Upcoming Events: Arapahoe Basin 2017 Opening Day, Breckenridge 2017 Opening Day
The Snow Day Pass returns to Copper Mountain this season for $99 allowing unlimited access any day the mountain receives four inches of snow or more. Copper Mountain has received over seven feet of snow so far in the 2013/2014 season which is some of the best early-season conditions we’ve seen in years. Given all…
From Scott Condon at The Aspen Times:
The U.S. Forest Service is working on new rules that clarify that ski areas that lease public lands for their operations can charge people for uphill travel. The directive could affect fitness fanatics that use skis with climbing skins, snowshoes and stabilizers.
My favorite part of this article is how it was filed under Obituaries in the Summit Daily. My least favorite part of this article is the fact that mountains may be able to charge die-hards, only excluding them further from the kinds of terrain and activities that helped make the industry what it is today.
That said, I can see how a fee to offset the resources needed to manage the uphill access (staff reviewing applications, creating the passes, etc.) is reasonable. My guess is, the first mountain to implement fees (if any) would get a lot of backlash and PR, they’ll step back, and then slowly everyone will implement a very nominal fee.
If you’d like to submit a comment, you can do so at the Federal Register’s “Proposed Directive for Additional Seasonal or Year-Round Recreation Activities at Ski Areas”.
The 2013/2014 School of Shred Pass for 5th and 6th Graders is now available from Vail Resorts. The School of Shred program provides four free days of skiing or snowboarding at each of Vail Resorts’ Colorado locations: Arapahoe Basin Beaver Creek Breckenridge Keystone Vail The School of Shred pass also includes one free “first timer”…
The 5th Grade Passport allows three days of free skiing and the 6th Grade Passport allows four days of skiing for just $99. The twenty member resorts offering the 5th and 6th Grade Passport benefits include: Arapahoe Basin Aspen Highlands Aspen Mountain Buttermilk Copper Mountain Crested Butte Eldora Howelsen Loveland Monarch Powderhorn Purgatory Ski Cooper…
The Gems Card grants you 2-for-1 lift ticket offers at some of Colorado’s best hidden treasures. For just $20, Gems Card holders can purchase one adult full day lift ticket and receive another adult full day lift ticket for free. Each Gems Card is good for one use per Gem resort, per season. The Colorado…
From December 1 through 20, 2013, kids up to age 14 ski free at Arapahoe Basin. You read that right, there’s no “catch”: no adult ticket required, no lessons needed. If you have kiddos 14 or younger, bring them to Arapahoe Basin this December, swing by the ticket window and off you go! Learn more…
Donny at Freeskier looks a bit harder at the new Powder Alliance Partnership:
The deal provides three free days of skiing at Crested Butte, Snowbasin Resort, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Stevens Pass, Timberline, Schweitzer, China Peak, Mountain High, Arizona Snowbowl, Mt Hood Skibowl, Angel Fire Resort, and Bridger Bowl, with the purchase of a season pass at any one of those resorts. On the surface, a total of 33 free days of skiing across the western United States seems like the deal of a lifetime. When delving further into the details of the pass, a couple of things should be noted.
It seems the popular innovation in the industry is catching on: cross promote product from other resorts in other locales by joining a faction. See also: Vail Resorts, The Mountain Collective. I only wonder if it’s worth it. I don’t ever see myself leaving the close-to-home resorts (spend extra money to travel?) so I wonder who this appeals most to? Likely folks already living away from resorts and planning vacations?
The 2013 A-Basin Spring Passes are available meaning you can ski unlimited, unrestricted days at Arapahoe Basin from now until June 2, 2013 (closing day). Total cost? Only $169 for adults.