I can say that this is objectively not true.
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Why is the cost of skiing disproportionately aimed at ski resorts?
- Thread starter techcrium
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Well, I think there may be some truth in that. Going back maybe 25 years ago, my sister in law (who is an anesthesiologist, so can afford nice things) got one of the first carbon fiber bike frame (I believe it was a Kestral). I was used to riding mid-level (at the time) bikes, and that bike was a revelation. No longer was I "riding a bike", it became a part of me. It honestly felt like flying. So I can see the attraction of very high-end equipment. It's just not in my realm of things LOL
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The Indy pass is definetly something I am going to look into for next year. Between some of the areas within 4-5 hours, and some California areas that could be worth visiting (I haven;'t skied with my son in almost 20 years) it could be a worthwhile purchase. I'll have to compare that to what's available in 70+ ticket prices, since I'll hit that threshold this summer.Valid points. You sound like someone who might enjoy the Indy Pass. Believe at this point you'd have to sign up for a wait list and probably couldn't get it until next season, but no harm in getting on the wait list. It's cheaper than the big mega passes and includes some mtns in your region, as well as some around the US that you might aspire to visit including some pretty good ones in New England and the Rockies.
BTW, in 2003 I packed the family minivan with six of us and drove VA to CO for my kids first ski vacation in the Rockies. All that time on the road with a van-full was brutal, but we saved a bunch on airfare and enjoyed skiing Loveland, Winter Park and Eldora fairly economically. You do what you have to do
And it has Hickory in NY on the pass now...that's been a bucket list area for me for the last 15 years
So how long was that road trip?
For clarification, do you mean Beaver Mt, UT, or Beaver Creek, CO?
Not sure if you're joking or not... but given that we're talking about replicating a trip with walk-up tickets, I'm 99.9999999% sure he meant Beaver, UT.
End of the day, if your budget, vacation flexibility, and/or your geographic location is not conducive to leveraging a multi pass the industry is all but leaving you entirely behind.
Or it could mean that since he’s already paying so much money, might as well go to Beaver Creek?
I inquired because some lurking readers might not be familiar with Beaver Mt.
To some degree that's everything in late stage capitalism in the US and growing income inequality, not just skiing.
That 2003 road trip was about 4500-5000 miles roundtrip. I've done 20-25 cross-country (4000-7000 miles) ski related road trips in my life, most have been in the last 20 years. But I did a solo one in 1976 sleeping in a VW bug at Vail and Aspen.
I am just 70. Skied Massanutten for 70-free four times this winter. Going to ski Monarch for 70-free in a few days. If I wasn't also the owner of a Snowbird (senior pass) and Ikon pass (cheap add-on) I might be more motivated to check out numerous 70-free possibilities. Could be a good travel story in that
Has nothing at all to do with income. When lift ticket prices have risen 200% in a relatively short period of time, and other trip expanses have risen maybe 30% or even less, there's something going on besides income inequality. It's conglomerate skiing, and unless you pay in advance for the privilege, you either pony up for the resorts that are part of that conglomerate or find the smaller places that aren't making you pay the penalty for not being part of the "collective".
Yes, Beaver Mt Utah. LOL
I have a season pass at home and have to buy X # of days on another when I travel or Indy.
For us, part of saving on costs - in all our travel - is a willingness to plan and commit early. Whenever possible, I book accommodations with a generous cancelation window. We buy/renew our pass in that early spring window when it's cheapest. I book hotels and flights for fall travel (non skiing) a year in advance. It saves a lot of money. I admit that when our son was in school, and I was still teaching, this was impossible because school vacation pricing is obscene.
We booked out our April and May 2024 lodging past May while skiing at Mammoth. We bought our passes in April. Advance planning and commitment usually give us a better selection and lower prices when it comes to lodging.
The lack of advance planning and commitment when it comes to skiing reminded me of the people buying their grocery at the corner bodega in NYC. Complaining about the high prices, low quality and the dearth of selection.
So how much of your time is spent traveling? And do you have a home anywhere, or are you basically nomads?
It sounds like your lifestyle is the exception, not the norm.
His lifestyle will hopefully be my norm in about 10 years….lol.
I'm starting to not understand your complaint. You live in North Carolina, do not seem to want to travel, none of the areas are on Epic or Ikon, how's the "mega" passes playing into it? I don't believe where I live up here could be considered "ski country". Really as far as natural snow you have to go up to Northern New England for the real stuff. North Carolina is not even on most peoples skiing radar. But just like The Pocono's here in my back yard the areas your skiing are spending a ton of money just to be able to have skiing at all. I'm watching my home area scratch and claw to get terrain open for MLK weekend and am about to watch a good chunk of it get washed away. These places got to make money or they are going to close. Feel free to throw out a figure of what you believe they should be charging, I'd be interested hear
Seems to me much of your limitations are self imposed. Back country is always free but i would think pretty hard to do in NC.
I live in a maga pass desert. First world problem compared to living in a food desert.