Intrawest Passport

I posted about this in another thread a few weeks back, but these "passes" are apparently about to be offered again for a limited time:
On April 10th the Intrawest Passport™ will go on sale at our friendliest family rate. Only for 2 days. Only to this mailing list. That's you, but only if you sign up!

I signed up for the mailing list, but I haven't gotten any invitation to buy the passport yet.
Here's how it works:  the passholder can ski 6 days at 6 different resorts (Winter Park, Steamboat, Stratton, Mont Tremblant, Snowshoe, Blue Mountain).  The first adult passport is $549, the second adult is $399, teens are $199, kids under 12 are free. No blackouts. I think they've now upped the price of the second adult to $419 and teens to $209.

I'm interested as an alternative to Gore/WF passes for the family.  For my family of 4 (both kids under 12) the cost is $968.  Even if we don't go out west and use 6 days at Stratton (easy day trip from Saratoga) plus 6 at Tremblant (2 long weekends), our family of 4 skis for $80 a day or $20 per person.  That's damn good.  By comparison, Gore/WF passes for our family run $1850-ish.  The Passport would leave plenty of $$ in the budget to fill in with Price Chopper discount tix to Gore, etc.

Of course, the downside is that I'd have to ski Stratton...

"Of course, the downside is that I'd have to ski Stratton…"

Duh. And, that drive to Tremblant may have you thinking, "hey, I coulda flown out west in the same time."

This is the best pass deal in the country right now: http://www.skicolorado.com/Multi-Mountain-Passes.aspx

Benny Profane wrote

And, that drive to Tremblant may have you thinking, "hey, I coulda flown out west in the same time."

Nah, I've done that drive.  No big deal from Saratoga, 4.5 hours.
And - ban me from the board - I could warm up to the idea of a half dozen days at Stratton.  Good lifts, good snowmaking, good grooming.  Limited advanced terrain, but there are good trees.  I'd probably still end up logging more days at Gore / WF than at Stratton anyway.

http://www.skimonarch.com/tickets-and-passes/season-passes

It now includes 3 days at Mount Bohemia!

Adk Jeff wrote

  Limited advanced terrain, but there are good trees.

 Where?

Benny Profane wrote

Adk Jeff wrote

  Limited advanced terrain, but there are good trees.

 Where?

Limited advanced terrain?  Any alleged black diamond.

Whats wrong with Stratton, it's the only local ski resort where my Range Rover with my Carradan skis in the roof rack fit in. I would never think of mingling on the slopes of a low life place like Hickory in my Apex ski boots and Bogner one piece. Geez - you guys should get a job.

Adk Jeff wrote

Benny Profane wrote

Adk Jeff wrote

  Limited advanced terrain, but there are good trees.

 Where?

Limited advanced terrain?  Any alleged black diamond.

No, I meant the trees.

I've only skied Stratton one weekend, six years ago, but the Kidderbrook trees on the far skier's right are fun.

Why are season passes out west so cheap?

JasonWx wrote

Why are season passes out west so cheap?

Federal Land use permits and snow making.

PeeTex wrote

JasonWx wrote

Why are season passes out west so cheap?

Federal Land use permits and snow making.

Well, I agree with snowmaking, but, aren't some major Eastern hills on Federal land? Killington is.

I think it's just a matter of competition and marketing. Vail Corp is the 800 pond gorilla, forcing all others to compete with their Epic pass. Otten and ASC tried cheap passes at the end of their life as a corporation, and at one point you could buy a Killington pass for less than 400 dollars. I guess the business model is to get the skiers on the hill so that they spend on all other stuff that's profitable, including real estate.

It's not cheap everywhere out west. Jackson is about 1800. Some other mountains, if they are isolated, and the only game for hours, can price high and get away with it. Woe to them if Vail buys a place close by, though, and drives the market down, like in Tahoe last year.

Benny Profane wrote

PeeTex wrote

JasonWx wrote

Why are season passes out west so cheap?

Federal Land use permits and snow making.

Well, I agree with snowmaking, but, aren't some major Eastern hills on Federal land? Killington is.

And ORDA has free access to state land. Many places in the east do not. Many places out west are not cheap and there is the competition thing. Vails location sucks for the Denver market so they have to go low.

Places like Aspen and Jackson which have season pass prices of $1800 are boutique pricing. Helps keep us riff raff out.

Vail is much bigger than Vail. They own Keystone, Breck, and their pass includes A Basin, all within driving distance of the front range. Then there's the mountains they own elsewhere like Heavenly and Kirkwood in Tahoe, and the Canyons in SLC, and it looks like they could be the new owners of Park City down the line. That's a lot of skiing on one pass.  It's sort of a no brainer for the Denver skier at that price, although many opt for the Copper pass.

Benny Profane wrote

Vail is much bigger than Vail. They own Keystone, Breck, and their pass includes A Basin, all within driving distance of the front range. Then there's the mountains they own elsewhere like Heavenly and Kirkwood in Tahoe, and the Canyons in SLC, and it looks like they could be the new owners of Park City down the line. That's a lot of skiing on one pass.  It's sort of a no brainer for the Denver skier at that price, although many opt for the Copper pass.

Yea - that is a great deal. If I were to buy a season pass I think I would go that route. Until that day comes I'll just keep plying my buddies with beer and booze for free passes.