Help Needed: Survey: Closed weekdays, open weekends?

[2ski2moro]

Does your mountain shut down during the week and remain open on the weekends in the late season? Gore Mountain (NY) did that this year. They will only be open Friday through Sunday until the end of the season.

So the debate began: Should Weekday Pass Holders Be Allowed to Ski on the Weekend if the Mountain is Closed on the Weekdays?

Team 1 says, Too Bad, So Sad. You bought a weekday ticket, and weekdays are all you deserve. Those who paid for the right to ski on a weekend are the only ones with the right to ski. Want to ski? Buy a full price lift ticket!

Team 2 says, Come on - You are Taking Away Four of My Ski Days and You Sacrifice NOTHING. What can it hurt if you allow us to join in the late season fun?

It's a fact that at a small resort, the majority of people skiing late season during the week are the pass holders. There is very limited revenue from ticket sales. The mountain has costs involved with spinning the lifts - wages, grooming, utilities, insurance, etc. Each day, the mountain loses money. Closing during the week will save a bundle.

It's also a fact that on the weekends, the costs will not increase (much, if any) if the resort allows the Weekday pass holders to ski free on the weekends. The lifts still have to spin, the lodge is open, the staff will not increase, the costs are fixed. The resort probably will benefit from the increase in food and beverage sales from the weekday skiers.

What benefit that the resort gets if they let the weekday pass holders ski? It's an intangible - sorry we have to close during the week, BUT, if you can make it on the weekends, we want you to join us.

What is the downside to allowing the weekday pass holders to ski on their passes? Nothing I can see.


I need your help. I have been asked to compile a list of resorts who allow this and the area manager will consider doing this in the coming years. Instead of going to all the websites, I come to the Divas for answers.

Does your mountain close during the week and remain open on the weekends during the late season?

What is their policy for weekday pass holders? Free? Full price tickets? Half price?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[dloveski]

My resort, and most around here, stay open all days until the hard stop of the LDS (last day of skiing).

Snowbird is the exception---they will usually stay open Fri-Sat-Sun when the other resorts close. But I don't recall SB ever having a weekend-weekday specific pass (I could be wrong, I just never bought a SB seasons).

Here's the promo for the spring--discounts for those skiing with a season pass holder.

https://www.snowbird.com/season_tickets/index.php

I do know that the resorts don't make any money the last few weeks of spring, as the locals who do come up have season's passes and the ticket office window lines are non-existent---thus new sales/revenue almost zilch.

Does your mtn--Gore--have crowds on the spring weekends? Or is it pretty slow? If slow, I think letting the weekday passholders have a discount pass would utilize the facilities (if there are few skiers buying passes) and build good will. If they are slammed on these weekends, they may not see the need for the 1/2 price additional revenue.

 

[frenchgirl]

Our mountain(Bristol) just closed, but they, in past years ,opened again for one more weekend after the estimated close date. So they are opened every day from the day they open(end of Nov/early Dec) until the estimated close date(very early April). I am pretty sure that only executive passes/ticket holders for that day are allowed to ski for the extra weekend. In other words they probably would not allow weekday season pass holders to ski that day. It make sense as an executive pass(ski any day, anytime) is much more expensive than a weekday so it is one of the "privilege" of an executive pass holder/full price ticket buyer.
They guarantee 100 days of ski per season, past that it is all up in the air based on weather. They usually go at least 2 weeks past that though, so any pass holders have plenty of time to ski.

 

[2ski2moro]

Does your mtn--Gore--have crowds on the spring weekends?

I was at Gore today and there were more people skiing than I expected. The gondi had a long line all day, but it is the only lift operating out of the base area. 4 other lifts were also running, providing access to most of the mountain. Surprising long lift lines, but long is a relative term for Gore.

Just looking at coats for passes or tickets, I would have to say it was half passholders and half ticket purchases. This is not a scientific survey, but I was surprised at the number of paper tickets. As for the cars in the parking lot, it was more like a weekday, but it seemed like there were more people on the hill.

Gore is not a 'destination' resort. There is a certain vibe - like it came out of the 70s. Lots of locals/daytrippers. Many come up from New Jersey and NYC for the weekend. There are few condos and fewer hotel rooms. Very different from Snowbird (which I love).

 

[altagirl]

My resort, and most around here, stay open all days until the hard stop of the LDS (last day of skiing).

Snowbird is the exception---they will usually stay open Fri-Sat-Sun when the other resorts close. But I don't recall SB ever having a weekend-weekday specific pass (I could be wrong, I just never bought a SB seasons).

That's funny - I was just going to say the exact opposite - that most ski resorts around here do the weekends only thing at the very end of the season! Ha, but I guess it's perspective on which places in Utah you go the most.

Alta does it - which is why they have two "closing weekends". They close, but then re-open the next weekend for an extra weekend.

No idea what they do for weekday only season pass holders though, as I don't know anyone who has ever had that kind of pass. (Alta and Snowbird DO both have weekday only season passes, I believe. Because I drool on them wishing I could make use of them.)

 

[litterbug]

Brighton has Monday-Friday no-blackout passes and Monday-Thursday no-holiday passes. I wouldn't have known except that Evil Law Clerk told me.

 

[marzNC]

In the southeast, lots of variation in season pass set up. Generally, season pass holders can ski any day during early season (before about Dec. 20) and late season (after the first or second weekend of March). Only a couple places have Mid-week Only passes (Snowshoe, Wintergreen). During early and late season, there are often mid-week closures. Sometimes with pretty short notice. The resorts all work hard to be open Fri-Sun, regardless of conditions when there is a mid-season thaw.

Snowshoe in West Virginia made a special offer for their last week . . . FREE skiing if you booked lodging through the resort or $26 for a lift ticket ($80 regular season. Only the main mountain was open. Silver Creek is a separate area (shuttle) bus that has night skiing. It closed a couple weeks earlier. If someone bought a season pass for 2011-12 in March, they could ski any day for the rest of the spring days.

 

[Seattle Gal]

Crystal is cutting back their weekdays more and more through spring season--but I'm just happy to have a place to ski past April 15th!

 

[snow addict]

Over here, once the season officially starts the mountain stays open until the day it officially finishes last weekend of April. they do weekends-only but usually before the season starts, in November, or sometimes even late October, snow permitting. They used to do summer glacier skiing from mid June to September, until few years ago glacier receded to the the point that the tow-lift couldn't reach it anymore, and this was also all week-round, not just on weekends. We are in the middle of Haute-Route and a popular bike trail, so the main lift stays open through summer for hikers, bikers and such.

 

[JeanD]

This is a bit late but...

My home hill (Mt. Washington) has a mid-week pass that specifically says weekends in April are included. I've been skiing mid-week all season, but both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. We close for the week, and open again for the next 2 weekends - including a 4-day Easter weekend! Yay!

 

[2ski2moro]

It's not too late. I want to compile a list to give to the resort manager so he can consider this policy for next year.

 

[abc]

Hunter's midweek pass explicitly allows late season weekend skiing.

I think it might have to do with the fact they often close midweek when condition is iffy in late season.

The reality being, people aren't going to make a decision to buy mid-week passes so they can ski weekends at the tail end of the season. But NOT allowing them to ski late season (if the mountain closes mid-week and their pass isn't valid on weekend, they can't ski, period) would make a lot of ill will.

The cut off point being, how crowded the weekend is at which weekend late in the season?

 

[ski diva]

Seriously, during the last weekend or two, does anyone even check?

Maybe where they have scanners. But other places, I'm not so sure.

 

[nopoleskier]

One more reason Gore sucks.. Yes Gore Should be open all days- We Quit going to Gore because of their Bad Customer Service. No they won't let you go on weekends with a mid week pass. Mike Pratt is Left over from Ned Harkness crooked days. He's a hockey player Not a skier is why VA Ski areas Open Before Gore Every year Gore never made it to 100% OPEN! We pay TOO Much Tax to NYS to pay anymore to Gore. AKA CHORE-- YEAH for Okemo will always be my Mid week Ski area!

 

[altagirl]

Seriously, during the last weekend or two, does anyone even check?

Maybe where they have scanners. But other places, I'm not so sure.

Those days are gone here - if you don't have a valid pass, you can't get through the turnstile. Looking the other way isn't really possible.