Passes for 2020 - 2021

[Benny Profane]

I'm in for a full Gore pass, I just bought it.

IMO, pretty good terms really:

• 4 monthly payments with no interest
• Fully cancellable until December 1
• Pro-rated refund if Gore shuts down before 3/15

The sales person told me there is a "working assumption, but nothing official" that passholders will be given priority on any capacity limits.

See you on the hill.

Tempting, but you're a lucky man to own a cottage up there. My problem, and many other's problem, is sleeping and eating. So, day trips. Sure hope the Catskills get some snow.

 

[Harvey]

I guesss there wasn't much suspense related to my Gore pass.

Hopefully we can get some Plattekill when it's all in. Have you skied in OZ on a great day?

OZ

 

[MarzNC]

Went ahead and bought a pass for Massanutten. This year August 31 is the deadline for the lowest price. A couple other deadlines before the end of the Feb. Can rollover to 2021-22 if not used at all so no real risk.

I'll be able to get an Indy Pass for a discounted pass based on having the Mnut pass.

I've heard that they've been busier than usual for lift-served mountain biking. But the waterpark had to stay closed. Mnut has pretty good hiking trails on property and is only 20 min from an entrance to Shenandoah National Park. Summer is usually busier than winter as a 4-season timeshare resort less than three hours from DC or Richmond.

 

[DomB]

Went ahead and bought a pass for Massanutten. This year August 31 is the deadline for the lowest price. A couple other deadlines before the end of the Feb. Can rollover to 2021-22 if not used at all so no real risk.

I'll be able to get an Indy Pass for a discounted pass based on having the Mnut pass.

I've heard that they've been busier than usual for lift-served mountain biking. But the waterpark had to stay closed. Mnut has pretty good hiking trails on property and is only 20 min from an entrance to Shenandoah National Park. Summer is usually busier than winter as a 4-season timeshare resort less than three hours from DC or Richmond.

NYSkiBlog community -

Hope you are well. I haven't been lurking in a bit, and see I had to rejoin.

Is there anyone that is taking a complete wait and see approach? We are leaning toward not buying passes at all for a few reasons:

1-I see what sellers are doing generally on the economic/deferral/return front. That sounds fair.
2-I don't really see what they are going to do about crowds. Lift lines being the big one for me (we all can avoid all other crowds, relatively speaking).
3-My wife doesn't love skiing, so there will be an added stress factor given everything else we will have to worry about if we are all out there.

We may just cut back our skiing dramatically this year, going farther on one or two holidays for longer . . . .

 

[Harvey]

I guess people buying passes are more concerned about missing out on skiing than paying for something that might not materialize. I know it's a gamble.

Tougher call the bigger the ski family. Last few years I'm the only one who skis, mostly.

 

[MarzNC]

2-I don't really see what they are going to do about crowds. Lift lines being the big one for me (we all can avoid all other crowds, relatively speaking).

Since you haven't been thinking about skiing for a few months, I'm guessing you haven't heard what ski resorts have been doing over the summer to limit capacity for activities like mountain biking. The ideas that have been implemented are like golf tee times or having a cap on the number of day tickets sold. When a mountain has season passes, passholders are required to make a "reservation" to assure access for a given day. Like at Deer Valley, a reservation is usually not required for less busy times. For instance Mon-Thu might not require a reservation while Fri-Sun would.

My husband is a non-skier. I'm sure he'd be happy if I stopped skiing in general. But for me, that's not an option. We've been married close to 30 years. So he knows it's not worth asking.

Not getting a season pass is a perfectly reasonable choice. The option to ski a few days at smaller, less crowded, and less expensive independent mountain will still exist.

Do you know which ski areas are on the Indy Pass? It will be available next week. $199 for 2 days at several places in the northeast.

 

[MarzNC]

VR announced how their reservation system is going to work. Same for ALL locations. Clearly giving priority for Epic passholders, who can start getting advanced reservations for up to 7 days as early as Nov. 6. No day ticket sales until Dec. 8.

Having paid attention to how early season went for Perisher in Australia, VR has clearly made adjustments for that period in particular. There were definitely glitches during the first two weeks that reservations were open, and that was for only the first 3-4 weeks of the Australian season.

Letter To Our Pass Holders | Epic Season Pass

19/20 Epic Pass Holders Are Eligible for 20/21 Pass Credit.

www.epicpass.com

Keystone opening day target is Nov. 6. Epic pass holder access only for the first month, including Thanksgiving week.

 

[Benny Profane]

So, that means they aren't making snow early. Why spend all that money for Epic pass holders, most of which don't live close. And the locals are probably getting screwed on this one in the regular season, because they are prioritizing families from afar in the reservation system, who spend far more on lodging and meals. And, don't get your hopes up on getting a spot. Remember that now famous picture of the traffic jam at chair 5 from last winter? Haha. That will be a visual metaphor for the hundreds of thousands sitting at their computers trying to get a reservation, especially the week long tickets. Good luck on that one.

Here's what's going to happen. The rich homeowners will be first in line, because they are the sort of entitled Aholes who always think they should be, and are going to bribe their way in. After them, the few remaining tickets will be "reserved". Country club.

As always, F Vail.

 

[DMC_Hunter]

From what I'm hearing from Hunter people - it's all about as much snow coverage as early as possible.

This benefits me as a pass holder a mile from the Northface chair...

 

[SIAWOL]

wonder how Gore might want to consider incorporating Ski Bowl into possible reservation/capacity limits to help disperse crowds...maybe set aside a # of spots for ski bowl lift access from 8a-10a on weekends--you'd have to start your day down there, then make your way over as applicable to main mountain. Just thinking out loud here....