knows or cares.

Clearly you know more than all the IKON passholders I rode chairlifts with this season.

Can't speak for LCC but they seemed to feel the hostility at Big Sky.

anecdotal, but I was at the Bird last weekend for a couple days (bought day passes)..talking w a buddy who knows some of the folks in mgmt there and they say the numbers of ikon skier traffic isn't that high. like 10 percent or less.

If SB normally skis 500K then a 10% bump translates into 500-750 more people on the mountain pretty much everyday.

A 10% bump for a ski area is fucking huge.

[Name Redacted]

18-19. This current season.

https://freeskier.com/stories/big-sk...e-winter-18-19

Jeezus! No shit, they were added this year, like I said. When I say "This Year" I think that it is pretty clear on a ski forum that I am talking about "This Season". MC added Big Sky this season, that is hardly dying a slow death. I'd take Big Sky over Sun Valley any day.

[uglymoney]

Went to SV this year and Snowbasin each of the last two years. I think it is a loss but not a crushing blow. Liftopia operates with minuscule overhead compared to the other resort sanctioned passes so a loss of market share is probably something they can scale to.

Probably going Ikon this year. Less hassle. More options. I like the idea of being able to go to Aspen for 5 days. Can't seem to get my fill in two.

Maybe Epic the next year to get my Whistler on.

I can see a place for all three passes in my life.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[phatty]

Jeezus! No shit, they were added this year, like I said. When I say "This Year" I think that it is pretty clear on a ski forum that I am talking about "This Season". MC added Big Sky this season, that is hardly dying a slow death. I'd take Big Sky over Sun Valley any day.

Since the 19-20 pass has been released and was what we were talking about (i.e. Sun Valley being dropped), didn't think you were talking about current season. Gaining one for the current season and losing two for the upcoming season doesn't seem like much of a "gain", IMHO. I'm not debating the resorts. You'd rather have BS, I'd rather have SV/SB. The point remains that the MC has less to offer for 19-20 than it did this season.

[singlecross]

What is the percentage of western IKON pass holders coming east to cash in their days at Killington, the Bush, Loon, SR, the Loaf? What if next season the East goes the fuck off, and the West gets skunked, will y’all fly back and beater it up? Just curious.

Unless western skiers are coming back east to visit family and want to grab a few ski days, I don't see anyone in their right mind skiing the east as a destination. I saw ZERO Ikon impact at Sugarloaf this year...I had a 'Loaf season pass this year but am going Ikon for the next season. Ski up my Ikon days at the 'Loaf and Sunday River, supplement by skinning up Saddleback for free after storms, then plan a one week western trip based on Ikon resorts (Big Sky, Jackson, both, or Shhh! Revelstoke). Ikon works great for eastern skiers heading west, not so much for western skiers at popular destination resorts. In a perfect world for me, my Sugarloaf (Boyne) season pass would get me days at Big Sky... I'd do that over Ikon.

EDIT: Sugarloaf has had an all time snow year and is open until May 5th... I don't plan on seeing a huge Ikon spring rush once other places start closing. Mammoth/ Squaw will be open 'till July. Point... West.

[Ottime]

Don’t know why Boyne does not offer that and keep all the money for themselves. Could even limit the number of days to 3,5,7 whatever at different price points.

What is the percentage of western IKON pass holders coming east to cash in their days at Killington, the Bush, Loon, SR, the Loaf? What if next season the East goes the fuck off, and the West gets skunked, will y’all fly back and beater it up? Just curious.

No.

Cause all those resorts in their best of times are lamer than where I ski at the worst of times.

Seriously dumb question.

[snowaddict91]

Clearly you know more than all the IKON passholders I rode chairlifts with this season.

Can't speak for LCC but they seemed to feel the hostility at Big Sky.



If SB normally skis 500K then a 10% bump translates into 500-750 more people on the mountain pretty much everyday.

A 10% bump for a ski area is fucking huge.

Lots of anti-Ikon stickers popping up around the Bird, not as many at Alta it seems. And yeah, a 10% single year jump is yuge. The biggest difference I've seen at the Bird is there is frequently a 1 tram wait (~110 people/tram) on a hardpack day that in years past would be walk on. No doubt some of it is due to population increase in SLC, but still.

Next year will be interesting as last year you had to buy your Alta or Bird pass by early June to lock in the lowest price. At that time there were no unlimited Ikon resorts in Utah. It seems most non-skierbros I talk too are all about the Ikon for next year. I'm wondering if this will reduce sales of unlimited passes at other resorts? Less locals and more tourists on the average day in LCC? Who knows.

[phatty]

Don’t know why Boyne does not offer that and keep all the money for themselves. Could even limit the number of days to 3,5,7 whatever at different price points.

They are doing a variation. At Snoqualmie they are giving 3 days at each Boyne resort for Unlimited pass holders.

[The SnowShow]

Lots of anti-Ikon stickers popping up around the Bird, not as many at Alta it seems. And yeah, a 10% single year jump is yuge. The biggest difference I've seen at the Bird is there is frequently a 1 tram wait (~110 people/tram) on a hardpack day that in years past would be walk on. No doubt some of it is due to population increase in SLC, but still.

Next year will be interesting as last year you had to buy your Alta or Bird pass by early June to lock in the lowest price. At that time there were no unlimited Ikon resorts in Utah. It seems most non-skierbros I talk too are all about the Ikon for next year. I'm wondering if this will reduce sales of unlimited passes at other resorts? Less locals and more tourists on the average day in LCC? Who knows.

What a bunch of babies. If LCC has a shit year, they’ll be the first to head elsewhere for the pow.

Population is going up everywhere. Plenty of room in WY, MT and ID.

[singlecross]

They are doing a variation. At Snoqualmie they are giving 3 days at each Boyne resort for Unlimited pass holders.

So when are you planning your eastern trip to sample Loon, Sunday River, and Sugarloaf?

[phatty]

So when are you planning your eastern trip to sample Loon, Sunday River, and Sugarloaf?

Hopefully never. Big Sky and Brighton, though...

[singlecross]

Hopefully never. Big Sky and Brighton, though...

Exactly. Crowd-wise Ikon is more of a raw deal for westerners at the resorts with good terrain with all of us easterners coming out (and with westerners traveling to sample the "best" places). Sorry, but if I can't beat 'em, I'll join 'em. I do promise not to stop in the hikes or traverses and certainly not sideslip or otherwise cunt up the skiable lines. Let's call it "Ikon respect locals".

[buttahflake]

Seriously? No one wants to actually experience the east coast vibe? That’s insane, place has mad stoke. And we love to party. Come ski and then head down to Boston or NYC for some culture and all the whatnots.
Go on now.

[goldenboy]

Honest question.... do you think people with the Ikon Pass really get the sense that "locals" are pissed that their resort is getting more crowded? If they're not on TGR and they didn't happen to read the one or two articles about how the LCC resorts are more crowded, I'm willing to bet no one knows or cares.

A friend of mine since way back in elementary school posted on FB last month and it went something like "We finally made it to Jackson and had a blast. That said, we quickly learned to keep our IKON passes on the downlow, and stop telling people we were from Denver. There sure is a lot of animosity up here."

It only takes a couple of locals bitching about it for someone visiting to get the point.

[Sirshredalot]

What is the percentage of western IKON pass holders coming east to cash in their days at Killington, the Bush, Loon, SR, the Loaf? What if next season the East goes the fuck off, and the West gets skunked, will y’all fly back and beater it up? Just curious.

0 percent.

I might use a couple days if I fly back East to visit family for the holidays (I have family in NH). But hauling my ski shit on the plane for holiday travel hasn't happened since I had kids. It's probably not happening next year either.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

[buttahflake]

You would just bring your boots, and then demo a Stockli Laser AR, new for next year, perfect east coast weapon. Or any number of skis that aren’t over 90!
Go on now

[smmokan]

A friend of mine since way back in elementary school posted on FB last month and it went something like "We finally made it to Jackson and had a blast. That said, we quickly learned to keep our IKON passes on the downlow, and stop telling people we were from Denver. There sure is a lot of animosity up here."

Maybe I just ski with friendlier people and do a better job avoiding the pissed off bros... but what are the "locals" doing to create so much animosity for Ikon Pass holders? Peeing in their coffee? Slashing their tires? Calling them names?

Sleeping with their girlfriends, maybe?

[BobMc]

Seriously? No one wants to actually experience the east coast vibe? That’s insane, place has mad stoke. And we love to party. Come ski and then head down to Boston or NYC for some culture and all the whatnots.
Go on now.

Take a lap.

[The SnowShow]

Seriously? No one wants to actually experience the east coast vibe? That’s insane, place has mad stoke. And we love to party. Come ski and then head down to Boston or NYC for some culture and all the whatnots.
Go on now.

Haha that’s funny:

[jorion]

Seriously? No one wants to actually experience the east coast vibe? That’s insane, place has mad stoke. And we love to party. Come ski and then head down to Boston or NYC for some culture and all the whatnots.
Go on now.

Can you say hot Italian Jersey babes?!?