Audski
Certified Ski Diva
So here in CT, I joined a ski club 4 years ago. There are many here in New England. The perks are discounts at ski areas throughout the region, and many of the clubs have their own lodges where the stay is affordable and social. I belong to at ski club that is part of the CT Ski Council. Every year the CSC puts out an "Awareness days Calendar" which lists what resorts on New England are offering discounts each day of the season. Once this calendar comes out, we can figure out how many bulk discount lift ticket vouchers we need to buy from our ski clubs, and plan for our ski trips and lodge stays for the season. I knew there was going to be trouble when Vail announced that it bought Okemo, in Ludlow VT. It's known for being a great family mountain that accommodates all levels of skiers, and its the one I bring my kids to the most. We make good use of those awareness days (which are typically around $50 or less) !!! So the calendar typically comes out in early Sept. It didn't. It came out today. And low and behold, there are ZERO Okemo days. That's right. No discounts to ski at Okemo anymore (also Sunappee, and Stowe last year). So.....ugh. The option is $115 ticket window price (not reasonable for a family), or an Epic Pass, also too costly for a single mom who takes her kids skiing in VT 3 weekends a season. I'm really upset about this. EPIC and Ikon passes are great for the West coast, and even better if you go on week-long trips. They seem stellar if you live close to the ski areas involved. But for those of us that have to pay for lodging when we ski, or have families we finance, its getting just too darn expensive! For the past 4 years, being in a ski club was a wonderful way to ski affordably, especially as a single mom. Now....well, another great ski area in VT falls to Vail. So this year I will be taking my kids to Killington & Pico more, and perhaps Mt. Snow (too crowded). And I guess it's time to maybe do smaller mountains in NY. I fear that this push towards passes will edge out new skiers who can't afford it, and make it prohibitive for families. Please tell me I'm over reacting and it will all be ok, and I won't go broke trying to have fun