Sun Valley and Snowbasin join Epic

[marzNC]

According to a KSL article, Snowbasin has renovations planned before the 2019-20 season.

" . . .
Snowbasin is also implementing several changes to the resort prior to the 2019-2020 season, resort officials said. All day lodges at the resort will be renovated before the start of the season, according to the news release.

The Mount Ogden Bowl Road has been widened and graded to improve the ski trail down from John Paul Lodge, and high-efficiency snow making guns will be installed at the resort, officials said.
. . ."

 

[Christy]

I would guess that very very few SV pass holders, after already paying $2450 for their season pass, are going to jump at the chance to pay more money (even half price at a Vail resort isn't cheap) to go stand in lines at Park City.

SV regulars are (understandably) very averse to lines and crowds. They tend to think that SV is the best mountain on earth. They also skew older/retired. It's hard to imagine many of them being excited about this.

 

[marzNC]

SV regulars are (understandably) very averse to lines and crowds. They tend to think that SV is the best mountain on earth. They also skew older/retired. It's hard to imagine many of them being excited about this.

I remember all the seniors in line 15 min before the lifts opened midweek when we checked out SV a few years ago. They were ready to cruise the fresh corduroy and head home for lunch. Made perfect sense when I discovered how slick the groomers were by early afternoon. Only way to get down safely was to ski on the very edge of a trail that had been fun in the morning.

Last season I got the sense that Telluride locals (experts) weren't happy about rumors of moving to Epic. They rather liked having the option of 50% off at the MCP locations.

I can understand how Telluride and Sun Valley fit with other VR locations from the standpoint of Epic passholders coming from east of the Mississippi. Not sure about Snowbasin though since there isn't any slopeside lodging. But then the ownership of SV and Snowbasin was never based purely on business reasons. Feels like the purchase of Okemo and Crested Butte, when Sunapee was part of the deal. Although Sunapee draws the Boston market.

 

[marzNC]

For those who haven't been to Sun Valley before, check out the recent first impressions by @Yamaste .
Intermediate Road Trip to 3 MCP Mtns (Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, Big Sky) - 2019

Here are a few more SV trip reports:
https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/sun-valley-jan-13-17.23490/ - 2019
https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/sun-valley-march-3-6.21633/ - 2017
https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/sun-valley-jan-27-28-2016.20416/ - 2016

If you use the TSD Search with "sun valley" in Titles Only and @Christy as the member, then her trip reports will turn up in the search list. Otherwise Search is not that helpful because "sun" and "valley" are words that are too short and common.