Epic Pass

http://www.snow.com/epic-pass/Passes/epic-pass.aspx

$49 down $809 All in. I wonder why they haven't scooped up a mountain in VT yet? Noone up there is willing to make a deal with the devil I guess.

Thinking of ditching the catskills and going big next year with one of these babies.

Can you buy your 2016-17 pass now and use it on your trip to Tahoe next week?  If so it's practically a no-brainer.

skunkape wrote

http://www.snow.com/epic-pass/Passes/epic-pass.aspx

$49 down $809 All in. I wonder why they haven't scooped up a mountain in VT yet? Noone up there is willing to make a deal with the devil I guess.

Thinking of ditching the catskills and going big next year with one of these babies.

Do it.

Go for the Epic local, 200 cheaper, if you must. Gotta tell ya, I am not back for this next year, and I've owned it for two years. This product has destoyed any ounce of charm in most any mountain they touch, except ABasin and Kirkwood. Massive crowds, expensive parking, overpriced food and beer. But, hell, America loves it, so what do I know.

Colorado Super Pass: I'm guessing around 400 next year. Copper, Winter Park, six days at Steamboat, three days at Crested Butte. Or, if you think you are only in Colorado for a week, fly into Denver with your Loveland four pack in hand and your ABasin three pack. Total lift ticket bill: about 300, and, trust me, two of the best mountains in the state. I adore Loveland.

Then, of course, there's the Mountain Collective. Great deal for the traveler, and Stowe included.

F**k Vail. Really. Breck even more.

The M.A.X. Pass became available for 2016-17 recently.  Added Solitude, Wachusett, Aleyska to the 22 places from 2015-16.  $599 for adults until 5/1/16 gets 5 days at each of the 25 places.  $399 for teens, $299 ages 6-12.  Or $249 add-on to certain season passes, including the New England Silver and Gold passes.  The better known places include:

Mont Tremblant, Quebec
Stratton, VT
Killington, VT
Pico Mountain, VT
Loon Mountain, NH
Sugarloaf, ME
Sunday River, ME

Steamboat, CO
Winter Park, CO
Copper Mountain, CO

Big Sky, MT
Solitude, UT
Brighton, UT
Mt. Bachelor, OR

What would really stick it to Vail is if the Colorado Super Pass and Peak Resorts Peak Pass had a combined deal, maybe buy both and get $100 off the combined price.  Since all Peak Resorts ski areas are close to large population centers, that brings in a huge customer base that's not going to Vail mountains and instead to the other mountains.  It also eliminates the biggest pitfall of the Peak Pass and that is that there isn't any Western mountains on it.

I purchased one a few years ago, and flew out to Vail/Summit County every other week for long weekends. The drive from Denver into the mountains got old very fast. The pass is certainly is a great bargain compared to their ticket rates.

Mountain Collective pass is looking real interesting.  $379, kids FREE (that's a big deal for me), plus they're offering a 3rd day free at any of the participating areas.  That means my family of 4 could ski 3 days at Stowe plus 2 each at say Alta & Snowbird on a Utah trip for $758.  That'd be 28 days of skiing at $27 pp/pd.  Hmmm...

* * * EDIT - OK, I see that Alta/Snowbird counts as a single destination on the MC pass, so 2 days Alta/Bird plus 3 at Stowe brings the math to $38 pp/pd.  Still pretty good...

OK all you pass weenies, anybody know if Snowbasin and/or PowMow are included in any of the multi-mtn pass deals that are out there?

Unfortunately, no. But Liftopia discounts.

Adk Jeff wrote

OK all you pass weenies, anybody know if Snowbasin and/or PowMow are included in any of the multi-mtn pass deals that are out there?

 ADK: Snowbasin is part of the powder alliance,  a travelers add-on for:

Angel Fire, NM
Arizona Snowbowl
Bridger Bowl, MT
Cina Peak, CA
Crested Butte, CO
Mtn. High, CA
Mt. Hook Skibowl, OR
Schweitzer, ID
Sierra-at-Tahoe, CA
Silver Star, BC
Snowbasin, UT
Stevens Pass, WA
Timberline, OR
Whitewater, BC

Also, can't use the Epic Pass for spring riding, thats out for Tahoe. I already checked.

 Benny: I think you called it on the epic local. There is way more chance of me going to california than anywhere else. Interesting take on Vail ruining the experience. I have only been to Heavenly and Kirkwood, and it was still KW's first year so not that much had changed. Truth be told, I really just want to go to kirkwood.

Marznc:
The MAX pass looks great for the east coast, 15 days in VT at places the kids would like (Kton, Stratton, Pico), not too jazzed about the CA options. Boreal and Sierra-at-Tahoe are not my favorites, but hot damn I'd love to go to plenty of mountains on that list!

Adk Jeff wrote

Mountain Collective pass is looking real interesting.  $379, kids FREE (that's a big deal for me), plus they're offering a 3rd day free at any of the participating areas.  That means my family of 4 could ski 3 days at Stowe plus 2 each at say Alta & Snowbird on a Utah trip for $758.  That'd be 28 days of skiing at $27 pp/pd.  Hmmm...

* * * EDIT - OK, I see that Alta/Snowbird counts as a single destination on the MC pass, so 2 days Alta/Bird plus 3 at Stowe brings the math to $38 pp/pd.  Still pretty good...

Well, not quite free for kids but $1 for the MCP is a pretty good deal.   Given the way the MCP pricing has gone the last few years, chances are that the bonus day for one pre-designated destination and the $1/kid price won't last long.  Perhaps until mid-June.  Last season the child MCP was $99.

A difference between the child MCP and the MAX Pass is that an adult MCP must be bought if buying one for a child.  Although can buy more than one child MCP with only one adult pass.  I confirmed that by an email to MCP Support for a friend.

Alta/Snowbird is not the only destination with more than one ski resort that only counts as one MCP destination.  The 50% off for additional days is based on the Alta/Snowbird combo ticket, not the individual tickets.  All 4 Mammoth mountains are included for 2016-17.  Squaw/Alpine Meadows is considered one destination.

Since I ski Alta 6+ days, I've been getting the MCP for a couple seasons.  Then added at least one other MCP destination each season.  Has worked out well for me and my friends who join me for mid-season ski trips.  We are thinking about Taos for next season.

The folks I know who live in the Northeast who got the MAX Pass as an add-on did it because they were planning a trip to Big Sky.  So got 5 days at Big Sky plus 5-10 days at a couple other places in the northeast for $249.

Wow...suddenly my Gore/WF pass looks really dull...and expensive.

Goreskimom wrote

Wow...suddenly my Gore/WF pass looks really dull...and expensive.

Right on both counts.  Ski3 season passes for 16/17 have been on sale since March 1st and ORDA still have not listed season pass perks, if any.  Hard to tell if they are incompetent or just don't give a fluck.

If it's any consolation, Killington still hasn't announced next year pricing. I may go for midweek.

Benny Profane wrote

If it's any consolation, Killington still hasn't announced next year pricing. I may go for midweek.

checked this morning, it is not eligible for the pass upgrade.

I really don't care about that Max pass. I'm not impressed. MC FTW.

Goreskimom wrote

Wow...suddenly my Gore/WF pass looks really dull...and expensive.

While Gore/WF makes a great combo, it's worth considering the options and doing the math.    Here's how it breaks down for my family.

Gore/WF full season passes (2 adults, 2 juniors) = $2,116.  If I resign myself to the fact that we'll do a family trip out west next winter, I'll be over $3K (lift tix for the 4 of us to Steamboat last winter was like $900 for 5 days).

Alternatively, I could buy Max Passes for the 4 of us for $1,796 PLUS Mountain Collective passes for the 4 of us for $760.  That gives me 15 day-trippable days (Stratton, Pico, Killington), another 8 long weekend days (Tremblant, Stowe), and lots of options for a week out west (Big Sky, Alta/Snowbird/Solitude/Brighton, Steamboat, etc.).  And at $2,556 total, I could still spend another $500 on Empire Cards for Gore/WF and come out even.

As much as I love Gore and WF, 16/17 could be a good year to try some new areas. Except for Tremblant, those would all be new areas for the fam.

Adk Jeff wrote

Goreskimom wrote

Wow...suddenly my Gore/WF pass looks really dull...and expensive.

While Gore/WF makes a great combo, it's worth considering the options and doing the math.    Here's how it breaks down for my family.

Gore/WF full season passes (2 adults, 2 juniors) = $2,116.  If I resign myself to the fact that we'll do a family trip out west next winter, I'll be over $3K (lift tix for the 4 of us to Steamboat last winter was like $900 for 5 days).

Alternatively, I could buy Max Passes for the 4 of us for $1,796 PLUS Mountain Collective passes for the 4 of us for $760.  That gives me 15 day-trippable days (Stratton, Pico, Killington), another 8 long weekend days (Tremblant, Stowe), and lots of options for a week out west (Big Sky, Alta/Snowbird/Solitude/Brighton, Steamboat, etc.).  And at $2,556 total, I could still spend another $500 on Empire Cards for Gore/WF and come out even.

As much as I love Gore and WF, 16/17 could be a good year to try some new areas. Except for Tremblant, those would all be new areas for the fam.

I like that you did the math, they certainly make it confusing! I know that after 3 years at the same area, my kids are ready for new terrain. So am I, but I have learned to love a mountain that I know every nook and cranny of, and that I get to in 2 hours.