Mountain Creek joins the Max Pass

Camp - maybe a ski trip out west is just what you need to stir up some of the old passion for skiing. Seriously, just do it before you're too old to do it. It's a whole different ball game than skiing even the bigger ski areas in the east. Stop making excuses and just go. You will never regret it. But get your legs in shape before you do.

Snoloco - MC being on the Max Pass isn't of much interest to most of the people here. If I was going in for a Max Pass, the fact that MC is on it would do nothing for me, as I would never ski there. I can see doing a Max Pass in a couple years once both my kids are in college and I'm free to get out west more than once a year, and to do some weekends in VT.

Milo Maltbie wrote

Eldora was recently added to the Max Pass.  That's the closest area to my son's house.  
I wish they had done that before I bought my Gore pass.

Powdr recently bought Eldora, which automatically adds it to the Max Pass, unless it's already committed to another multi-resort pass for this year.  They're marketing it as their close to Denver skiing option, and plan on doing some major upgrades, one of them being adding a 6-pack lift to replace two older fixed grips.  Eldora is on the Rocky Mountain SuperPass already, along with Copper and Winter Park.  You also get 6 days at Steamboat and 3 at Crested Butte (plus some international destinations).  I believe that's also an eligible pass to get the Max Pass add-on.

All Powder, Intrawest, and Boyne resorts are automatically on the Max Pass.  Other ski areas may join the Max Pass co-op, either as a full member like Wachusett did, or as a partial member like Mountain Creek did.  Full members are officially on the pass, and if you buy it separately, you get 5 days there.  Partial members don't get included on the pass if you buy it separately, but passholders at the mountain can get the Max Pass for the add-on rate.

It was also rumored at one point that Peak Resorts would try and break into the Colorado market by acquiring Echo Mountain, which is a very small ski area, but the closest one to Denver, and tripling it in size.  That fits with their business model of buying resorts close to major population centers, but with their debt load after this year, they won't be doing that anytime soon.  I wonder if they have any plans of putting their mountains on the Max Pass.  That would bring JFBB, Hunter, and Mount Snow into the mix for those living in the NY Metro area, further increasing the value of their pass, as well as the Max Pass.

billyymc wrote

Snoloco - MC being on the Max Pass isn't of much interest to most of the people here. If I was going in for a Max Pass, the fact that MC is on it would do nothing for me, as I would never ski there. I can see doing a Max Pass in a couple years once both my kids are in college and I'm free to get out west more than once a year, and to do some weekends in VT.

You will never ski MC because you live in Central New York, not downstate like I do.  For anyone who does, and skis MC even occasionally, this is huge for them.  If I was living at home next year, I'd be tempted to get the Max Pass add-on to go out west again, and do more weekends in Vermont.

Edit:  Mountain Creek is now a full member.  Okemo joined as well as 8 other mountains, and there are now 32 ski areas on the pass this year.

Now MC passholders can go to 3 major Vermont mountains for free, plus Pico.  They can also just get the Max Pass separately, and go to MC any day they can't go elsewhere.  This just keeps getting better.  Really wish I were a MC passholder next year.  

Coach Z wrote

To link back to the Utah discussion I love Solitude when it has good snow - lots of cool nooks and crannies to find fun stashes. Not that busy even on a weekend compared to LCC.  I have parked in the first row by the lodge at 8:30 on Sunday more than once.  I have not skied Brighton how does it compare to its neighbor?

I skied Solitude for two days in December of 2000 or 1999 and it was dumping! There were zero lines too, you just rolled right onto the chair. It's a good alternative to the Bird and Alta during holidays and busy weekends. The lift layout is a little weird but that's kind of standard in the Wasatch. The mountains have those long extending ridge lines. I guess that's why I love the Bird and the tram so much.

I don't think you know what the word "free" means

"Free" sounds better than "included".  But for no additional cost on top of your pass, you can go to other great mountains instead of just MC.  Granted the add on will set you back $300, but that's how much you'll spend to ski two days out west, and you can do 5 times that now.

raisingarizona wrote

Coach Z wrote

To link back to the Utah discussion I love Solitude when it has good snow - lots of cool nooks and crannies to find fun stashes. Not that busy even on a weekend compared to LCC.  I have parked in the first row by the lodge at 8:30 on Sunday more than once.  I have not skied Brighton how does it compare to its neighbor?

I skied Solitude for two days in December of 2000 or 1999 and it was dumping! There were zero lines too, you just rolled right onto the chair. It's a good alternative to the Bird and Alta during holidays and busy weekends. The lift layout is a little weird but that's kind of standard in the Wasatch. The mountains have those long extending ridge lines. I guess that's why I love the Bird and the tram so much.

I like Solitude as well although the really good runs are short and working Honeycomb can be challenging as you can't get high in it without going all the way around each lap

<quote author="PeeTex">

raisingarizona wrote

Coach Z wrote

I like Solitude as well although the really good runs are short and working Honeycomb can be challenging as you can't get high in it without going all the way around each lap

Yup. Honeycomb needs a lift.

When I skied a winter at Alta that was sort of my big gripe about the place. To ski the backside required two chair lift rides (the old germ chair constantly was breaking down or stopping for the wind) a long handle tow and another short one and traversing for almost every run. The new chairs at Alta have really made the experience there a whole lot better imo but it's still not lap-able as the Bird.

<quote author="raisingarizona">

PeeTex wrote

raisingarizona wrote

Coach Z wrote

I like Solitude as well although the really good runs are short and working Honeycomb can be challenging as you can't get high in it without going all the way around each lap

Yup. Honeycomb needs a lift.

When I skied a winter at Alta that was sort of my big gripe about the place. To ski the backside required two chair lift rides (the old germ chair constantly was breaking down or stopping for the wind) a long handle tow and another short one and traversing for almost every run. The new chairs at Alta have really made the experience there a whole lot better imo but it's still not lap-able as the Bird.

Gad II at the bird is my go to lift on a puking snow day. Tiger tail can hold snow for a week or more.
Evergreen at Solitude is the place to go when there ain't no place else left. The sun never reaches it and it will have fresh lines for weeks. Short but sweet.

Gad 2 has some gnarly little shots off of it. My last visit I chased after my ski patrol buddy there and we did a bunch of hot laps on the Peruvian chair and it was sick too. I don't really know the mountain well but whenever I follow a friend/local around that place I have so much fun.

<quote author="raisingarizona">

PeeTex wrote

raisingarizona wrote

Coach Z wrote

I like Solitude as well although the really good runs are short and working Honeycomb can be challenging as you can't get high in it without going all the way around each lap

Yup. Honeycomb needs a lift.

When I skied a winter at Alta that was sort of my big gripe about the place. To ski the backside required two chair lift rides (the old germ chair constantly was breaking down or stopping for the wind) a long handle tow and another short one and traversing for almost every run. The new chairs at Alta have really made the experience there a whole lot better imo but it's still not lap-able as the Bird.

The little bit of traversing/hiking required aince the hs collins lift was installed keeps the unwshed away and you can pretty much just lap it now.  

raisingarizona wrote

Gad 2 has some gnarly little shots off of it. My last visit I chased after my ski patrol buddy there and we did a bunch of hot laps on the Peruvian chair and it was sick too. I don't really know the mountain well but whenever I follow a friend/local around that place I have so much fun.

I never explored that side of Snowbird, will have to work the ridge next time I go.
The guys I use to ski it with 20 years ago are all pretty much either gone or no longer able to ski much.