Killy Line Cutter Pass

http://www.killington.com/site/tickets/winter_passes/befast_pass

IDK why there is no one day option.  My dad and I would definitely consider getting this on a holiday, but it is only good for season pass holders.  Hopefully they set a precedent and MC does this soon.

snoloco wrote

IDK why there is no one day option.

It would be a mess.  The day after Thanksgiving or Christmas, every one at the mountain would buy one, or want one if they were limited. It'd be hilarious, star belly sneetch stuff. Good black/spot market potential too.

Perfect reason why you bypass this place and patronize places like Plattekill and Hickory

skimore wrote

Perfect reason why you bypass this place and patronize places like Plattekill and Hickory

+1 on that right there. Dont' forget snow ridge to that list.

Good lord.

Ugh.

I hate class stratification in all forms (which is why I was so pissed at the paid parking thing many moons ago).

Black vs. White, Gay vs. Straight, Immigrant vs. Native  . . . it's all bullshit compared to the only war that truly matters: Rich people vs. everyone else. And rich people are kicking our ass (and super super super rich people are kicking their ass).

Myself, I don't like these line cutter deals. It's a slap on the face to the other people in line.

I'm not a fan especially if the ski area is located on public lands (National Forests). There shouldn't be class stratification or a pay to play scenario that is exclusive to only those that can afford it when the ski area basically leases the land from the people.

I don't mind the paid parking at certain mountains.  My dad and I have used it when we day tripped Gore and couldn't arrive at our usual time.  In our opinion, it was well worth the 12 dollars to be able to park close vs having to walk a mile from lot E carrying all our gear.  Other people also have legitimate reasons for needing to park up close, even if they can't arrive early.  What if you have little kids that can't carry their own gear?  Would you want to carry all your gear plus theirs for a mile or pay a small fee to avoid that.  What if you have valuable stuff that won't fit in a locker, or you'd rather keep it in your car?  Would you want to walk one mile each way to get it from your car, or be able to pay for the option of parking up close and having an easy trip to the car?

mattchuck2 wrote

Ugh.

I hate class stratification in all forms (which is why I was so pissed at the paid parking thing many moons ago).

Black vs. White, Gay vs. Straight, Immigrant vs. Native  . . . it's all bullshit compared to the only war that truly matters: Rich people vs. everyone else. And rich people are kicking our ass (and super super super rich people are kicking their ass).

The rich already have their places to go. They can't they just let us have some things; they want it all.

I hope Skynet takes them out first.

It just goes to show you that Kmart is just a Mickey Mouse outfit.

12 bucks? That's like three beers!

raisingarizona wrote

12 bucks? That's like three beers!

In the Gore bar? Nope. Try less than 2.

mattchuck2 wrote

raisingarizona wrote

12 bucks? That's like three beers!

In the Gore bar? Nope. Try less than 2.

You can get 4 blue light pounders at Greek

The whole line cutting thingE is stoopid.  

I "feel" I hate these, but if I were true to my morals, I would accept them.    Thus I am confused.  Basically I am a free capitalist.   Supply/demand and as such, Dinsney and Kmart are free to have these speed passes.    

I guess the way I deal with it, is to try to avoid these places on days when I might be bypassed by the speed pass users.     I know seeing them in a fast line would piss me off and ruin the fix I might otherwise be enjoying.    Just as I watch a group of 6 skiers enter the singles line and see the gondi worker "empty" the singles line by allowing all 6 to enter the same gondi.       For clarity, in my mind, the singles line should be used for "fill", right or wrong.      


In all honestly I admit to:  

1) Using speed pass at Universal Studios with my 4 yo daughter, my Mother- In- Law paid for it.  I felt extreemly bad every time I passed parents who waited in line 45 mins-1 hour for the 1 minute ET ride.    I hate Disney and Universal  along with their ilk more than ever!  All rides end in the "ride store" which you have to walk through to exit.   It would be impossible for me to not spend $30 on a crappy cheap aZz T-Shirt if my daughter just waited 45 minutes for a ride.    That said, the speed pass made it easy for me to stroll on by since we did not wait.  Spending $30 dollars on speed pass may have saved me $100s of dollars in guilt bribery.   In the end, Universal may have made more money had they not offered the speed pass.        

2) As an instructor, we use cut lines when we have students.   I also feel bad when I see folks standing in line as I lap them with my students.    As a company man, I feel obligated to take my students up as much as possible though.   Their parents pay as much as $155.00/day to ski in my group.    

Somedays lines are required, you can't build intrastructure to support 3-4 busy days.  Parents and adult customers alike tell me they purchase lessons on busy days, just to cut.    

I advocate beginners and low intermediates to stay home on busy days, for many reasons including lines and crowed slopes.    Our intermediate and expert slopes are usually never backed up with lines over 5 minutes.  

Publisher's note:  Since my one and only Universal/Disney experience, I have not had to endure Disney or Universal again.   Their mom and grand-ma take the kids without me that they are a bit older.  

snoloco wrote

What if you have little kids that can't carry their own gear?  Would you want to carry all your gear plus theirs for a mile or pay a small fee to avoid that.

What if your 70% of your customers have little kids?

There is no reason to walk a mile at Gore. You can take the shuttle. I wouldn't do it, but you could. If you are showing up late enough to need to access paid parking or the shuttle you're not exactly driven by first tracks anyway.

I'm with I:)skiing... conflicted. It's capitalism, but somehow I just don't like it.

snoloco wrote

I don't mind the paid parking at certain mountains.  My dad and I have used it when we day tripped Gore and couldn't arrive at our usual time.  In our opinion, it was well worth the 12 dollars to be able to park close vs having to walk a mile from lot E carrying all our gear.  Other people also have legitimate reasons for needing to park up close, even if they can't arrive early.  What if you have little kids that can't carry their own gear?  Would you want to carry all your gear plus theirs for a mile or pay a small fee to avoid that.  What if you have valuable stuff that won't fit in a locker, or you'd rather keep it in your car?  Would you want to walk one mile each way to get it from your car, or be able to pay for the option of parking up close and having an easy trip to the car?

There's really no reason to use the paid parking at Gore (or WF for that matter).  You pull up to the unloading area, everyone carries their stuff into the lodge, the driver parks the car wherever and enjoys a short 3 minute jog back to the lodge.  Screw the shuttle.  I do this practically every weekend at Gore with my 2 young kids (6 and 10), it's a piece of cake.  I initially resisted the concept of paid parking at Gore, but since it's implementation I have no problem with it as it adds tens of thousands of dollars to Gore's revenue stream.

As for the line cutter passes and early lift access passes, I'm opposed to these.  There was another thread on this a few months ago, specifically about Sugarbush's early access pass.  Ambition, not dollars, should be the limiting factor for access to first tracks.  Put a price tag on everything and you ruin the product.

If it's privately owned land then fine. And besides, I wouldn't care to ski at the Killingtons or Strattons anyways.

But, if it's on public lands, is it ok to make the product exclusive to only the wealthy? That is where I have a problem with it. For me that is wrong. In some ways I feel the same about ski areas on NF lands that don't allow uphill access. If corporations get to develop public lands so they can profit and develop real estate projects adjacent to the ski area I don't think they should be able to cut off access completely.

Again, I am mixed on this issue, but to keep the argument clean on public vs private lands:   The land may be public but the lifts/base etc are all built with private capital and that is what the speed pass is getting you.     I don't see the difference.   I guess I could see it if everyone was hiking up the hill and those who pay more get to hike an easier path---as long as that path is not made easy by private capital.    If it were, then I again feel it would be acceptable to charge for it.    


In DC and Baltimore, the new thing is to build special lanes on I95 and close by spurs.    With the advent of speed EZ pass, a fee is charged any driver (not HOV) who wishes to use the lane. 4 lanes filled with traffic are free, the lane that is actually moving will cost you.     The price varies electronically as the day/traffic/users do.    Busy day may cost you $3.00, a lite day may cost you $0.25c, they vary the price to get an a specified number of users.  

Some of these toll lanes I am opposed to for the reasons AZ suggests.   The entire road was built with my and others tax dollars, so why do the rich get to benefit?  Their pittance is not paying the full cost of that road addition.      Other toll lanes were subcontracted out to a company who built the lanes and collects the tolls.  That, to me, would be more fair.  Let the rich pay for that lane and allow the firm to profit.  That said, I fear this is just the camel's nose under the tent and soon all lanes, all miles, will be taxed directly by those who drive them.