AltaBird Pass prices

[Skrad]

Just checked, they went down. If this is the start of a trend, I won't have to save as much for my retirement. Of course, skiing may be a moot point by then, anyways.

 

[Admin]

I had lunch with all of the Ski Utah reps today. I suspect that they're feeling pressure from the Epic Pass now including Canyons, the Powder Alliance and new joint pas benefits between Alta, Snowbird, PCMR and Deer Valley.

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[Tony Crocker]

Yes, 50% premium for the AltaBird is more reasonable than 70%. I browsed the rest of Snowbird pricing to see what else may have changed. The rollover 10-pack most of our Iron Blosam group uses has gone up to $59/day vs. $57 last year. There's a new 10-pack without rollover (transferable, but must use all 10 during current season) for $529.

Mammoth and other Mountain Collective area season passholders will pay half the day rate. That would be $39.50 at Alta, assuming I can't get a reload discount. Day rate for Snowbird is not announced, but hopefully I'll be paying no more than $45 this year vs. the 10 pack rate last year. AltaBird for $52.50 will be an easy call for me on the bigger powder days. My understanding is that people like Liz who bought the Mountain Collective will get both the 2 free days and the half price days applied only to the AltaBird combined ticket.

 

[Marc_C]

I had lunch with all of the Ski Utah reps today. I suspect that they're feeling pressure from the Epic Pass now including Canyons, the Powder Alliance and new joint pas benefits between Alta, Snowbird, PCMR and Deer Valley.

Is there also the possibility that fewer passes were sold when it went from $1500 to $1700 in one year? That was one of the reasons I didn't buy the combined pass last year for the first time.
Also, those prices and the ones Tony quoted are early-bird prices - the Altabird pass goes up $200 if you purchase after some magic date in September. An additional perk is if you purchase the combined before Aug 20, you get a free night at the Cliff Lodge (must use by 11/23/2013, so not for ski season), a summer tram pass, and a couple of other goodies.

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We care about the tech you're using because...??? There must be a way of altering your sig line into something interesting or useful. Or maybe even nothing! Think about it, ya damned marketing shill!! :lol: :?

 

[Admin]

FYI, our story today gives a comprehensive overview of the current situation:
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/2013/0 ... -changing/

 

[Marc_C]

FYI, our story today gives a comprehensive overview of the current situation:
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/2013/0 ... -changing/

Yikes! I need an app to figure out all of that!
However, the new aggressive pricing has caused me to once again purchase an AltaBird combined pass. That pass works for me at $1500; not at $1800. Plus, since I purchased before 8/20, I get a Snowbird summer tram pass and a night at the Cliff Lodge.

One other reminder about the Alta and Snowbird premium passes: supposedly there's only a limited number of those "3 days at the other resorts" passes, so theoretically they can sell out if you purchase too late.

 

[Admin]

Using Alta's 2013 day ticket price of $79, instead of Snowbird's higher daily rate, the break-even point on an AltaBird pass is 18 days now. The single-resort Alta pass break-even point is 13 days.

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[Tony Crocker]

The relevant calculation for LCC locals is whether to upgrade to the combined pass as MarcC did after the price change. Single area passholders get to upgrade for $33/day. For the $1,799 pass the breakeven was 24 days at the non-primary resort. Lowering the AltaBird price to $1,499 lowers the breakeven to 15 days, but that really means 18 because of the 3 free days added with the new program this year.

Not quantifiable is the flexibility to make on-the-fly decisions within a ski day with a combined pass vs. making the decision first thing in the morning to buy or not buy an upgrade for the day.

 

[Admin]

As an alternative, here are the deets on a new $999 combined Solitude/Brighton unlimited season pass:
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/2013/0 ... ason-pass/

 

[jojo_obrien]

I've skiied PCMR, LCC and BCC however, but seeing as thought this is my 1st season full time in SLC, I'd like to check out the other places....I tend to go to the opposite way of the crowds.....

$390 for 10 tix to the Bird seems outstanding (lifts only)

frees up time to hit up some other resorts ( I do want to hit up the Canyons a few times, as I have never skiied there)....and also Deer Valley , Snowbasin, Pow Mow and Sundance....

the $390 pack sounds outstanding.....thoughts??

 

[Admin]

I've already given him my thoughts backchannel. I'll be curious to see what others have to say

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[jojo_obrien]

I've already given him my thoughts backchannel. I'll be curious to see what others have to say

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and very good thoughts indeed......

didnt want to run the risk of being overly annoying and clog up admin's mailbox since has been gracious to offer great insight on the scene here....

but i will say $390 for 10 tickets is pretty stellar IMO. tony- reminds me of the days skiing at goldmine / summit/ snow valley for...about that price!!!

the catch 22 with a full time gig is that you've got the cash but you're a weekend warrior....no gig / ski bum? you've got plenty o time but negligable cash flow : ) ....

jojo

 

[Tony Crocker]

Admin is mostly a weekend warrior and he's getting 65+ days every season. If you're going to be getting even 40+ it's an easy call (do the math, cheaper per day than that restricted 10-pack) to get an AltaBird pass IMHO. If you have strong preference of either Alta or Snowbird and expect to ski no more than 18 at the secondary area, then consider buying the preferred single area pass as analyzed above.

If you're really living there the entire season it makes little sense IMHO to buy at one of the other places with a ~3 month reliable season vs. AltaBird where it's 5+ months. As a vacationer, maybe you're there during prime season when it's good everywhere, so you go for someplace with fewer people. Your perspective is different as a resident. Many of your days will be shoulder season or other times when LCC's snow conditions are much better than elsewhere.

I've skied with you. You've arranged to live in SLC with a decent job. Why settle for second best?

 

[jojo_obrien]

Tony, you're the best :-o ..........I think you just summed it up for me. Maybe I should hit you up for some advice in other areas of my life offline as well... :-o

In all seriousness, I did take your advice to heart about where to live -- where you vacation to ski (Valdez) vs where you choose to live permanently...I know I would have been skiing some of the sickest lines a powder hound could imagine in Valdez but there are some real "negatives" to pay if you live there full time....I remind myself every day it comes down to values and the weight behind each of those values.....

I cant imagine 65 days in a season......but then again, I've never lived in SLC.....

Hope to run into you this season.



jojo

 

[Marc_C]

I cant imagine 65 days in a season......but then again, I've never lived in SLC.....

My suggestion is to certainly sample the various areas, but keep your commitment(s) conservative; meaning get an AltaBird (or just one and do the day upgrades for the other) then sample others as conditions and interest permit. You might want to try the Canyons, but after skiing it a day, you may well find out you only like the terrain off of 2 of their 17 (or 35 or 98 or however many lifts they have over there these days) lifts. It'd then be a drag to burn off say the other 9 tix if you got a 10-pack there. The same applies to any other area. You also might discover that driving an hour or more loses its appeal when you know you can get to the Cottonwood areas in 20 minutes.

I've now lived here 13 years. I have not skied Sundance (never ever) or PCMR (since moving here - I did ski there for a few days during a 10-day trip in 1993). I will travel to Snowbasin. PowMow I've never managed to hit on a good day - ie: the kind that really makes the place worth the 1.5 hr drive - only been there 4 times. DV maybe 5 times - it's difficult to get good discount tix for there, but since much of the DV clientele sticks to the groomed trails, the place can really shine in the right conditions - and the food is in the top 3 in North America. Brighton about 8 times- but if you want fantastic access to the backcountry, it's hard to beat the convenience of the Brighton lifts. With my AltaBird this year I get 3 days at DV and 3 at PCMR.

I skied the Canyons quite a bit the first season I was here due to having a pass that was good at all the (now defunct) American Ski Company areas nationwide. The only time I've been back is when I was hosting visitors and they wanted to ski there.

Maybe I should hit you up for some advice in other areas of my life offline as well... :-o

Uh, be careful about making these off the cuff remarks before clearly thinking them through! 8)

 

[Tony Crocker]

With my AltaBird this year I get 3 days at DV and 3 at PCMR.

Which makes the case even stronger. And day ticket prices from the ski shops in Utah when you want to try another area are quite reasonable by California standards. http://www.canyonsports.com/lift_tickets.php

PowMow I've never managed to hit on a good day - ie: the kind that really makes the place worth the 1.5 hr drive - only been there 4 times.

PowMow does need to be cherry-picked for the right day, which I've done 3x now. Not too difficult; if a widespread storm is Wednesday/Thursday and you're not taking time off from work, there's your best bet for powder on the weekend. And I somehow doubt after living in SoCal you'll be put off by the 1.5 hour drive.

I cant imagine 65 days in a season......but then again, I've never lived in SLC.....

First season there...... I'll be astounded if you're under 50.

 

[Marc_C]

I cant imagine 65 days in a season......but then again, I've never lived in SLC.....

First season there...... I'll be astounded if you're under 50.

Doing some extremely rough back-of-envelope calculations....
Assuming an around Thanksgiving to mid-May season in LCC, there are approximately 165 days. Counting only weekend days (no holidays, no PTO, no weekday powder day mornings, etc) we get about 47 days. 65 days certainly is attainable for an SLC local weekend-warrior working person.

 

[Marc_C]

And I somehow doubt after living in SoCal you'll be put off by the 1.5 hour drive.

In CT I used to regularly drive 5hrs to north-central VT. The pure seductive beauty of getting to Alta/Snowbird/Brighton/Solitude in under 30 minutes changes your view on ski drive time very rapidly and significantly when you are doing it twice a week all season. Especially so when you're well to the north of 50 yrs old. You should relate to that!

 

[Tony Crocker]

If it's untracked 1.5 hours away vs. tracked out half an hour away I would make the drive. This scenario probably sets up no more than 5% of ski days. There's probably at least another 5% I'd drive the 1 hour to Snowbasin.

when you are doing it twice a week all season

Lifetime 84% of my ski days in Utah have been in LCC, and I would expect that proportion to be similar if I lived in SLC. Making a longer drive 5-10 days a year is not that big a deal. BobbyD seems to hold up OK under the strain of doing that. :-({|=

 

[jojo_obrien]

If it's untracked 1.5 hours away vs. tracked out half an hour away I would make the drive. This scenario probably sets up no more than 5% of ski days.

Can I ask an uninformed question....??? Why?

Thank you!