Poll: The Impact of the Epic Pass

[abe]

Laurel Mountain which they just took over the operational lease for is also a PA state park

Vail took over a lot of the "big name" places and a lot of people don't realize that there are less crowded alternatives which have just as good terrain - "I'm not going skiing this weekend, it'll be too crowded"

 

[MarzNC]

With the addition of the three ski areas/resorts near Pittsburgh, the count for VR is up to 40 resorts worldwide. Was pretty clear the reason to buy Perisher was to gain a foothold for the Australian market. Pre-pandemic there are a fair number of Aussies who plan 2-4 week ski trips to N. America since mid-season is during their summer.

2019 was a major expansion year for Epic. Then the pandemic hit for 2020-21 and the pandemic is still a major factor for 2021-22. Won't really have "new normal" operations at all Epic locations until 2023.

The first "urban" ski resorts added to the Epic list starting in 2012 were in the northern midwest: Afton Alps (Minn./St. Paul), Mt. Brighton (Detroit, Ann Arbor), and Wilmot (Chicago). VR spent a lot of money shortly after those aquisitions upgrading facilities for those formerly under-capitalized family owned ski areas. The other cities now covered by Epic one way or another include New York City (Hunter, Mt. Snow, Stowe), Boston (Stowe, Mt. Snow, Okemo, NH), DC/Baltimore (former Showtime), Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle (Stephens Pass). Plus all the cities and universities in Indiana, Ohio, and Missouri for the rest of the midwest that doesn't have any big mountains.

Between Ikon and Indy, there is competition in all regions for Epic. In Australia, Thredbo is an Ikon Partner.

Vail Mountain, Colorado: 1962
Beaver Creek Resort, Colorado: 1980
Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado: 1997
Keystone Resort, Colorado: 1997
Heavenly Mountain Resort, California: 2002
Northstar California Resort, California: 2010
Kirkwood Mountain Resort, California: 2012
Afton Alps, Minnesota: 2012
Mt. Brighton, Michigan: 2012
Canyons Resort, Utah: 2013
Park City Mountain Resort, Utah: 2014
Perisher Ski Resort, AUSTRALIA: 2015
Wilmot Mountain Ski Resort, Wisconsin: 2016
Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, CANADA: 2016
Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont: 2017

TRIPLE PEAKS - Mueller family
Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Colorado: 2018
Mount Sunapee Resort, New Hampshire: 2018 - operations only in a state park
Okemo Mountain Resort, Vermont: 2018

RCR in CANADA
Fernie, BC, CANADA: 2018 - as a limited access Partner for Epic only
Kicking Horse, BC, CANADA: 2018 - as a limited access Partner for Epic only
Kimberly, BC, CANADA: 2018 - as a limited access Partner for Epic only
Nakiska, Alberta, CANADA: 2018 - as a limited access Partner for Epic only
Mont Sainte Anne, Quebec, CANADA: 2018 - as a limited access Partner for Epic only
Stoneham, Quebec, CANADA: 2018 - as a limited access Partner for Epic only

Stevens Pass, Washington: 2018
Telluride, CO: 2018 - as a limited access Partner for Epic only
Sun Valley, ID: 2019 - as a limited access Partner for Epic only
Snowbasin, UT: 2019 - as a limited access Partner for Epic only

Falls Creek, AUSTRALIA: 2019
Hotham Alpine Resort, AUSTRALIA: 2019

PEAKS RESORTS - Boyd family
Hidden Valley Ski Resort, Missouri: 2019
Snow Creek Ski Area, Missouri: 2019
Paoli Peaks, Indiana: 2019
Boston Mills Ski Resort, Ohio: 2019 - in a state park
Brandywine Ski Resort, Ohio: 2019- in a state park
Mad River Mountain, Ohio: 2019
Alpine Valley Resort, Ohio: 2019
Mount Snow Resort, Vermont: 2019
Attitash Mountain Ski Area, New Hampshire: 2019
Crotched Mountain Resort, New Hampshire: 2019
Wildcat Mountain Ski Area, New Hampshire: 2019
Hunter Mountain, New York: 2019
Jack Frost Ski Resort, Pennsylvania: 2019
Big Boulder Ski Resort, Pennsylvania: 2019

SNOWTIME INC - Irv Naylor
Roundtop Mountain Resort, Pennsylvania: 2019
Whitetail Resort, Pennsylvania: 2019
Liberty Mountain Resort, Pennsylvania: 2019

NUTTING FAMILY (based in Pittsburgh)
Seven Springs Resort, Pennsylvania: 2021
Hidden Valley Resort, Pennsylvania: 2021
Laurel Mountain Ski Area, Pennsylvania: 2021 - operations only in a state park

EDIT: added RCR Partners

 

[tirolski]

2019 was a major expansion year for Epic. Won't really have "new normal" operations at all Epic locations until 2023.

There ain’t a whole lot of normal with anything Vail Resorts Inc. touches, other than the mountains themselves haven’t moved yet.
Abnormal is a more appropriate term for VR Inc.’s operations.
"Their mountains" would move if they could get away.
I feel sorry for them.

 

[Andy_ROC]

There ain’t a whole lot of normal with anything Vail Resorts Inc. touches, other than the mountains themselves haven’t moved yet.
Abnormal is a more appropriate term for VR Inc.’s operations.
"Their mountains" would move if they could get away.
I feel sorry for them.

I actually feel sorry for the rank and file employees and for the locals where Vail invaded their mountain communities.

 

[raisingarizona]

I actually feel sorry for the rank and file employees and for the locals where Vail invaded their mountain communities.

Yup. At first you’ll hear from a few optimistic locals about how they needed this for x improvements but a few years later there generally isn’t anyone singing vails praises.

 

[Campgottagopee]

RA with the 420 post ?

 

[raisingarizona]

Does it count if it’s 2:20 here? ?‍?. I am cruising on gummies!

 

[MarzNC]

I actually feel sorry for the rank and file employees and for the locals where Vail invaded their mountain communities.

Per usual, when there is an ownership change, the outcome varies. Even for VR. I know the owner of the motel I stayed at just before Stowe was added to Epic was quite excited about getting Epic passes for his family. It's been a few years so I wonder how he feels now from a personal and business standpoint.

Here's a story about Afton Alps, the first urban ski area bought and added to Epic back in 2013.

December 18, 2021

Vail Bought My Hometown Hill. Here’s What Happened.

Conjecture is at an all-time high about what it will mean to have your favorite mountain run by a corporation instead of locally.

www.powder.com

 

[tirolski]

Per usual, when there is an ownership change, the outcome varies. Even for VR. I know the owner of the motel I stayed at just before Stowe was added to Epic was quite excited about getting Epic passes for his family. It's been a few years so I wonder how he feels now from a personal and business standpoint.

Here's a story about Afton Alps, the first urban ski area bought and added to Epic back in 2013.

December 18, 2021

Vail Bought My Hometown Hill. Here’s What Happened.

Conjecture is at an all-time high about what it will mean to have your favorite mountain run by a corporation instead of locally.

www.powder.com

That’s a trade journal Vail Resorts Inc. advertises in so it just may be a tad bit biased.
Here’s what folks said last week about the place on tweeter.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1470197074444619781

 

[TomCat]

Late comment here on the pass. It’s good for the serious skier. Good price plus lots of options. But for the occasional skier ( a few weekends per year) it’s terrible, because the daily rate has gone through the roof to push everyone to the pass. Think about taking a family of four for a weekend skiing. I think it will shrink the overall market over time. People will just go to Disney.

Tom