There’s a poker game going on between the major players in the ski industry. Ten days ago, Alterra made the “Adventure Assurance” announcement for Ikon pass holders. That offered us the chance to defer our 20/21 pass purchases to 21/22 if we’re still dealing with COVID next winter. Today, Vail Resorts upped the ante by offering Epic pass holders “Epic Coverage”, which goes well beyond the Alterra offering.
Additionally, Vail Resorts says a credit from 20% to 80% is being offered to pass holders for their 19/20 pass, due to COVID early closures in March. Here’s a recap of the major details:
• Skiers that used their Epic pass more than 5 days will receive a 20% credit toward next season’s pass. Those that used it zero days will receive an 80% credit. Those using it between 1 and 4 days will receive somewhere in between. The details are here.
• Vail Resorts has extended their deadline for renewals with the credits all of the way to Labor Day, which is much later than the current Alterra deadline of May 27th.
• Vail Resorts also announced it’s “Epic Coverage” insurance plan. It is included with pass purchases at no cost. It includes the standard things that pass insurance would normally cover such as injury or job loss. It also covers certain resort closures, including pandemic events like COVID.
• The down payment for purchasing a pass has been significantly lowered. Vail Resorts now allows you to lock in your pass with a down payment of only $49, compared to $199 for the Ikon pass. This is very important for those people whose employment is either non-existent or shaky at the moment.
These are some very significant developments. I would consider it pretty likely that Alterra Mountain Company is going to be forced to ante up or raise the stakes in this game of poker. Stay tuned.
Tuesday Update…Yawn
So far, Alterra Mountain Company’s response to the latest Epic offering is pretty indirect. Rather than directly take on issues relating to COVID, resort closures and people with less money…they fell back to their usual marketing tactic of adding more resorts to the pass. Mount Bachelor in Oregon and Windham Mountain in New York will be available next season on your Ikon pass. Alterra did not acquire those mountains, it’s just their usual operating agreement, which allows either 7 days or 5 days depending on your pass.
I do like the town of Bend, and I do like parts of Mount Bachelor. It can sometimes be good when Tahoe is dry. But it would not be the thing that made me say “Eff it all, I’ll go ahead and commit to a pass for next year.”
That said, I already know I will be buying an Ikon pass next year, and I sure hope we will get to use it in 20/21!
Wow, covers injury, and war, what can go wrong? D
I was very impressed when I got the email. I wasn’t able to use my Epic pass this year and wasn’t planning to buy one next year. Now, I don’t see how I could *not* buy a pass next year. Say what you will about Big Skiing, but these guys have stepped-up to earn customer loyalty! They could have done much less and still gotten credit for outdoing Alterra.
Just watched Lawrence O’Donnell’s show on MSNBC. He had on a great epidemic expert, the best pundit on the subject I’ve heard so far, a woman who was in Liberia during the Ebola outbreak. This coronavirus pandemic is far more comminicable. It’s effects are going to be felt for at least another three years…and that’s the most optimistic prognostication she opined. That started me thinking. Gee, do you think KSL or Alterra whatever, should sweeten the deal somewhat for those of us who never got to use our
passed all that much — I know, my bad — during the 2019/20 season and were counting on lots of spring skiing usage, like maybe offering that category of passholders who like me are debating whether to renew for the next season, wondering if there will be a next season of the uphill transportation genre of skiing, a pass at say, a couple hundred bucks or something like that? Hmmm….