IKON Pass Pricing Revealed

[marzNC]

Someone at work made a Ski Pass Comparison spreadsheet, which I thought was a helpful visual:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1r-kuasBYYjpilaPZXqibW4Yv_6C2fYDkyKzoTM6MZh0/edit?usp=sharing
(This a Google Sheets link)

I haven't checked the accuracy except Epic Local since in the pass I know the best, but please let me know if there are errors.

Ah, Ikon and Epic only with details by ski resort. That is interesting to look at. You might tell the creator that "middle of the country" is usually called Midwest as a region for skiing.

For those who missed it, there is a comparison Google Sheet for all multi-resort passes for 2018-19 that was compiled based on info in the following thread:

https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/multi-ski-area-pass-comparison.22583/

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15vbp_HSYJs2cJA5Xia245Whp20bwt8WLKw66_n-KiZk/edit#gid=0

 

[DeweySki]

Ah, Ikon and Epic only with details by ski resort. That is interesting to look at. You might tell the creator that "middle of the country" is usually called Midwest as a region for skiing.

Ha, I hadn't even noticed the "Middle of the County" designation, even as a native Midwesterner. I think the creator of the sheet was born outside of the US, so I'll let that one slide.

Also includes Mountain Collective in the far right column (J). This sheet is definitely oriented towards the West. Most of us in NorCal are trying to decide which 2-out-of-3 combo to choose between Epics, Ikons, and MC.

 

[SkiBam]

So Alterra put a booth up in the Grand Manitou at Tremblant today. I imagine that it will be here for the week at least. You could go and ask questions. So the big questions around the apres-ski bar and on the lifts is no senior discount. Military, College, kids, but no senior. Well there is an unadvertised one for the 80+ crowd.

They had a spread sheet that shows what you what you paid for this years pass and what you will pay for next year. Their reasoning is that the Ikon Base Pass is only $40 more and you get to ski the other areas. Well most seniors I know that ski Tremblant, are only skiing Tremblant. They are not travelling. So I guess they get the Tonik and pay to ski the holidays with their families.

Military and students get a discount. But nothing for someone like me who has bought a seniors pass for the past 10 years. And now no deal until I'm 80!!! I AM TOTALLY P****D OFF!!! (can you tell??) I have been trying to call Tremblant for days and cannot get through. Guess I'll look for the Alterra booth this week - though not hopeful it will do any good.

 

[marzNC]

Ha, I hadn't even noticed the "Middle of the County" designation, even as a native Midwesterner. I think the creator of the sheet was born outside of the US, so I'll let that one slide.

Also includes Mountain Collective in the far right column (J). This sheet is definitely oriented towards the West. Most of us in NorCal are trying to decide which 2-out-of-3 combo to choose between Epics, Ikons, and MC.

Just teasing about "Middle of the Country." In OnTheSnow the entire Southeast is missing as a region for skiing.

For the MCP, says "2 days" but the 50% discount is significant too for anyone who is thinking about the Ikon pass as a way to ski at some place that's more than a few hours drive. Although I suppose going to SLC based on the MCP could be enough to justify the purchase.

 

[marzNC]

The decision not to offer senior pass pricing applies to all Alterra resorts. Seniors who are locals for Steamboat are not happy. The Squaw/Alpine FAQ addresses the change directly.

https://www.steamboattoday.com/news/bud-romberg-ikon-pass-not-good-for-seniors/

https://squawalpine.com/tickets-passes/season-passes/ikon-season-pass-faq

The Squaw/Alpine FAQ list the 2018 spring skiing perks:
Can I use my 2018-2019 Ikon Pass to ski or ride at participating destinations during Spring 2018?
Yes, you can use your 2018-2019 Ikon Pass or Ikon Base Pass starting March 6, 2018 at Big Bear Mountain Resort, Blue Mountain and Snowshoe; and starting on April 9, 2018 at Winter Park Resort, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows and Mammoth Mountain.

 

[marzNC]

For folks focused on Utah skiing, the comparison articles came out recently. The Ski Utah article includes a price comparison table for Epic, Ikon, and MCP. Can see more clearly that the Ikon kid price that ends April 9 is a special deal. The usual Ikon kid prices are comparable to Epic kid prices. The SLC Tribune article noted that Epic now includes four places that have been involved with the Winter Olympics.

Deer Valley 2018-19 season pass prices are out too. I'm guessing but I think those prices are about the same as 2017-18.

https://www.skiutah.com/blog/authors/yeti/epic-pass-ikon-pass-mountain

https://www.sltrib.com/news/busines...i-passes-give-buyers-lots-of-options-for-900/

 

[Jilly]

Whistler has also not offering it's locals only pass next season. I heard this this weekend. Haven't looked into it.

@SkiBam - they are set up in the old cafe section, next to customer service.

 

[marzNC]

Copper will still have a season pass for Copper only in 2018-19. Reduced the price to $425, which is 25% less than the highest price for 2017-18. Perks include 3 days at Purgatory, Monarch, Powder Mountain, and Taos. Kids 5-12 are can get a free pass when buying an adult pass before April 30. For a family with two skiing parents and two kids in elementary school who are local to Copper, that's quite a deal.

Having RFID makes it easy for Copper to offer the Secret Season Pass that allows those passholders willing to pay a little more to load a few lifts 15 min before the regular opening time.

 

[marzNC]

Even though Aspen/Snowmass is not owned by Alterra, guess they knew people would wonder about the regular season passes once the Ikon passes were announced. The Aspen website has a Ikon FAQ as of March 2018.

Pretty ironic that they got Snowbird's ownership wrong. Powdr does not own Snowbird. Snowbird is independent, even though a majority interest in Snowbird was bought by an owner of Powdr in 2014. Ian Cumming died in February 2018. His son, John, is CEO of Powdr. The Crown family owns Aspen Ski Co. but are also major investors in Alterra.

https://www.aspensnowmass.com/we-are-different/ikon-pass/ikon-pass-faq

Question: What will happen to Aspen Snowmass pass products for 2018-2019?
Answer: There will be no change to existing Aspen Snowmass pass products including Premier, Flex, Double Flex, and the Mountain Collective Pass will be complementary to the Ikon Pass program. Classic Passes will be available for renewal this spring.

Question: Does Alterra Mountain Company now own the partner destinations?
Answer: No, all destination partners remain independent. POWDR operates Killington Resort, Copper Mountain Resort, and Eldora Mountain Resort and Snowbird; Aspen Skiing Company operates Aspen Snowmass; Boyne Resorts operates Big Sky Resort, Loon Mountain, Sunday River, and Sugarloaf; Alta Ski Area, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, SkiBig3, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, and Sugarbush Resort are independent entities.

 

[alison wong]

Why this particular week? Is that the week of the clinic? I don't want to get into a big discussion of Diva West, but snow in Taos isn't always reliable. Then again, it's not always reliable anywhere these days.

Back to topic.....

Merely a suggestion, sorry for the diversion.

 

[alison wong]

Merely a suggestion, sorry for the diversion.

*digression.

 

[marzNC]

The deadline for the discounted child Ikon pass is April 9. Reminder emails went out this week.

 

[mustski]

Military and students get a discount. But nothing for someone like me who has bought a seniors pass for the past 10 years. And now no deal until I'm 80!!! I AM TOTALLY P****D OFF!!! (can you tell??) I have been trying to call Tremblant for days and cannot get through. Guess I'll look for the Alterra booth this week - though not hopeful it will do any good.

Everyone at Mammoth has been quite vocal about losing the senior discount.

 

[marzNC]

Wonder who pushed the idea of no senior discount for the Ikon passes? Since Snowshoe still has a separate season pass that's only good at Snowshoe, still can get a discounted rate for 70+. Same for Copper.

I think all the Ikon Partner ski resorts have a senior discount for season passes. The age cutoff for Snowbird and Alta is only 65. At least a few give the MCP reciprocal 50% discount for day tickets even for senior passes. Could that be a factor in the west? Those destination resorts compete more directly with the Alterra resorts in CA/UT/CO.

Here's what Aspen Ski Co. had for this season, 2017-18. Remember, the CEO of Alterra was a senior exec at ASC before changing jobs.

 

[SkiBam]

Tremblant is offering a seniors pass on the new Tonik pass (which blacks you out holiday weeks and certain days). You cannot get an unlimited pass at a seniors rate.

 

[marzNC]

Tremblant is offering a seniors pass on the new Tonik pass (which blacks you out holiday weeks and certain days). You cannot get an unlimited pass at a seniors rate.

I think you may have noted it before . . . how much was the unlimited senior pass for Tremblant only for 2017-18? Has the cut off age always been 70?

Tonik for 2018-19 - as of March 2018

 

[Jilly]

The old Sublime was better. This one takes away more weekends.....

 

[marzNC]

The old Sublime was better. This one takes away more weekends.....

Have lift lines grown during holidays and those weekends in recent years?

 

[Jilly]

Well, we don't have a holiday in January, so why black out MLK...The Sublime blacked out the first 2 weeks of March, now you get some of the week. But it's not the weekends. It's just not the same.

I heard today on the lift that they will be a different "student" pass later in the summer, early autumn.

Plus people are not happy with the pricing for Canada being in $US. That's a political post for another forum...

 

[SkiBam]

The previous unlimited senior pass cutoff was, I believe, 65. And it used to be that at 75 you could get a pass for about $200, then they upped that age to 80 the year before last. The Tonik prices marz quotes are in CDN but you have to add on the Tremblant tax and royalty - close to 20%. They also used to offer a weekday pass (both regular and senior), but no more, which is pissing some people off.

I think I'm going to have to "make do" (unhappily) with the senior Tonik pass and just not invite my kids to come and ski during school break as I won't have a pass then, plus I won't have the reduced-rate coupons we've always gotten with our pass.

The whole situation makes me a not-happy senior skier at Tremblant. It's just too bad it's the best place to ski around here. I wish I could be satisfied with the smaller, nearer, hills - maybe when I get "old" I will be, but not yet.