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Are parent switch passes still a thing?

marymack

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hi everyone!
I'm expecting my first baby in September. My husband and I decided to hold off on buying season passes (even my beloved Indy pass) for 2022-2023, since we just don't know what parenthood is going to look like yet. He figures we will just buy day tickets when/if (when!) We get a chance to get out this winter.
My question is: Are any mountains in New England still doing "parent switch passes"? Where you can purchase one ticket (maybe at a slightly higher cost?) But parents can share it while taking turns caring for baby in the lodge? I know you can do this unofficially (RFID day tickets without pictures probably make this even easier now), but I've always been a rule follower and as a ski instructor I am always careful to be a good ambassador wherever I go. Plus I would love to support resorts that are supporting parents and helping to keep that generation on the hill, because that is how we keep people in the sport and introduce skiing to the next generation!
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
With the rise of the multi resort passes, I too think this has gone away. But worth some research on..
 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Bretton Woods used to have a shared parent lift ticket but I can't find recent info on it.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Looks like Stratton had a shared parent pass but that was before the sale of Intrawest resorts to Alterra. Haven't noticed any resorts advertising a parent pass for a while, even in 2019 pre-pandemic.
 

snoWYmonkey

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Lifties at some resorts get paid per bust! Even without a photo there is a name and sometimes more info linked to the rfid day ticket. Life is hard for people with gender neitralnor non conforming names. Many RFID daybtickets also have age on the info they see on their screen. If you don't want the hassle of being caught, I advise caution trying to work the system. Students of mine got caught doing exactly what you are thinking while in a lesson. Ooops!
 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I think it is a missed opportunity that more hills don't have the legit shared parent ticket/ pass as a product, especially those that don't have day care. Pair it with a child friendly seating area so the tag team parents aren't camping at prime cafeteria spots all day. Parents start with the shared pass, in a couple of years move up to two passes when they start taking the kid out on skis, a year or two later the kid starts taking lessons there, and then entire family has passes. Maybe even turn a room into a "parent +child lounge" that you have access to with a shared parent pass/ ticket and can also purchase access to as an add on to a regular pass. And when the kids start lessons, there's a good chance they'lll already know someone in their group from the lounge area making it less scary.
 

marymack

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I think it is a missed opportunity that more hills don't have the legit shared parent ticket/ pass as a product, especially those that don't have day care. Pair it with a child friendly seating area so the tag team parents aren't camping at prime cafeteria spots all day. Parents start with the shared pass, in a couple of years move up to two passes when they start taking the kid out on skis, a year or two later the kid starts taking lessons there, and then entire family has passes. Maybe even turn a room into a "parent +child lounge" that you have access to with a shared parent pass/ ticket and can also purchase access to as an add on to a regular pass. And when the kids start lessons, there's a good chance they'lll already know someone in their group from the lounge area making it less scary.
Now thats a cool idea!
 

RachelV

Administrator
Staff member
In the before times, A-Basin would set up the north side side of the top floor of the a-frame as a family / play area, which was great for the reasons @diymom mentions above, but I haven't seen it since covid. No shared parent tickets either, sadly.
 

knolan12

Angel Diva
Congrats!! We made this work at Bolton Valley last year by renting an onsite condo. We each took turns skiing and hanging with baby in the condo. It worked really nicely and was a lot more comfortable than trying to entertain ourselves in the lodge.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
@marymack : it was nice to meet you in Boston when I was up there for Snowbound. Still have come across a "parent" lift ticket in the northeast. The rep for Smuggs couldn't even understand the question initially. He did note that people who stay in resort lodging get lift tickets as part a lodging package.

Here's advice from Deb Armstrong about how to start a little one on the path to skiing. Meaning a really little one who won't even be walking for another 10-14 months. Her daughter is a teen now and on the Steamboat team.

October 2022
 

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