#Epic pass colorado resorts full

during the peak holiday period.'Īt the time, Vail Resorts had reported a 12% drop in the number of Epic and Epic Local passes it sold for the '22-'23 season.

She blamed that on 'extreme weather causing resort closures and the airline disruptions that impacted travel across the U.S. 'Coupled with a really spectacular snow year, it's been the guest experience that we intended,' Plack said of the current season.Īround Colorado and Vail Resorts' other western destinations in the snowy start of winter, visitation was 'below our expectations,' company CEO Kirsten Lynch said in a January letter to investors. He said the company was still evaluating the possibility of messaging the day ticket limits and advanced purchasing for next winter.

#Epic pass colorado resorts full

He credited that to full staffs and operators 'having a really good sense of flow' on high-capacity mountains. It's been 'a lever' that Colorado resorts have never had to pull, said company spokesman John Plack. It's a season that followed several investments and adjustments pledged by Vail Resorts: a minimum wage increase to $20 an hour $300 million toward 'the mountain experience,' including 21 new and improved lifts at 14 resorts and, for the first time, people seeking day tickets were encouraged to buy in advance from what would be a capped supply. Tensions seem to have cooled this season. Petitions rose amid outcry over long lines, packed parking lots and what some saw as delayed terrain openings - what critics also saw as a result of staff shortages faced with more customers than ever drawn to the greatly reduced Epic Pass. Observers went on to see consequences across Vail Resorts mountains last season. Observers saw those cuts by Vail as a direct, competitive response to the emergence of the Ikon Pass, which hit the market in 2018. The announcement marked two straight years of price increases above 7% for passes since the 20% cuts in 2021. The day's announcement emphasized that no other reservations would be required for Epic Pass holders at other resorts. 'Akin to buying an airplane ticket.”Īttempts to reach Telluride representatives were not immediately successful Tuesday. “I do think the industry is turning to a place where you need to be ready to have a bit of a schedule,' Clark said. Miles Clark, who runs the sporting website SnowBrains, also suggested reservations could be a more prevalent idea in the future to control crowds and prevent infection during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vail Resorts ran a booking system that was counter to customers cherishing the spontaneous spirit of skiing. That balancing act could be the continued challenge for the industry, a watcher for more than 20 years told The Gazette approaching this season. Meanwhile, Epic Pass defector Arapahoe Basin has been capping Ikon Pass holders to seven days - what the Summit County ski area has characterized as an attempt to prioritize experience over volume. The goal was to better predict and manage potential surges, Aspen spokesman Jeff Hanle explained at the time, adding that, in the first year under Ikon, 'we saw weekends significantly busier than what we were used to.' 'Visioning effort' launches ahead of plan for Colorado 14ersĪhead of this season, Snowmass joined the likes of Jackson Hole, Big Sky and Taos to require reservations for that customer base. (The Ikon Pass-owning Alterra Mountain Co. - which covers access to Aspen Snowmass, Winter Park, Steamboat, Copper Mountain and others in Colorado - has yet to announce prices for next season.) In a change, Telluride will require reservations for Epic Pass holders, mirroring a recent move by some resorts under the Ikon Pass. That pass unlocks unlimited days at Vail's five resorts in Colorado, including Crested Butte, and also provides entry to partner resorts such as Telluride. That's up from last year's early-bird price of $841 and compares with $979 from the pre-2021 slash. The top-of-the-line Epic Pass, granting broader access to Vail Resorts destinations in Colorado and beyond, launches at $909. Previously, an Epic Local Pass started at $729. That's up from the starting price last year, $626, but still down from the mark announced prior to the '21-'22 season, when Vail Resorts proclaimed what it called a 'bold' 20% slash across all products. With unlimited access to Breckenridge and Keystone and 10 days total at Vail and Beaver Creek, the popular Epic Local Pass debuts at $676.