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| Squaw Valley, CA |
Numerous sources are reporting that four of the United States' greatest ski resorts have agreed to offer a combined pass for the 2012-2013 ski season. Within the boundaries of Alta (UT), Jackson Hole (WY), Aspen (CO) and Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows (CA), skiers can find some of America's most legendary terrain. Details after the jump.
According to a joint press release, the Mountain Collective Pass will cost $349 and provide two days of lift
privileges at each of the four destinations, plus a 50% off unlimited lift tickets at each of the resort after the passholder has used the initial two days. In total, the pass allows access
to eight mountains with more than 16,000 acres of terrain and over 100 lifts.
“This is a completely new concept for a ski pass and gives winter
enthusiasts the freedom to access some of the best skiing and
snowboarding in the world, “ said Christian Knapp, vice president of
marketing at Aspen Skiing Company. “There’s been an incredible spirit of
collaboration amongst the partners to bring this historic alliance and
innovative new product to life.”
Knapp's statement is not entirely accurate. There can be no question that the four resorts' pass, at least in part, is a response to the exceedingly popular multi-resort lift tickets offered by their major competitors. For several years Vail's Epic Pass has allowed access to all of Vail Resort's ski areas (i.e. Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly, Northstar, and, for 2013, Kirkwood). Similar passes have been offered in the past going back to the days of the American Skiing Company whose passes allowed skiers lift privileges at places like Killington, Sugarbush, Heavenly, Attitash, Sunday River, just to name a few. More recently, Mammoth Mountain teamed up with Chile's Valle Nevado.
As Ski, Esq. noted in a recent article, cross-company collaboration seems to be the wave of the future within the industry. Back in May, we commented:
"[R]oom for cooperation certainly exists and not just amongst resorts with
common ownership, though joint passes like Vail's Epic Pass have proven
just how successful the model can be. Reciprocal arrangements add value
for both resorts' passholders and often can be the reason a passholder
chooses to visit one resort over another."
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I think this is an indicator of things to come.
ReplyDeleteOur organization, Mountain Rider's Alliance, intends to create a portfolio of small to mid size ski areas, where there are reciprocation and benefits between members of each Mountain Playground.