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The reason I do not ski anything owned by Vail Resorts.

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PowSkierCO
Posts: 760 - Karma: 11
-- The price of a single-day lift ticket at Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge ski resorts will break the $100 mark for the first time.

Single-day lift tickets for Vail and Beaver Creek between Dec. 26-31 will be $108, according to the Aspen Times. Tickets will be $102 from Dec. 17-25 and Jan. 1-14.

The newspaper reported that Breckenridge will charge a peak window rate of $104 during the holidays, while Keystone will charge $99

Aspen is already charging its highest price of the season, $99, according to the paper. The Aspen Skiing Company charged $96 for single-day lift tickets during the peak season last year.
Dec 18 2010 1:43PM
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Mr.Huck
Posts: 6096 - Karma: 14,896
This!  ...but does it seem to you like VR is trying to operate on the cheap more than ever?  They have broken windows at Midvail that they aren't fixing.  In the bathroom for the younger ski school kids, only one out of the 4 sinks works.  The new chair 5 is definitely the shit, but there are lots of other things that just seem to be way substandard. IDk.
Dec 20 2010 7:31PM
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mackinnon
Posts: 5153 - Karma: 161
yes, probably because the ski industry is hurting due to the economy, and businesses do what they can do survive. most businesses work to operate at the lowest cost possible to them...especially at this point in time
Dec 20 2010 7:34PM
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Meases_Pieces
Posts: 1292 - Karma: 246
its pretty easy to ski in VT for really cheap. the triple major pass for college students is a steal and my highschool gives you a free sugarbush pass for high honors (got it) and a lot of workplaces get deals for their workers. its good, stowe is really the only expensive one
Dec 20 2010 8:50PM
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PagesHouse
Posts: 6024 - Karma: 104
Bahahahha I meant the concessioner for the park.... the Grand Teton Lodge Company. Good catch.
Dec 20 2010 9:02PM
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Ryanvdonk
Posts: 12811 - Karma: 1,971
that's the sickest tubing hill ive ever seen
Dec 20 2010 9:41PM
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,507
i mean no joke at oreantation(sp?) no joke all they said was costamer service be nice to the costamers WE NEED THEM BACK HERE NEXT YEAR AAAAAAA THEN THE DEVIL APREAD WITH A BAG A MONEY AND I WAS LIKE WATTTTT
Dec 21 2010 3:30AM
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B-Phelps
Posts: 125 - Karma: 14

I've been nothing but pleased with vail resorts.  It's a pretty amazing thing that you can get all that skiing for so cheap with a season pass. It's only like 500 for the pass with 10 days at vail or beaver creek.  A pass to purgatory, the shitty mountain in durango is 800 for adults.  And i've always found fast, friendly service at vail resorts when i lose my pass or something, while the people at purgatory are complete assholes.

It's especially awesome for park skiers, since you have unlimited access to 2 of the best parks in the country and A-basin for early and late season.

Fuck yea vail resorts.

Dec 21 2010 4:12AM
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B-Phelps
Posts: 125 - Karma: 14

I've been nothing but pleased with vail resorts.  It's a pretty amazing thing that you can get all that skiing for so cheap with a season pass. It's only like 500 for the pass with 10 days at vail or beaver creek.  A pass to purgatory, the shitty mountain in durango is 800 for adults.  And i've always found fast, friendly service at vail resorts when i lose my pass or something, while the people at purgatory are complete assholes.

It's especially awesome for park skiers, since you have unlimited access to 2 of the best parks in the country and A-basin for early and late season.

Fuck yea vail resorts.

Dec 21 2010 4:14AM
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Tze.C
Posts: 1596 - Karma: 86
$679

you're not even close.
Dec 21 2010 7:26AM
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shrEddie
Posts: 5117 - Karma: 65
yeah paid for in 7 days for an epic pass, like 3 or 4 days for a colorado or summit pass. so its not too bad for people who live here
Dec 21 2010 10:07AM
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iwasinthepool
Posts: 122 - Karma: 11
$679 is the renewal price if you have had an epic pass in the last couple years.
Dec 21 2010 11:39AM
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Cincher
Posts: 3403 - Karma: 535
I've been meaning to go to one of minnesota's hills, I'm getting tired of Manitoba..

Tickets here are only $25-30, but most of our hills are >100ft. ...
Dec 21 2010 12:58PM
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,507
wrong is 679 to RENEW the pass learn how to read.
Dec 21 2010 1:38PM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,750
no, they're completely right. It's another company like Intrawest, who's goal is not to provide the best skiing out there for a price based on what the operating costs are. The goal of management is pure profit. Proof is in the numbers:

in 2008 Vail Resorts had a total income of $1.15 billion
their net income was well over $100 million. net income being after expenses.

When a company is raking in over $100 million a year after all expenses, they certainly have absolutely no need to raise prices. It's a complete money grab by greedy businessmen.
Dec 21 2010 2:08PM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,750
here are some interesting figures:

Vail Resorts, Inc.
Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
(Unaudited)

Twelve Months Ended
July 31,
2008 2007
Net revenue:
Mountain $685,533 $665,377
Lodging 170,057 162,451
Real estate 296,566 112,708
Total net revenue 1,152,156 940,536
Segment operating expense:
Mountain 470,362 462,708
Lodging 159,832 144,252
Real estate 251,338 115,190
Total segment operating expense 881,532 722,150
Other operating income (expense):
Gain on sale of real property 709 --
Depreciation and amortization (93,794) (87,664)
Relocation and separation charges -- (1,433)
Loss on disposal of fixed assets, net (1,534) (1,083)
Income from operations 176,005 128,206
Mountain equity investment income, net 5,390 5,059
Investment income, net 8,285 12,403
Interest expense, net (30,667) (32,625)
Loss on sale of businesses, net -- (639)
Contract dispute credit (charges), net 11,920 (4,642)
Gain on put options, net -- 690
Minority interest in income of consolidated
subsidiaries, net (4,920) (7,801)
Income before provision for income taxes 166,013 100,651
Provision for income taxes (63,086) (39,254)
Net income $102,927 $61,397

Dec 21 2010 2:10PM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,750
let's try that again

Click for larger image
Dec 21 2010 2:14PM
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Newschool_Pope
Posts: 2473 - Karma: 267
wow those prices in the US are crazy.rvrn the best european resorts dont charge prices above 40-50 € (50€ = 65$ and thats the one for adults, its alot cheaper for kids teens and students though) and there you have about 6000 ft vertical- in saas fee or most other swiss resorts, + the ski pass goes for several mountains. also the lifts are really fast and there isnt that much of a que and many lift seats are heated which is nice on cold days. i would like to know why there are such huge differences in price between euro and US resorts.

im an 18 year old uni student and pay for 7 days shredding in kitzbühel (austria) 180 euros which is 235$. that is very reasonable i find. plus there is no out of bounds or prohibition of inverts. i wish that some day i could come to the US resorts and see how they compare to our ones. id love to ski Jhole or whistler. u guys should come shred some euro pow and can get legally drunk at the lodge even if ur 16 or older...
Dec 21 2010 4:21PM
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snowbladesforlife
Posts: 2033 - Karma: -3
You must literally be retarded.


'When a company is raking in $100MM in net income they certainly have no need to prices'


When you're running a company I'm sure that statement will fly with the board and other shareholders.


Who cares about data from 2008? That was the peak of the market. They made $36MM in FY2010.



Considering what a normal family would spend on a week + travel costs in Vail, $10 extra per day/per person isn't going to effect their buying decisions.



If you're some soul skier or college student traveling from far away to Vail/Summit County you're retarded anyway. Who would travel thousands of miles for Vail?



I got a free season pass for minimal effort for 3 years, it isn't hard.

If you have to get day tickets and can't get mountain vouchers, just bum tickets in the park lot.
Dec 21 2010 5:28PM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,750
^ because that's what matters in skiing, that the board of directors all with their high 6 figure salaries get more money and are happy.

when a company is surplussing 100 million a year, there is absolutely no need to raise their prices unless they're greedy bastards. which apparently they are. 

that makes the company even worse for favouring shareholders over clients (even though probably every company does) and it's quite clear they care nothing about skiing itself
Dec 21 2010 11:51PM
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mackinnon
Posts: 5153 - Karma: 161
nobody would pass up the opportunity to make more money, you'd be retarded not to^^
Dec 22 2010 1:01AM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
Lolerskates at business discussion on NS.
Dec 22 2010 1:02AM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,750
if I was already making most probably in the millions, if not in the high hundreds of thousands, I would absolutely pass up the opportunity to make more for the love of skiing and providing affordable skiing to others.

heck, I'd do that if I was just making enough to live comfortably. that's all I need.
Dec 22 2010 1:20AM
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Piste.Off
Posts: 11586 - Karma: 1,860
you're thinking with the mind of a skier though, which is not a bad thing. but vail resorts is a business, run by greedy business men that don't give two shits about the love of skiing.
Dec 22 2010 1:25AM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
However noble that is, it's not exactly how businesses function.  Not to say you have to be a greedy asshole to run a successful business and get rich, because you don't.  But it seems to be the popular mentality of business students these days unfortunately.

People need to take a look at Patagonia as a company, they are so fucking rad, not just greedy corporate pigs.
Dec 22 2010 1:29AM
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nickyp
Posts: 5673 - Karma: 215
If I couldn't ski for free, I probably wouldnt be able to ski at all. It's mad that 4 hrs at Hemel is the same price as a day at a CA/UT/CO resort.
Dec 22 2010 9:41PM
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mackinnon
Posts: 5153 - Karma: 161
yes, YOU would, but the reason those people are the CEOs etc. of Vail resorts is because they MAKE MONEY and are good at it...that's the whole point of a business. plus its not like it'd be the board taking pay cuts, it'd also trickle down to your friends who work the lifts and scan tickets as well...
Dec 22 2010 10:32PM
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mozzy
Posts: 1034 - Karma: 60
Let's not forget the $15 parking at Vail, you don't really have an option. This sounds like nickel-and-diming to me, like those endless airline fees. The other resorts in the Vail system offer free parking, even if it's far away.

The season pass is great value, but there are people who are not local, don't stick to one resort system, like visitors from Europe, or people like me who don't go to one place enough to justify the pass.

Ideal world: raise the pass price, lower the single-day ticket price, more like the European resorts. The passes there are on the pricey side (~1000 USD for the Arlberg), but the single day prices are still quite affordable at around 60 USD.



Dec 23 2010 9:53AM
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iwasinthepool
Posts: 122 - Karma: 11
you can absolutely park for free at Vail. I dont think i have paid once. you just have to get here early and know where to go... and if you would like to know where to go, they will tell you right on their website. there are a few others that aren't listed but those are for locals...

and you are saying they should screw the people who ski their mountain every day or who spend a ton of money there and take three, four, maybe five vacations there per year with higher season pass prices and help you out who only gets to go there once and stay in the cheapest place in town, probably shop for you own food and not at their restaurants with cheaper day tickets?

You sir should own a business! I think you would be very successful.

epic pass keeps people coming back. Keeps people shopping at Vail stores, keeps people eating at ail restaurants... I couldn't care less about some a-hole from Texas with his suburban changing lanes without blinkers and talking about how he comes from the biggest state and how amazing he is... I (as Vail) care about those people who buy an epic pass in may ensuring me that they will keep coming back. Vacationers are money for the tourist industry, which Vail Resorts leads between November 12th and April 24th. They run a business. Not a family fun zone. You don't think they way the economy swung last year effected them? you don't think that high oil prices or electricity prices effect them? Running the largest ski industry in the world takes money.
Dec 23 2010 12:14PM
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B-Phelps
Posts: 125 - Karma: 14

Since when was making money a bad thing? Nobody hates on Jiberish, First Drop, Voleurz, or any other brand popular on NS for making money.

And 100 Million out of 1.15 Billion is only around a 9% profit margin, which is in the mid-lower range for the average corporation.

 Vail's 100 million dollar profits allow VR to do things like buy Northstar, and add it to the pass to do more for pass holders. 

Vail is among the best values for people who actualy LOVE SKIING.  100 dollar lift tickets allows Vail to give more skiing for less money to the people who love skiing enough to buy a pass.  $680 for 7 mountains is fucking amazing.

As someone who loves skiing, I'm fucking stoked that I can go on a road trip and ski somewhere new over spring break and not have to buy lift tickets that I can't afford.

And FYI, Vail is a corporation, thousands of stockholders (lots of whom are average people) own it. While a few people definately do make bank working for vail,  Most of that money is re-invested in expanding, or paid to people like the parents of many of the NS members who were lucky enough to start skiing early.

Epic:  Season - 680  Day - 100

Mammoth: Season - 1700  Day - 92 (Half off if you buy in may)

Whistler:  Season - 1700 Day - 94 (350 off if you buy early)

Park City:  Season - 800  Day - 93

Killington:  Season - 1300  Day - 85

Jackson:  Season - 1570  Day - 91

Alta/Snowbird:  Season - 1100  Day - 93

Aspen: Season - 1500  Day - 96

Squaw: Season - 1000  Day - 92

Sparknotes Version: THANK YOU GREEDY BUSINESS MEN!

Baker: Season - 685  Day - 48

Dec 29 2010 12:01AM
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2_fadez
Posts: 7780 - Karma: 4,183
gatorades (the 20 ounce size ) are $6. /thread
Dec 29 2010 1:09AM
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iwasinthepool
Posts: 122 - Karma: 11
if you're going to make an example of on mountain food try the $15 pizzas, christ...
Dec 29 2010 1:27AM
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spaustin889
Posts: 166 - Karma: 13
dude, my local mountain is $300 for a season pass....and look what $300 gets you. STFU about $700 for what you get....its a HELL of a deal!

http://www.obergatlinburg.com/ski/slope-report/
Dec 29 2010 2:06AM
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InvalidConflict
Posts: 100 - Karma: 10
or you know you can come to canada and ski better mountains for cheaper

and.... the weed is cheaper!

win win
Dec 29 2010 2:06AM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
No, they certainly are not.

Vail is not a steep mountain, and Breck is flat as a board.  If I lived in Co. I would get the pass, and ski A-basin, which is a great mountain.

Squaw, Kirkwood, Alpine, Sugar Bowl.....I would rather ski any of those places than Vail or Breck, and it's not even close.

Jackson, Big Sky, Bridger Bowl, Snowbird, Solitude, Alta, Silverton, Mt. Baker, Mammoth, Alpental, Whistler, Kicking Horse.....

......I could go on, with places that are better than Vail and Breck.

Having said that, to someone who does not ski steep terrain, Vail and Breck are great mountains.  To 90% of the skiing public, the terrain is just fine.  95% of skiers don't need Squaw's Palisades, so Vail is just fine for them.

I heard somewhere that Breck got more skier days last year than any other resort.  Based on that, it's not surprising that they will charge a lot of money.
Dec 29 2010 12:30PM
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315jibber94
Posts: 880 - Karma: -39
and i thought my 46 at my local mtn was steep haha
Dec 29 2010 12:34PM
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Sklar
Posts: 8864 - Karma: 31,612
are you dumb or just stupid?
Dec 29 2010 12:43PM
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Msully
Posts: 575 - Karma: 21
the town charges that, not the resort.
Dec 29 2010 12:49PM
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Karma_Police
Posts: 2655 - Karma: 1,628
You can't be serious.

Patagonia, just like vail, is a business.  Just because they make there shit and I mean SHIT with organic materials doesn't mean you can give them a pass.  Especially when everyone who wears/works/buys patagonia is an Upity little bitch. 
Dec 29 2010 1:23PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
If you are in the MVP club, it is less than that.  I bought my pass for 649$ in April.  They are not letting new people in, however.

That Mammoth pass has no blackout dates.
Dec 29 2010 1:27PM
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Karma_Police
Posts: 2655 - Karma: 1,628
As someone who has had an epic pass for the past 3 years, now lives in Califonia and skis kirkwood.  I agree about skiing steeps.  But I will say that beaver creek although lacking in bowls is the most well rounded mountain I've been too in a long time.  SOmething like the stone creek chutes where you can lap pillow lines right off of a chair?!  Followed by a three park line?  Is just amazing.  All of the above you mentioned is correct I'm just saying that bc is a hidden gem that doesn't get the credit it deserves.
Dec 29 2010 1:28PM
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.nasty
Posts: 10581 - Karma: 11,150
don't be too hasty sklar. A basin may be tiny, but find the pali chair and east wall on an uncrowded weekday pow day, and you'll be very glad you went to say the least...
Dec 29 2010 1:39PM
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Sklar
Posts: 8864 - Karma: 31,612
well yea
go most anywhere on an uncrowded weekday pow day and you'll be happy, but there are still places i'd rather be
Dec 29 2010 1:57PM
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bfnradford
Posts: 921 - Karma: 100
are you trying to be funny here? nice one
Dec 29 2010 3:36PM
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EvanMeyer
Posts: 3822 - Karma: 3,445
single day is 63$ non holiday 70$ during holidays i need a season pass
Dec 29 2010 3:51PM
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J.DUKE
Posts: 1233 - Karma: 38
i think you have a complex
Dec 29 2010 7:14PM
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mackinnon
Posts: 5153 - Karma: 161
haha i agree for the most part with this...plus i'd never patronize a company that donates money to greenpeace, barf!
Dec 29 2010 7:39PM
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Ryanvdonk
Posts: 12811 - Karma: 1,971
and breck has the best park in the world so yeah...it also does have some non flat regions, just the majority of people seem to have difficulty finding them (not quite sure why, maybe too windy? and im not saying they are anything to write home about but they are fun when there is snow). as for alpental i cant help but laugh that you listed that, the majority of the rowdy terrain is OUT OF BOUNDs, and while it is just a traverse out and skate back you cant really consider that part of the area. if you're counting that then you have to count east vail which is a short hike and bus ride back and a lot different than most of the inbounds stuff. its all a matter of perspective, and knowing the mountain.
Dec 30 2010 1:51AM
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Jibbidy
Posts: 787 - Karma: 19
Fuck. Hotel rates go up each year, Starbucks coffee prices go up every year, and so on. Get over it.
Dec 30 2010 3:39AM
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mmallender.
Posts: 5805 - Karma: 936
you really dont realize how much running a resort costs do you. it costs thousands and thousands of dollars daily, and i am sure a large portion of those thousands of people every day are seasons pass holders.

i dont know any exact numbers or have real facts, but i am pretty sure running a resort is massively expensive, and that is why lift tickets are able to be raised higher and higher every year
Dec 30 2010 3:31PM
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mackinnon
Posts: 5153 - Karma: 161
my dad is a commercial fisherman in AK and greenpeace contributes to making his job more difficult, and i don't believe in giving money to them because of that.
Jan 4 2011 5:23PM
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