Vail Resorts acquires 17 More Resorts

The big news this week in the snow and mountain resort industry is Vail Resorts acquisition of Peak Resorts collection of 17 new resorts. This announcement greatly expands Epic Pass holders a wide new range of resorts in the Northeast, Mid Atlantic and Midwest in key skier metropolitan markets.

Current Vail Resorts in the Epic Pass included the following:
Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge, Crested Butte in Colorado
Kirkwood,Heavenly Valley & Northstar in California
Park City in Utah
Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada
Vermont - Stowe, Okemo
Stevens Pass, WA
Afton Alps, Wilmot, Mt Brighton
Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire

This new acquisition will now include the following new Peak Resorts and added value for Epic Pass holders at:
Mount Snow in Vermont
Hunter Mountain in New York
Attitash Mountain Resort, Wildcat Mountain and Crotched Mountain in New Hampshire
Liberty Mountain Resort, Roundtop Mountain Resort, Whitetail Resort, Jack Frost and Big Boulder in Pennsylvania
Alpine Valley, Boston Mills, Brandywine and Mad River Mountain in Ohio
Hidden Valley and Snow Creek in Missouri
Paoli Peaks in Indiana

This next play in the resort consolidation and acquisition of resorts adds a new dimension of theatre as we approach the 2019.20 season. The next question is who is next for Vail Resorts and how does Alterra Mountain Group, Powdr Corp, Boyne and others respond. The next few months will truly be interesting.

Season Pass Sales - Ikon and Epic lead the charge as multi Resort Passes the New Norm

With Spring 2018 here and spring break underway across resort towns the recent announcements from Vail Resorts Epic Pass options and the newly formed Alterra Mountain Group Ikon Pass options skiers and snowboarders have a new options that provide access to top resorts and destinations across North America and now the world. Each pass has and continues to add new resort partners. On all these read the details as there are options and some restrictions apply depending on the pass product.

Ikon Pass - The newest pass products from the Alterra Mountain Group includes the following resort partners in Colorado - Copper Mountain, Eldora, Steamboat Springs, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass, Buttermilk, Mammoth Mountain, Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, June Mountain, Big Bear Resort in CA; Deer Valley, Snowbird and Alta in Utah, Jackson Hole, WY, Ski Revelstoke and Big 3 in Western Canada, Killington, Sratton and Sugarbush in Vermont; Mt Tremblant and Blue Mountain in Eastern Canada; Snowshoe, WVA, Loon Mountain, NH; Sunday River & Sugarloaf, ME and the CMH Heli Ski operation. Another wow product.

Epic Pass and variations - The Vail Resorts offering now celebrating their 10th season. grows beyond the core returning resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone Arapaho Basin, Stowe, Whistler Mountain, Heavenly Valley, Northstar, CA;Park City and Canyons and recent additions Telluride, CO, Hakuba Valley, Japan, Kicking Horse, Fernie and Resorts of the Canadian Rockies; Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Okemo Mountain, VT, Mt Sunapee, NH; Afton Alps, Mt Brighton and Wilmot in the Midwest and a variety of European resorts. Truly an amazing product for the active traveling skier/snowboarder.

On the heels of these initial salvo's we see more and more resorts offering free days and deeply discounted lift tickets with new partner resorts. Many include buy now and ski/ride the rest of this season on your pass. The deep March snows especially in the East can only spur sales and lock participants in for the next season.

Brundage, ID - The Best Snow in Idaho season passes are on sale and include 38 additional partner resort free days of skiing and riding!!!

Powderhorn, CO - Passes as low as $259 and additional resort partner benefits. They have called this Mission Affordable!

Pats Peak, NH - Early season Pass now includes 50% off lift tickets at New England resort Partners - Ragged, Waterville Valley, Dartmouth Ski Way, Jay Peak, Killington/Pico, Mt Sunapee, Ski Butternut.

Peaks Pass - Hunter Mountain, NY; Mt Snow, VT; Attitash, Crotched Mountain and Wildcat, NH; Jack Frost/Big Boulder, PA. These 7 Northeastern Resorts are owned and operated by Peak Resorts..

Mountain Collective - Back again this season after much speculation given the new resort groups this season with the following resorts participating - Alta, Aspen/Snowmass, Banff/Sunshine, new this year Big Sky, Coronet Peak/Remarkables in New Zealand, Jackson Hole, Lake Louise, Mammoth, Revelstoke, Snowbasin, Snowbird, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, Sun Valley,Taos and Thredbo. There are 2 free days at each and one with a third day and other related discounts for only $409 now.

Power Pass - Unlimited access to Purgatory, Hesperus, Arizona Snow Bowl, Pajarito and Sipapu, now for only $599 for adults. This pass includes free ski days at partner resorts like Loveland, Copper Mountain, Monarch Mountain, Eldora, Powder Mountain, Snowy Range, Sunlight Mountain.

Ski Sunlight announces the Sunny Soaker Pass that includes not only skiing but now hot springs visits for the season. Additional resorts are included with additional free days of skiing/riding at partner resorts as well.

Mountain Happenings and Updates, March 9

March is here with more snow as we approach spring break vacations. There has been lots of activity with resorts of late.

Recent resort news includes Vail Resorts entering the New England market with the announced purchase of Stowe Mountain Resort from AIG for $50 million dollars.

Arapahoe Basin expansion get approval for expansion not only of winter terrain but year round activities approved from the Forest Service.

Taos Ski Valley becomes the first B certified resort.

Belleayre in the Catkills of New York will get a significant and much needed $8 million investment for an 8 passenger gondola and base lodge remodel.

Eldora Mountain in Colorado announces a new 6 pack chair to replace the 2 older base area chairs. A much needed and welcome addition for locals.

Sugarbush Resort in Vermont and Snowbasin in Utah join the growing Mountain Collective as we see the initial offerings for 2017.18 season passes.