Lift Tickets and the Cost of Skiing

Benny Profane wrote

Adk Jeff wrote

 - I'm not a marketing guy

Sounds like you'd do just fine working for ORDA.

Benny made a funny!

So far this season I'm at $253 per day, not including gas and/or coffee.

YUKON CORNELIUS wrote

So far this season I'm at $253 per day, not including gas and/or coffee.

guessing you will work that down abit

Coach Z wrote

You do know that Orda outsources all food and beverage biz so they benefit little from those revenue sources.  On the plus side it lowers thier operating costs and risk.

Right. I know food & bev is outsourced to Centerplate, but I don't know any of the details about the contract.  If ORDA gets a % of the revenue, they would benefit.  If it's a flat (fixed) agreement, no direct benefit although (in theory) the contract becomes more attractive to Centerplate putting ORDA in a stronger position when the contract is renegotiated. Either way, the additional food & bev revenue would probably be the least of the reasons why ORDA might participate in an alliance - it's more about delivering additional value to their passholders, supporting the regional feeder ski hills, and developing a brand to help market the entire region.

Adk Jeff wrote

Coach Z wrote

You do know that Orda outsources all food and beverage biz so they benefit little from those revenue sources.  On the plus side it lowers thier operating costs and risk.

Right. I know food & bev is outsourced to Centerplate, but I don't know any of the details about the contract.  If ORDA gets a % of the revenue, they would benefit.  If it's a flat (fixed) agreement, no direct benefit although (in theory) the contract becomes more attractive to Centerplate putting ORDA in a stronger position when the contract is renegotiated. Either way, the additional food & bev revenue would probably be the least of the reasons why ORDA might participate in an alliance - it's more about delivering additional value to their passholders, supporting the regional feeder ski hills, and developing a brand to help market the entire region.

"entire region" = Lake Placid, right?

This being my first season without military or a college discount, I could not budget in a season pass.. Also, with so many summer activities it is hard to spend the money a few months ago when it is the cheapest. I skied 40 days last season and with a new job I am hoping for a quarter of that! It would be half of that if belleayre had a cheaper pass.  Instead I am going to buy a frequent skier pass with the 1st and 6th day free with discounts.  Also, I am banking of shredding a lot more late season when the hype dies and the deals come out!  

I really wish the SKI3 pass for Gore, WF and Belle covered all honorably discharged vets.. I think it is just the retired vets though - not counting a standard 4 year service. I emailed them and asked and they just sent me the same blurb from their website. I asked if that included 4 year vets and the person who answered said maybe but not sure.  I am afraid of showing up with my paperwork and somebody else saying that doesn't count.

 Some resorts have discounted passes for 18-29yr olds (I am 25).. Like stratton has a deal for $299... They know times can be rough for all, especially when you just enter the workforce from college. I wish a resort with a deal like that was closer to Sullivan CO.

YUKON CORNELIUS wrote

"entire region" = Lake Placid, right?

The concept of an Adirondack Alliance would benefit the entire Adirondack region, not solely Lake Placid. However I think Lake Placid would stand to benefit the most in terms of overnight visitation.

reading between the line... I am going to wuss out this year so why waste the money.  Buying the ticket would be incentive to ski. ski fun must buy pass

Skiing(especially on the ec with it's subpar conditions and hills, not mountians) is a rip off and quickly becoming more and more a sport for the non athletic 1 percent and many of those who afraid of powder for example(okemo and jiminy's clientele).

I call it the hermitage club demographic. That's what it's all going towards. 108 bucks for a lift ticket at stowe. Absolute insanity. If you have a whole family, that's 4 people and rentals. What's that going to cost without even factoring in lodging and gas? 600 dollars to ski for the day on what most likely is ice on overcrowded trails? lol What lower or middle class family could afford that nowadays?

$108?!?! they are targeting a specific crowd of ritzy ditzy folk

PowderAssassin wrote

Skiing(especially on the ec with it's subpar conditions and hills, not mountians) is a rip off and quickly becoming more and more a sport for the non athletic 1 percent and many of those who afraid of powder for example(okemo and jiminy's clientele).

I call it the hermitage club demographic. That's what it's all going towards. 108 bucks for a lift ticket at stowe. Absolute insanity. If you have a whole family, that's 4 people and rentals. What's that going to cost without even factoring in lodging and gas? 600 dollars to ski for the day on what most likely is ice on overcrowded trails? lol What lower or middle class family could afford that nowadays?

I fully agree but that is why it's important that the loyal working class skier/boarders go out and support their favorite local real "skiers" mountain. Keep those places up and running, buy a seasons pass even if you will probably only make it out a few days. It would be sad to lose places like Hickory, Magic, Plattekill, and the like.

raisingarizona wrote

PowderAssassin wrote

Skiing(especially on the ec with it's subpar conditions and hills, not mountians) is a rip off and quickly becoming more and more a sport for the non athletic 1 percent and many of those who afraid of powder for example(okemo and jiminy's clientele).

I call it the hermitage club demographic. That's what it's all going towards. 108 bucks for a lift ticket at stowe. Absolute insanity. If you have a whole family, that's 4 people and rentals. What's that going to cost without even factoring in lodging and gas? 600 dollars to ski for the day on what most likely is ice on overcrowded trails? lol What lower or middle class family could afford that nowadays?

I fully agree but that is why it's important that the loyal working class skier/boarders go out and support their favorite local real "skiers" mountain. Keep those places up and running, buy a seasons pass even if you will probably only make it out a few days. It would be sad to lose places like Hickory, Magic, Plattekill, and the like.

The "local working class" of upstate NY or Vermont, if there are even enough jobs to have a "working class", don't ski, and surely couldn't afford to even think of skiing. They're more concerned with heating and food and car repair and roof repair and food costs and medical insurance for the winter.

The people who ski those mountains are usually very experienced skiers with long, expensive skiing histories who are generally upper class whites from other places searching for a more "authentic" alternative to the "commercial" mountains. Like, you know, owning a Jeep Wrangler and growing a beard off the hill. Not that they aren't excellent skiing experiences. But, the locals could care less, unless they can get a decent part time job at the hill for the season.

raisingarizona wrote

PowderAssassin wrote

Skiing(especially on the ec with it's subpar conditions and hills, not mountians) is a rip off and quickly becoming more and more a sport for the non athletic 1 percent and many of those who afraid of powder for example(okemo and jiminy's clientele).

I call it the hermitage club demographic. That's what it's all going towards. 108 bucks for a lift ticket at stowe. Absolute insanity. If you have a whole family, that's 4 people and rentals. What's that going to cost without even factoring in lodging and gas? 600 dollars to ski for the day on what most likely is ice on overcrowded trails? lol What lower or middle class family could afford that nowadays?

I fully agree but that is why it's important that the loyal working class skier/boarders go out and support their favorite local real "skiers" mountain. Keep those places up and running, buy a seasons pass even if you will probably only make it out a few days. It would be sad to lose places like Hickory, Magic, Plattekill, and the like.

I fully disagree    ---- I think those who ski out west in all that POW are nothing but a bunch of wussies

campgottagopee wrote

raisingarizona wrote

PowderAssassin wrote

Skiing(especially on the ec with it's subpar conditions and hills, not mountians) is a rip off and quickly becoming more and more a sport for the non athletic 1 percent and many of those who afraid of powder for example(okemo and jiminy's clientele).

I call it the hermitage club demographic. That's what it's all going towards. 108 bucks for a lift ticket at stowe. Absolute insanity. If you have a whole family, that's 4 people and rentals. What's that going to cost without even factoring in lodging and gas? 600 dollars to ski for the day on what most likely is ice on overcrowded trails? lol What lower or middle class family could afford that nowadays?

I fully agree but that is why it's important that the loyal working class skier/boarders go out and support their favorite local real "skiers" mountain. Keep those places up and running, buy a seasons pass even if you will probably only make it out a few days. It would be sad to lose places like Hickory, Magic, Plattekill, and the like.

I fully disagree    ---- I think those who ski out west in all that POW are nothing but a bunch of wussies

ha! Maybe, but we are smiling and happy wussies!

It wasn't always like that tho Benny. Lots of regular folk used to go skiing.

campgottagopee wrote

raisingarizona wrote

PowderAssassin wrote

Skiing(especially on the ec with it's subpar conditions and hills, not mountians) is a rip off and quickly becoming more and more a sport for the non athletic 1 percent and many of those who afraid of powder for example(okemo and jiminy's clientele).

I call it the hermitage club demographic. That's what it's all going towards. 108 bucks for a lift ticket at stowe. Absolute insanity. If you have a whole family, that's 4 people and rentals. What's that going to cost without even factoring in lodging and gas? 600 dollars to ski for the day on what most likely is ice on overcrowded trails? lol What lower or middle class family could afford that nowadays?

I fully agree but that is why it's important that the loyal working class skier/boarders go out and support their favorite local real "skiers" mountain. Keep those places up and running, buy a seasons pass even if you will probably only make it out a few days. It would be sad to lose places like Hickory, Magic, Plattekill, and the like.

I fully disagree    ---- I think those who ski out west in all that POW are nothing but a bunch of wussies

I fully agree.  Since I moved out west, I've become a complete panzy.  The mountain is open today, but I'm going for a bike ride instead.  This past storm cycle was a warm one, bringing mainly rain for the past week.

When I lived back East, I went to the mountain... because it was open... regardless of the snow quality.

nepa wrote

campgottagopee wrote

raisingarizona wrote

PowderAssassin wrote

Skiing(especially on the ec with it's subpar conditions and hills, not mountians) is a rip off and quickly becoming more and more a sport for the non athletic 1 percent and many of those who afraid of powder for example(okemo and jiminy's clientele).

I call it the hermitage club demographic. That's what it's all going towards. 108 bucks for a lift ticket at stowe. Absolute insanity. If you have a whole family, that's 4 people and rentals. What's that going to cost without even factoring in lodging and gas? 600 dollars to ski for the day on what most likely is ice on overcrowded trails? lol What lower or middle class family could afford that nowadays?

I fully agree but that is why it's important that the loyal working class skier/boarders go out and support their favorite local real "skiers" mountain. Keep those places up and running, buy a seasons pass even if you will probably only make it out a few days. It would be sad to lose places like Hickory, Magic, Plattekill, and the like.

I fully disagree    ---- I think those who ski out west in all that POW are nothing but a bunch of wussies

I fully agree.  Since I moved out west, I've become a complete panzy.  The mountain is open today, but I'm going for a bike ride instead.  This past storm cycle was a warm one, bringing mainly rain for the past week.

When I lived back East, I went to the mountain... because it was open... regardless of the snow quality.

Or you just didn't know any better.

raisingarizona wrote

It wasn't always like that tho Benny. Lots of regular folk used to go skiing.

It's still that way

Benny is, at times, full of doom and gloom.....sad, very sad

nepa wrote

 
I fully agree.  Since I moved out west, I've become a complete panzy.  The mountain is open today, but I'm going for a bike ride instead.  This past storm cycle was a warm one, bringing mainly rain for the past week.

When I lived back East, I went to the mountain... because it was open... regardless of the snow quality.

That's what we do here, we go skiing.

Same has happened to friends of mine who moved out west. That said, it must be nice to be able to skip a day knowing tomorrow will be better. Around here you just never know.

raisingarizona wrote

It wasn't always like that tho Benny. Lots of regular folk used to go skiing.

Lots of people used to have jobs, too. At least jobs that afforded money and time for skiing.