Ski resort parking.

[ski diva]

'22-23 Teton Village (Jackson Hole) parking pass prices are out.

All Lots unrestricted: $1,815
All Lots with blackouts; $1,312
Ranch Lot unrestricted: $835
Ranch Lot with blackouts: $635

Just parking; no skiing.


I realize that parking is often in short supply. And it'd certainly be good to encourage car pooling. But this is crazy.

 

[ilovepugs]

Dayuuuuum. That is for the hardcore or the very rich, indeed. You’d have to go 90 days to bring the average cost down to $20/day.

The good news is that, unlike Stowe, Jackson Hole actually has a decent free bus system and satellite parking lot.

 

[marzNC]

The Snowbird parking pass for 2022-23 was $799. They sold out pretty fast. I presume that's without blackout dates.

Snowbird had a mix of pay and free spaces last season. $10/day for a spot that could be booked in advance. Or could pay on entry if there were plenty of spaces left but the free spaces were already gone.

 

[marzNC]

22-23 Teton Village (Jackson Hole) parking pass prices are out.

All Lots unrestricted: $1,815
All Lots with blackouts; $1,312
Ranch Lot unrestricted: $835
Ranch Lot with blackouts: $635

Just parking; no skiing.

The Ranch Lot was $15/20 for day parking last season. Carpool with 3+ people was free. The lots that don't require a free shuttle bus were $30/40.

Or can take the bus from town or the satellite lot. Wonder if there will be more buses this season?

 

[mustski]

It’s getting stupid. Cheap multi resort ski passes but ridiculous paid parking! My local Big Bear resort is $20/day on weekends. It’s still free weekdays, but ….

 

[racetiger]

Thats insane. If I lived there I would just find a new sport or move.
I'm happy with parking in the dirt parking lot at the local ski hill for free.

 

[RachelV]

To me this kind of suggests that season passes were priced properly back when they were $1000+, and that at the megapass prices there's a lot more demand than supply. Charging this much for parking is almost (but not quite) the same as saying "the right price for our pass is closer to 2k than 1k". I'm not sure I can argue with that too much after the last few years.

 

[Jenny]

Just musing in general - but why does everything always have to grow? Isn't there some optimal point where the pass and parking can earn the resort enough money to run efficiently, pay its staff properly, and make enough money to maintain the equipment, without always having to get bigger and bigger and need more infrastructure to support the growth, yet still not have to charge just. so. much. money? There's going to be a line where we just find another sport, too. Luckily, it's not here in Michigan yet.

 

[ilovepugs]

To me this kind of suggests that season passes were priced properly back when they were $1000+, and that at the megapass prices there's a lot more demand than supply. Charging this much for parking is almost (but not quite) the same as saying "the right price for our pass is closer to 2k than 1k". I'm not sure I can argue with that too much after the last few years.

Yeah - I think the ski industry has gotten much more sophisticated at price segmenting and differentiating in its ability to capture both the “lower” spenders and the high rollers. It’s not a surprise that the Vail CEO is a marketer.

 

[RachelV]

Yeah - I think the ski industry has gotten much more sophisticated at price segmenting and differentiating in its ability to capture both the “lower” spenders and the high rollers. It’s not a surprise that the Vail CEO is a marketer.

Totally, but doesn't it seem like they're doing it in the most annoying way possible? Cheap passes but then $1800 to park? How much less annoying would something like this (completely made up) scenario be?

- 10 pack: I don't know, $300
- 20 pack: $500
- Something like Loveland's punch card, where you get discounted lift tickets and every 5th ticket free
- Truly unlimited season pass, for ONE MOUNTAIN: $1000, and sales are capped at some sustainable number
- Something like the mountain collective for people who travel a lot: 4 days at many different mountains for whatever that price is
- Charge less for midweek only products, and more for weekend / holiday products
- Senior discounts, but then they actually start at age 60/65 and not 80 or whatever it is now
- Beginner packages with access to one or two lifts + lesson + rental for a price where you can take your family to try skiing for a few days without it costing as much as a cheap carribbean cruise

I mean, did anyone who skis 80 days a year ever think they were paying for the cost of the millions of dollars in lifts and an entire staffed mountain for $6/day or whatever? It seems to me like the days of people who hardly use an unlimited pass subsidizing the people who really do use an unlimited pass should maybe be over. I know that I would be happy to pay a little more for what I actually use if it meant the experience was not a circus when I showed up.

 

[mustski]

I would agree with everything @RachelV said above. Unfortunately, those keeping shareholders and investors happy have found a different combination of factors is more lucrative. Also, there is something to be said for encouraging use of the local shuttle systems. In BB, all buses and trolleys are free to Ikon pass holders as is parking in remote lots … so there is that. Weekends have become a dangerous zoo on the mountain though.

 

[santacruz skier]

Northstar (a Vail resort) charges for valet parking only.... think it's $30 ? Otherwise, all parking is free and shuttles are free. In 2021 they decided to charge $10 for parking and skiers had an absolute fit. It was never announced. Last season 2022 the $10 charge was gone. It was free again.

Lucky me, BF's family owns a home there, so I can park there and keep my ski gear there as well. Still a 5 minute shuttle ride to village. Walking distance without skis

 

[ilovepugs]

I know that I would be happy to pay a little more for what I actually use if it meant the experience was not a circus when I showed up.

Ah, but you’re approaching the problem with a “product” mindset and not a sale$$$$ mindset!

 

[NWSkiGirl]

Just musing in general - but why does everything always have to grow? Isn't there some optimal point where the pass and parking can earn the resort enough money to run efficiently, pay its staff properly, and make enough money to maintain the equipment, without always having to get bigger and bigger and need more infrastructure to support the growth, yet still not have to charge just. so. much. money? There's going to be a line where we just find another sport, too. Luckily, it's not here in Michigan yet.

I think it used to be like that! Before Alterra and Vail, when resorts cared what skiers thought of them. And resort owners were in it for the love of the sport. Now it's a shameless "profits above all else" mentality. Hopefully the small independent resorts will stay that way! :-)

 

[snoWYmonkey]

In fairness to JH ski resort a few things should be clarified. Parking is charged and managed by TVA, teton village associates which manages parkign for the entire base area which includes many non ski resort based business and condos and homes. The ski resort is a member of TVA and the primary one but this parking is for the entire area. Also, while I don't know the details, the state permitted development of the Village and ski resort area with the caveat that the hwy that leads to it not be overrun with traffic and the onus is on the developers and business to restrict the number of cars. The idea is to encourage bus use, free for employees and carpoolinhg, which is also a way to park for free. Some greed, but not all greed, and better for the planet, if not so great for personal health and sanity when busses are full.

 

[ski diva]

Park City confirmed yesterday that they'll be charging $25 per day for parking. The resort also plans to have a reservation system in effect. There'll be some free parking, as well as incentives for those carpooling or using transit.

 

[echo_VT]

Stowe Mountain Resort releases parking prices on web

Stowe Mountain Resort will charge $30 a day to park at the resort next year, or $450 for a season’s parking pass.

www.vtcng.com

Stowe quietly announces parking prices for next season - New England Ski Journal

It’s going to cost skiers and riders $30 per day to park their cars next season at Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont.

www.skijournal.com

The announcement for Stowe. 4 people anytime is free, any time after 2 pm, and also Mon to Thu is free. It’s the weekend when 3 or less people in the car before 2 pm that there’s a fee. At least that’s what it seems like from what I’m reading. How are they enforcing that for early morning touring?

 

[ski diva]

Here's an article from Snowbrains on what Vail is considering for parking this coming season:

Vail Mountain, CO, Weighs Options to Improve Parking Experience, Including Dynamic Pricing​

Brent Thomas August 19, 2022

The parking situation at Vail Mountain, CO, is less than ideal. On peak days when the lots fill up, cars are forced to park on Frontage Road. Last year there were 53 days this happened.

A town committee is considering options on how to reduce the number of spillover days to no more than 15. To do this they estimate they will need to reduce the number of cars by 300 to 400 on peak days.

Dynamic Pricing​

Dynamic pricing is an economic concept that has been around for some time and is often applied to other industries. Supply and demand are the underlining principles, where the more demand there is, the higher the price. Parking is what is in short supply. On peak days when demand is high, the price of parking will increase.

The hope is this will shift consumer behavior to either carpool or plan to go skiing on another non-peak day.

Vail has identified about 50 days that will be peak days. Primarily the peak days will be weekends, but will also include three-day weekends, and the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Other ideas on the table are changing the free parking period from starting at 3 PM to 5 PM, as well as allowing only 30 minutes of free parking (instead of two hours) in the Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures.

There are still many details to work out, but they hope to have the plan set by September 20, when the town council will hopefully vote on the proposals. Then, beginning October 1, a marketing and communications campaign would be launched. Hopefully, the changes will improve the experience for everyone.

Vail parking map. Credit: parkingaccess.com

 

[Skier31]

Plan to go skiing on a non peak day? That is BS.

 

[RachelV]

Plan to go skiing on a non peak day? That is BS.

Isn't this basically what Aspen does, though? Aspen does have that one big lot (Bush Creek maybe?) a few miles away where you can grab a bus to any mountain, which is free. Otherwise, if you want to park at the mountain you've got to pay or have 4 people in your car.

IMHO Aspen is basically the perfect model as to how to incentivize buses and carpooling while still letting people park at the mountain if they really want to.

Is the difference just that Vail & Stowe dont't have room for a Bush Creek-sized shuttle lot? Does Aspen just have significantly fewer skier visits than places closer to the Front Range so it's all less of an issue?

There are other places that deal with Vail levels of crowds that do the "huge shuttle lot is always free, close parking is not" thing - Copper, Breck, and Keystone all come to mind.