More dogs on the Main: seasonal pass -dilemma

In the ski season we reached the point where the discussion turned to the pass options of the next year. Both Vail and Alterra have announced the pricing for the next year. I was shocked and shocked that the prices rose again.

The epic passes rose by about 7%, which is quite typical, and I am sure that the quality of experience there increases by 7%. The price increase from Deer Valley is much steeper throughout the season. You have added a few new passport products that look interesting. The senior season senior has increased by around 400 US dollars or about 18%. The adult pass is 3,400 US dollars, including the icon, plus taxes.

That is a lot, and although it will be opened even more terrain next year, you can only do so much skiing in one year.

The DV Unlimited Pass is the Range Rover of Ski passes without a blackout days and some giveaways like a day in Alta, Brighton and Snowbird. It has all the frills.

At the other end, DV offers a new Utah Limited Pass for 1,400 US dollars. It is the 10-year-old Subaru of ski passes (still twice as high as the epic locals), which gives access to Deer Valley from Monday to Thursday, with power outages on all Monday holidays and some random periods in March. In conjunction with the exclusion on Friday Sunday, it basically takes half of March off the table.

There is also a selected pass that enables access to the weekend, but with the same major power outages during the holidays and in March. That is 2,900 US dollars.

These two new passes are a beautiful gesture for local skiers, but also recognition that Fridays are now as mixed up as the weekends, and if the thrust comes into the thrust – as is often the case – they would prefer to have the target guests on the mountain. Local skiers are the customers who pay 350 US dollars a day for a pass, and 200 US dollars for food and drinks. There are no locals that pay 1,500 US dollars for cocktails in a tent.

That did the company's skiing. In the past, owners of the local season pass were the financial lifeline in which the resorts were opened for the season. Work for pass programs kept the places fully occupied. The care of the locals took care of the business.

Now local skiers are stowing the elevator lines for people who burn real money for ski teachers, hotels and food. The locals are welcome from Monday to Thursday, without public holidays and most of March. But please, no locals with channels for the holidays.

The epic local passport is 783 US dollars plus tax with power failures. The price difference between the epic bar and the Deer Valley Unlimited asks whether the experience in the Deer Valley is really four times better than Park City Mountain. I have both passes and the answer seems to be “yes”.

I had a pass on PCMR almost every year since 1964. The year of the infamous 9 -dollar -Hotdog described me in the operation. I gave him another chance and it partially recovered. This year's chaotic opening with an unforgivable attitude towards employees who led to the strike – well, who sealed the deal. I won't be back.

Next year will be a turning point in local skiing. Against the background of a passport decision, the great unknown is over parking. Even a free pass is not a bargain if you can't get there to use it.

Deer Valley plans in Snow Park will be more or less under construction the day after closing. Parking next year will be around half of today and will drive traffic to Keetley and Richardson Flat.

Nobody said that DV will charge for parking next year, but they didn't say that they won't do it. Maybe you don't know yet.

The Snow Park Base will definitely be a mud pit next year that bays the mud pit in Keetley. It is difficult to make a decision about a passport without knowing whether a parking costs of 2,000 US dollars are displayed.

Parking on the PCMR base is already complicated and expensive, which is part of why I don't use it. Next year, the canyons parking spaces will be demolished for the construction of a new multi-storey parking garage, from which you claim that you are open for the ski season. The construction should begin next week.

In view of the costs for structured parking spaces, it is certain that parking will ultimately cost for canyons, PC and Snow Park. So add this to the costs of the passport or take into account an additional hour a day for the Richardson Flat experience. The city still has not set up a sign at the entrance to the parking lot. It seems to be something, said: “Welcome to the Park and Ride Lot. Thank you for reducing traffic. Not responsible for rabid cubes “would be appropriate.)

All of this made me look for options. A full season in the Snow Basin is 1,239 US dollars or 929 US dollar senior. Sundance has not yet announced the prices, but based on this year I would suspect that they will have around 950 US dollars in full season or $ 450. You do not have the beautiful people, 125 US dollars grilled cheese -sandwiches or DJ -Ruckus in the yurt, which all appear like additional advantages.

Tom Clyde practiced for many years in Park City. He lives on a working ranch in Woodland and writes this column since 1986.

Related stories