Letter to the Editor: Ageism in the Ski Pass Industry
To whom it may concern,
As I get older, each year I have to reassess the value of purchasing an annual ski pass. And each year Alterra continues to practice ageism in its pass pricing structure!
You offer NO SPECIAL PRICING for forgotten senior skiers and riders (many of whom are on a fixed income) over 70 years of age who may only ski a few times per year compared to other pass holders. You offer discounts to college, military, nurses, young adult, child, 4 and under but nothing to those of us who have been your loyal bread and butter customers for years. Those of us who have brought up the next generation or two of new skiers and riders of whom you now benefit.
I have noted this discrimination to your company before but my concerns were met with indifference. Apparently corporate greed is more important than fairness in rewarding older skiers who have steadfastly supported the ski industry through thick and thin for decades.
You’re probably thinking why should Ikon offer a senior discount when Epic doesn’t? That’s bad business thinking. Why not be the leader in offering seniors a proper deal like many of the smaller resorts like Loveland do? Not to mention that Snowy Range who offers free lift tickets to the over 70 crowd! Not only would you attract more older skiers and riders but also their children and grandchildren.
Offering discounts to nurses, military members, young adults, etc. demonstrates respect for them and what they do for our society. Seniors have contributed and continue to contribute a great deal to our lives, yet all too often, they receive less respect and are kicked to the curb. Refusing to include seniors with nurses, military, and young adults is a slap in the face and denies them the respect they deserve. Most of the seniors who ski have done so for a large part of their lives and want to affordably continue. They are not the (discount treated) hotdoggers who often endanger the lives of other skiers and riders.
I know that your company doesn’t really care but I felt the need to give my opinion. Maybe by the time I’m 80 your company will give my generation a little respect by offering us the discounted ski passes we deserve.
Avid skier since 1960,
G.S. Wood
ICYMI for May
Evelyn Kanter at Snowbasin 2023
Even though this amazing snow season is winding down, there’s still some important news for skiers and riders.
Here is our monthly ICYMI – in case you missed it – tidbits of this and that, including extended operating days at resorts in the US and Canada.
Utah
The state has received a record amount of what it markets as The Greatest Snow on Earth, including some 700 inches at Brighton and Alta.
Ski Utah reports these new closing dates for resorts still operating – if your favorite destination is not on the list, it has already closed for the season –
- Alta – April 23, 2023
- Brian Head – April 30, 2023
- Brighton – May 29, 2023
- Deer Valley Resort – April 23, 2023 (extended beyond original date!)
- Park City Mountain – May 1, 2023 – (extended beyond original date!)
- Snowbasin – April 23, 2023 – (extended beyond original date!)
- Snowbird – Open daily through May 14. Then open Friday–Sundays and holidays through Memorial Day. With no closing date in sight, Snowbird will continually assess operations past Memorial Day based on conditions.
- Solitude – May 21, 2023 – Open daily until May 21. More info here.
- Woodward Park City – to be announced for chair closure but the jib park is open until the snow melts!
Montana –
Big Sky is offering a selection of resort-specific passes for next season, including $60/day Twin Tips deal. Purchase before April 27 to get the low price. Big Sky is also an Ikon Pass member.
Alaska –
Alyeska Resort will join the Ikon Pass community for winter 23/24 with no blackout dates. Ikon Base Pass holders will have access to five days, with select blackout dates. Alyeska Resort is also available on the Ikon Session Pass.
The addition of Alyeska Resort brings the list of Ikon Pass resorts 56 mountain destinations across 11 countries and 16 states.
Alyeska Resort is a playground for all levels of skiers and riders, located just 40 miles south of Anchorage, Alaska, in Chugach State Park, offering glacier-filled vistas and Northern Lights sightings. The mountain is home to a 60-passenger aerial scenic tram with panoramic views, 1,610 acres of varied terrain, 76 trails and over 669 inches of snow annually, plus seven dining experiences, including Seven Glaciers, a AAA Four Diamond Award restaurant with unparalleled views overlooking seven hanging glaciers.
Visit in March as I did a few years ago, and enjoy the start of the famous Iditarod Race in downtown Anchorage. It’s a fun day with parades and other events.
Canada –
Whistler Blackcomb has closed the Peak 2 Peak Gondola and the Whistler Village Gondola for the season.
But spring skiing is still accessible on Blackcomb Mountain on weekends until May 22, via the Blackcomb Gondola.
Elsewhere –
The winter ski/snowboard season is just beginning in Chile and New Zealand. (Click here for details on the 70+ Ski Club New Zealand Trip this August.)
Season Passes –
Have you bought yours yet for next season? Epic, Ikon, Mountain Collective, Indy. All offer great deals for multiple destinations. But don’t delay – early-purchase deals have expiration dates, and some passes have capped numbers, so when they’re gone, they’re gone.
See you next month!
Giving Back
Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash
The definition of a “cohort” is a collection of people who share characteristics or experiences over time. It’s one of many descriptions of us skiers and riders. We seek and revel in the mountain life and its experiences and invite others to share in our reverie. Our life view is expansive, embracing all.
Giving back to others is deeply embedded in the psyche of skiers and riders, and an active part of our mountain ethos. Sometimes all it takes is someone or a group of skiers and riders gathering to have an impact.
In February 2023, residents and businesses in Tamarack and Boise did just that, by honoring a beloved cohort with a huge and fund-raising effort to help feed the less privileged in Idaho.
The Idaho Foodbank reports that nearly nine percent of the state’s population, including more than 46,000 children, face food insecurity. Nearly 7,000 Idaho seniors are at risk of not getting enough to eat, which leads to exacerbating health issues.
In 2022, The Idaho Foodbank provided 27.2 million pounds of food, enough for 22.6 million meals, enough for about 184,000 people per month. Managers say they can provide four meals for every dollar donated. It takes the combined efforts of farmers, food product manufacturers, distributors, community organizations, government, and individual citizens to make this happen.
The food bank fundraiser was to honor the memory of Larry Gebert. It was the idea of Dan and Kathy Boespflug, Tamarack locals. Dan and Larry grew up together in Montana. They were neighbors and attended kindergarten thru college together and stayed friends – cohorts – their entire lives.
Larry died of a massive heart attack April 1, 2022. He was actively involved in more than 40 charities in Idaho. One of his favorites was The Idaho Foodbank. So, Dan and I decided to give to the Foodbank in Larry’s name,” wrote Kathy.
She turned to a local rider, homeowner, and realtor, Trisha Sears, to create and sponsor an “Ending Hunger Spring Challenge” event here at the Tamarack Resort. Kathy and her husband Dan pledged to match donations to The Idaho Foodbank up to $25,000.
A group of about 50 skiers, mostly seniors and those approaching senior status, convened on a Friday evening in February to take up the challenge. What’s the best way to incentivize skiers and riders? With food and wine, of course.
A builder family, Delain and Dana Kemper, who live here at Tamarack hosted the gathering in a recently completed home for sale (yes, we were all careful about spilling wine or dropping food on the floor). Holesinsky Vineyard and Winery, 2022 Idaho Winery of the Year, donated the wine. Brian Auger, Ken Callan and Jeff Hemmes brought their Oonis to make pizza. Salads and hors d’oeuvres were also donated.
How did we do? We raised more than $17,000, which Dan and Kathy Boespflug matched. But, we were not done.
Rex and Mary Beth Chandler, owners of the top-rated Chandlers Steak House in Boise, donated a special luncheon for 35 people to add to the match. The luncheon was oversubscribed. Boise Channel 7 showed up for the luncheon and ran reports on the Idaho Today Show and also the evening news in Larry’s honor.
With these events, Dan and Kathy Boespflug and their skiing and riding cohorts raised $65,500. Not too shabby! It’s a heart-warming example of how skiers and riders, thinking locally, drinking locally, giving locally.
What are you doing at your local ski area to give back locally?
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