Taos NM added as a partner https://www.aspentimes.com/news/taos-ski-valley-added-to-list-of-ikon-pass-resorts/ (oops I posted in the Mountain Collective thread)
Ikon adds Andes: CHILE VALLE NEVADO IKON PASS Access 7 days with no blackout dates. IKON BASE PASS Access 5 days with no blackout dates.
That took a while to happen. Coronet Peak and Remarkables are on MCP 2018-19 but not Mt. Hutt. That leaves Chamonix plus Sun Valley and Snowbasin on the MCP but not on Ikon . . . yet? The GM of Sun Valley was not exactly positive about Alterra and Ikon back in Feb 2018. https://www.mtexpress.com/news/sun_...cle_ce15d264-0799-11e8-9f04-23bb6adfd7ef.html
Taos; trail maps and promotional videos are always good marketing tools but this article in the NYT has me interested in going to NM. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/20/...ck&module=Well&pgtype=Homepage§ion=Travel
Not everyone is happy with the 'Ikonisation' of Aspen ( the irony of people who rely on tourism for their lively-hood complaining about popularity is amusing) https://www.aspentimes.com/news/loc...-are-out-in-force-because-of-snow-conditions/
My family of 5 went to Aspen, Snowmass and AH for 1 day each using our Ikon passes. We are exactly the type of people the article is talking about. Never would have gone otherwise. We went midweek in January when the joint is normally pretty dead. We ate out every meal, did some shopping etc. We stood out like dog’s balls on Ajax (saw two other kids all day), not so much on AH and not at all at Snowmass.
There are similar articles about the impact of Ikon at Deer Valley. It sure does seem to have been a massive success from Alterra and the partner resorts’ perspectives in its first year.
There is much wailing and gnashing of teeth on Pugski about crowds at Deer Valley. They're expecting DV to allow snowboarding next.
This from a few days ago: https://www.aspendailynews.com/news...cle_c8d0cf26-3659-11e9-b2cb-6f1f51dbbbce.html
And recently from Jackson. https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/town_county/article_74e0e79c-ed83-5a4f-b5b6-408b365126b0.html
Will be interesting to see how it all pans out. As you say (and reported in those couple of articles linked above) the IKON pass is certainly driving side trips to resorts/destinations that wouldn't have happened otherwise (I could have a whine about being directly impacted because that's why I had to seek alternative accommodation over New Year). Using the Jackson example a couple I knew in Steamboat had planned 2x trips up there (long weekends) that 100% would not have happened without the fact that the 7 days were available on the IKON pass. I know its not IKON but I laughed when I read one of the Crested Bute going Epic articles and the actual marketing slogan of CB at one point was "This is not Vail"
Just spent a week at Big Sky, which is on Ikon and MCP. Pretty clear that there were a lot of Ikon passes being used. Felt like more than the MCP. Especially the week before, which was "winter break" for a number of schools in the U.S. northeast (MA, NY, etc.). Locals have clearly noticed of Ikon at Big Sky. When waiting in line for the new Ramcharger 8, there was a group of young men behind me. One loudly called out a joke: "No Ikon passes allowed on this lift." Then I heard him describe to his mates how he had made lots of tourists worry when he'd done that another time in a line that was much longer. That time he didn't say it that loud and there weren't that many people in line in any case. It was snowing hard, and fair weather folks weren't staying off the slopes. Ikon is direct-to-lift at Big Sky.
More from Aspen regarding the Ikon Pass numbers https://www.aspendailynews.com/news...cle_17c2504e-3bd9-11e9-a29c-3fbdc05fe774.html
Hey @absentskier - Nah - were are done for the short term methinks. Would have loved to look at doing a longer trip so the little fella could have had a go participating in a sports program (probably moguls) whilst he was still relatively young and was good enough to have a go but its not really an option (life and such - think I have used my snow quota ). I wouldn't discount a trip to the snow as such but if it does happen it will be a more traditional ski holiday - so 1 or 2 weeks somewhere in which case will look at pass options and locations etc. if and when that was put on the table. What about yourself? You going to lock in another trip for next season?
18/19 Aspen Snowmass 9% of skier days Ikon according to this report. https://www.aspentimes.com/news/asp...isits-at-aspen-snowmass-local-pass-use-up-40/ As an aside, 22 inches of snow in 24 hours at Aspen Highlands and a snow day declared for area schools.
In response to this story about the Ikonisation of Jackson Hole last week: https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/opinion/guest_shot/article_3b2ff051-3b63-56a9-b994-29b781dd7aac.html
The criticism of the 'Ikonisation' of Aspen, Deer Valley and Jackson Hole by local pass holders is being answered with this: https://www.aspentimes.com/news/loc...sses-will-include-ikon-base-pass-for-2019-20/ Aspen, Deer Valley and Jackson Hole purchasers of full season passes for 2019/2020 will get an Ikon base pass for 2019/20 as a sweetener.
I thought that would happen. Lots of people making noise about crowds caused by Ikon in its first season. Some of those people seem to ignore the fact that it has been an outstanding snowfall season. Have to judge this after a few seasons I think.
If you have any interest in checking out Taos in 2020, I'll be there the first week of Feb with a small group of friends from another ski forum. Have friends flying to NM from Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, and San Francisco. Some are doing a Taos Ski Week again while others will be checking out Taos for the first time. I'll be using a Full Ikon pass to cover the 7 days of skiing. I like to ski the day before the 6 consecutive morning lessons that make up a Taos Ski Week.
Deer Valley admitted they don't really have good data about which parts of the mountain get busy or how many people actually are around on a given day. Parking became the biggest issue for 2018-19. With the installation of RFID gates for 2019-20, whether or not the current cap of 8500 day tickets is the correct number of not hopefully will become more obvious. The cap was raised a few years ago from something like 6000 as lift improvements were made. Only actually sell out during holiday periods. Although Ikon passholders are encouraged to reserve a ticket in advance. There is a special webpage for that process.
Ikon just got better for early and late season trips. Alterra announced that Arapahoe Basin has joined as a partner with the usual 7/5 days for Full/Base Ikon passholders.
We've gone with IKON Base Passes for Jan/Feb. Fits the itinerary perfectly and will give us: 14x days Squaw/Alpine 7x days at some combination of Alta/Bird/Deer/Solitude/Brighton 2x days Mammoth No blackouts (We're commuting over Prez weekend)
https://www.aspentimes.com/news/local/aspen-skiing-co-to-adjust-for-ikon-crowds-in-19-20-season/ The article mentions putting more chairs on lifts, I think this means there will be an increase of about twenty quad chairs on the rope on the Cloud 9 chair at Aspen Highlands and one of the chairs at Snowmass (Sheer Bliss or High Alpine ? - I'm not sure)
More on the Ikonization of Aspen from the Aspen newspapers https://www.aspendailynews.com/news...cle_f8bdf330-cf88-11e9-af50-a77d01208755.html https://www.aspentimes.com/news/loc...ass-holders-quit-blaming-them-for-lift-lines/
I’m sure you’ll have a great time but I think the Utah resorts deserve more time with a bit less at Squaw.
Tahoe is a big group, friends from SF, so it's usually the main leg of the trip. We usually then head somewhere else for a week-ish, be it UT, CO etc. Week in Utah will be nice.
If anyone has the patience to watch a 15 minute interview from the CEO of Alterra about their future with Ikon Published Nov 04, 2019 ETA: please read the review MarzNC posted immediately below before committing 15 minutes to watching https://www.bloomberg.com/news/vide...r-interviews-rusty-gregory-digital-full-video
Can I have the 15 min back? The only thing I learned was that sales of the Ikon pass has greatly exceeded expectations. The interviewer didn't know much about skiing or the ski resort industry, so the questions were pretty basic.
Alterra and the Ikon partners are clearly trying to get as many people as possible to commit to an Ikon pass this spring for 2020-21. First the renewal discount was doubled on April 14. The latest twist is called Adventure Assurance. The idea is that someone who pays for a pass before Dec 2020 will be able to decide in the fall whether to keep it for 2020-21 or to defer the pass to 2021-22. The special discounted prices for military and college folks has been extended to nurses as well.
Kinda losing its appeal for overseas ski resorts when most everybody is talking about overseas travel being banned until well into 2021 - potentially missing Northern Hemi ski seasons depending on what part of 2021 things start to happen. The $US199 down with the chance to delay to the next season is a good idea though for some.
I’m very happy, given I paid the deposit x 2 not long before the virus really took off. I was faced with losing the entire deposit. I have pretty much resigned myself to not going o/s next summer or skiing in resort our winter. Will defer once the option opens.
VR announced what they are offering for Epic N. America 2020-21. Extra discounts for Epic passholders who didn't use it enough. Rollover option to 2021-22. Can't remember the other details.
Alterra announced yesterday that Windham in NY and Mt. Bachelor in OR will be on Ikon for 2020-21. Windham is in the NY Catskills, very close to Hunter. Hunter is on the Epic Pass. Both normally get a lot of folks driving up from NYC/NJ, especially on weekends. Bachelor is owned by Powdr, which also owns Killington/Pico in Vermont and Copper in Colorado. So not too much of a surprise that it's joining Ikon. Powdr resorts operate quite independently. Bachelor is great for spring skiing. Ski nuts in California drive up the coast after most Tahoe resorts shut down to ski the 360 degrees access on the Bachelor volcano. Easier to appreciate now that there is a Neihues trail map.
