Vail Resorts to Acquire 17 Mountains in North America

Jul 24, 2019
by Daniel Sapp  
photo
Mount Snow, VT is one of 17 mountains to be acquired by Vail Resorts

Vail Resorts, Inc. announced it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire 100% of Peak Resorts, Inc. at a purchase price of $11.00 per share, subject to certain conditions, including regulatory review and the approval of Peak Resorts' shareholders.

This adds 17 U.S. ski areas to Vail's network of resorts, doubling the current 17 to 34. All of these resorts are located near major metropolitan areas, including New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Columbus, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Louisville.

The resorts are: Mount Snow in Vermont; Hunter Mountain in New York; Attitash, Wildcat, and Crotched Mountains 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; and Paoli Peaks in Indiana.

A number of these resorts already have bike parks and Vail Resorts owns other bike park resorts, including Whistler B.C., Keystone, and Northstar.

photo
Whistler Blackcomb, owned by Vail Resorts, is considered by many to be the ultimate mountain biking destination in the world.

bigquotesWe are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to add such a powerful network of ski areas to our company. Peak Resorts’ ski areas in the Northeast are a perfect complement to our existing resorts and together will provide a very compelling offering to our guests in New York and Boston. With this acquisition, we are also able to make a much stronger connection to guests in critical cities in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest and build on the success we have already seen with our strategy in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Detroit. The acquisition fully embodies our philosophy of Epic for Everyone, making skiing and riding more accessible to guests across the U.S. and around the world.

The ski areas within the Peak Resorts portfolio exemplify the spirit of our sport as well as our Company’s mission to provide an Experience of a Lifetime to guests. We’re thrilled to welcome the resorts and their employees into the Vail Resorts family and invest in their continued success.—Rob Katz, Chairman/CEO Vail Resorts

bigquotesVail Resorts has a proven track record of celebrating the unique identity of its resorts, while continually investing in the guest and employee experience. For this reason, we are confident that our resorts and employees will continue to thrive within the Vail Resorts network.

We are very proud of our track record over the last two decades in building the breadth, quality and accessibility of our resorts. We are thrilled that our guests will now have access to some of the world’s most renowned resorts.—Timothy Boyd, President/CEO Peak Resorts


When the transaction closes, the 2019-20 Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass and Military Epic Pass will include unlimited and unrestricted access to the 17 Peak Resorts ski areas. Guests with an Epic Day Pass will also be able to access the new ski areas as a part of the total number of days purchased. For the 2019-20 season, Vail Resorts will honor and continue to sell all Peak Resorts pass products, and Peak Resorts’ pass holders will have the option to upgrade to an Epic Pass or Epic Local Pass, following closing of the transaction.

photo
Racers wait for the lift at Mount Snow, VT


Additional Transaction Details:

The aggregate purchase price for all Peak Resorts common stock is estimated to be approximately $264 million (calculated on a treasury method basis), which Vail Resorts intends to finance through a combination of cash on hand, its existing revolver facility and an expansion of its existing credit facility. In addition, Vail Resorts will be assuming or refinancing Peak Resorts’ outstanding debt.

The acquisition is expected to generate incremental annual EBITDA of approximately $60 million in Vail Resorts’ fiscal year ending July 31, 2021, the first fiscal year with the full benefit of the synergies of the acquisition, with additional revenue upside in future years. Synergies are expected to come from additional revenue across the Vail Resorts network of resorts and cost reductions from the elimination of certain duplicative administrative functions and greater efficiencies brought by Vail Resorts’ size and scale. Vail Resorts’ annual ongoing capital expenditures are expected to increase by $10 million to support the addition of the Peak Resorts ski areas. After closing of the transaction, Vail Resorts plans to invest approximately $15 million over the next two years in one-time capital spending to elevate the guest experience at these resorts.

The transaction was approved by both companies’ Boards of Directors, and the Peak Resorts Board of Directors also recommends that Peak Resorts’ shareholders approve the transaction.

The transaction is expected to close this fall. The parties expect operations at all Peak Resorts ski areas to continue in the ordinary course of business. Upon closing, Vail Resorts plans to retain the vast majority of each resort’s employees.

photo
Mount Snow, VT


Additional details can be found on Vail Resorts and Peak Resorts webpages.



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Mount Snow, Attitash Mountain Bike Resort

Posted In:
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299 Comments
  • 147 0
 And thus skiing/mountain biking in the US moves closer to a duopoly as everything gets purchased by either Vail or Alterra. I hope everyone prefers season passes, because at the rate these companies have been increasing day lift ticket prices, that will soon be the only viable option to get on the mountain (basically already is on the ski side).
  • 73 5
 I'm just glad my enduro rig pedals well so I can enjoy the descents without paying these insane lift prices. This is the first year in a long time I havent been to a park, and I have very little desire to go!
  • 42 5
 I just don't ride in bike parks any more. Back in the day we had our discount on a seasons pass through work, and living at home I could justify it easily. We lived in Whistler at friends places on the weekends and would sometimes do after work trips during the week. It made sense.. The last time I was at WBP, I paid 40 bucks for a ticket (3 run (!!!) thing, was with family) and was told I that garbo runs were included as single runs. Shocker, they weren't.

These days, the occasional park day is ok when I'm feeling frisky, but I'd rather ride trails that aren't totally blown out or overrun with people. On top of that more and faster riding generally = more crashing. I'm at that age where I can't just ignore the injuries and keep riding anymore.

Bike parks are great for what they are, but I just don't have as much fun at them any more. Huge lift lines, everything overpriced.. just equates to more stress when all you're trying to do is have fun on your bike. Plus if I wanted to wait half the day in a line up to go up a mountain, I'd just visit any European ski resort.

Don't get me wrong, I learned to ride well because of the park. The amount of riding you get done in a day is easily 10x that what you would get just pedalling, but for the price it just doesn't balance out.

I am most certainly jaded because I spent most of the beginning of my riding life at the park, and it was cheap (because no hotels, seasons pass). I'm not saying just don't go, because it's fun as hell, but it's just not for me any more.
  • 34 1
 It's crazy that it's cheaper to fly to Europe for skiing than staying in NA given the prices they charge. The thing that struck me skiing in Jackson Hole last year was how old everyone was. I'm just not sure how many willing clients will be left for these resorts in 20 years or so.
  • 26 9
 I go to bike parks exactly zero days per year... I'm good.
  • 30 3
 We'e got such great trails to ride for free it never occurs to me I want to pay big $$ and spend time in line ups at a bike park. I don't need less exercise so the climb up is as good for my physical health as the ride down is for my mental health.
  • 13 1
 Crazy increases over recent years..best bet is to sign up for classes, get a pass, drop classes.
  • 46 48
 @gnarnaimo: i'm just glad i bought an eBike so i dont need a lift ticket anymore
  • 4 1
 @jrocksdh: Where? At Whistler a half day lesson is $140 (cdn) while a day lift ticket is $71 (cdn).
  • 16 1
 @dirtspanker: I mean, you can do the same without a motor also. To each their own!
  • 3 0
 @vp27: There are mom and pop places in the US that charge like $50 a day for a ticket. Not sure what lessons would be or if they even offer them though. I know there are some spendy resorts in Europe too.
  • 25 0
 @airdonut41
Angel Fire...not expensive, superb riding, never crowded.
  • 75 0
 Vail's strategy is to make day tickets prohibitively expensive so that you buy an Epic Pass. Once you have the Epic pass, they know that you'll go and ski/ride as many times as it takes to break-even on the cost of the pass. This ensures that warm bodies will always be in the hotels and lodges, over-paying for room and board and buying ridiculously over-priced shitty food and items from the shops.
  • 20 2
 This is why I no longer downhill ski.
  • 5 0
 @SlodownU: which I hate because I'm closest to Whistler so me buying an epic pass is me paying for a pass to so many resorts I won't ski (or ride I guess). I don't plan on making trips to the states, just weekends in Whistler thank you very much
  • 36 0
 @gnarnaimo: I'm glad my local hill (Panorama) offers an early bird seasons pass for 100 CAD, which is about 3 USD.
  • 22 2
 @SlodownU: Jokes on them, my air mattress fits in my subie with the seats folded down! That’s right ski towns, I car camp and you haven’t found me yet! (For those not from America, in the US, some resorts will fine you for sleeping in your car)
  • 16 5
 @dirtspanker: I'm considering that route. I'll keep the trail bike for sure. But instead of adding a DH bike and a park pass, a YT Decoy or the new Cannondale look to be viable options. Downvote us all you want, you're just close minded.
  • 6 0
 Buy a sled and an enduro bike. Access cooler terrain, earn your turns, and skip the lines.
  • 1 2
 @islandforlife: tell your friends to not come either
  • 8 0
 @vp27: You're 100% right to wonder how many willing clients will be left. Five year plans might look good right now in the resort boardrooms, but it seems like it won't be sustainable.

@SlodownU You're also spot on. "Ancillary spends" are what the big passes are after. Lodging and F&B. #EpicBurger
  • 5 4
 You’re hurting if you can’t afford 60$ Canadian to ride any other resort other then Whistler.@gnarnaimo:
  • 3 4
 Yawwwwnnnn@ssteve:
  • 18 0
 I was in Whistler a couple weeks ago and I was surprised how much riding I actually got done, $300 for 5 days is a bargain...the trails are so well built and cared for. Waiting in lines??? Creekside is empty and so is the Garbo lift....honestly it was a blast!! (Stop riding A-Line if you want to avoid the masses.)
  • 13 0
 $200/day to ski at Vail if you don't have a season pass. Such a rip off!!
  • 1 0
 As a Clevelander I never would have guessed that this would become an issue. I was fine with Peak Resorts management of three hills nearby because I got a good deal on a season pass from working at a ski shop. Made it super convenient to head out to the hill 3 or 4 times a week after class to make some turns. Now I'm afraid that I won't have that and this spring semester may suck. I hit 26 days skiing last spring, and about 17 of those days were at Boston Mills. I hope this spring isn't shit...
  • 14 0
 @gnarnaimo: in France, the alpe d'Huez resort where the mega takes place is charging 16€ a day for the lift. If you stay a week the daily price can drop down to 12€ a day.
Ok it's not Whistler in term of bike park but you have very nice single track top to bottom with 2600m vertical drop in total.
  • 9 0
 @schulte1400: Mad Props on the Boon-docking. I bought my Honda element for this very purpose. There are many apps to help locate local free camping spots (e.g., The Dyrt, Overlander, FreeRoam, etc.). We need one specifically for places near MTB trails, maybe an added functionality in Trail Forks - (HINT HINT Pinkbike Smile .
  • 12 1
 The trend started in Utah when Vail bought Canyons and then Park City Mountain Resort. We all complained at the time, and day passes have essentially doubled, but the mountain is more crowded than ever. I stopped skiing park completely and I barely ski now (also got a job and a family, which reduced ski time). No matter how high they raise the day price, people still go and on epic pass "blackout days" its overcrowded and downright dangerous. It really is simple economics- as demand rises, price must also rise unless you want to stuff x5 as many people on the same number of slopes as a few years ago. We all complain, but there is no other option to restrict access to a scarce resource, except increase the supply. As day prices rise, and (hopefully) profits, it will attract additional investors into the market, who lobby for more land to be purchased/leased for new ski resorts. This is what happens in other industries, and then in the long run the price decreases (look at the historic price of gasoline or timber, for instance). This is great if you love ski resorts, but not so great if you don't want all wilderness areas with mountains peppered over with lifts and cat tracks.
  • 4 0
 @Brytrl8tr: I'd disagree with that. Most the places I ditch camp (or boon-dock) are so dueced out from people that don't know how to dig a cat hole that they really can't handle any more people.
  • 15 2
 @ssteve: E bikes will soon be a cheaper option than lift tickets for those days your really want to get laps in.
  • 4 0
 I am shocked there were so many not owned by them at this point.
  • 1 0
 @gnarnaimo: Good more room for us!
  • 21 0
 @iantmcg: today I learned the term deuced out, and the ancillary , dig a cathole
  • 2 0
 @foggnm: shhhhh
  • 5 0
 Picture this:
The inscription to the Megavalanche that includes a week long free pass for all the Alpe d'Huez lifts and all trails, the race itself,food after both the qualification and the race as and even free acess to a pool costs about 120€.
Those US and Whistler prices are crazy expensive.
  • 2 0
 @BornOnTwo: This - went for the first time over the weekend, felt the same. Next time I go, staying at Creekside and doing that all day.
  • 15 0
 @hamncheez: the trend started when vail bought everything up in Colorado and ruined that place. Now theyre just spreading their bullshit to UT, and California. And the east coast.....God I f*ckin hate that company.
  • 37 0
 I live in Park City, Utah and when Vail came in they shut down the bike park at the Canyons, which had some legit trails. They now spin one lift with access to some lame XC trails and charge for that and call it good.

Make no mistake, Vail coming to your town will change life as you know it. Your friends with small businesses that rent space in town will get pushed out; restaurants that serve good food for cheap will get pushed out; your bike park will be dumbed down or shut down; your parking will be $25 a day at the resort base. They don’t care about the towns they move into or the people they displace, it’s just the bottom line for them.

On a high note, the ski industry has seen some catastrophic failures in the past when companies have grown to big. I hope that’s the case again.
  • 21 0
 Please fix the title. It should read “Vail Resorts raises prices for 17 newly acquired mountains.” After watching what happened around Tahoe, to hell with Vail Resorts.
  • 3 0
 @ssteve: out of curiosity what age are you that you can't ignore injuries?
  • 1 0
 @drlancefreeride: catastrophic failures you say? Is it rude to hope for a repeat?
  • 2 0
 @SlodownU: I was going to give a better option for food at vail and the Beav but since its not obviously known I will not give up that secret. As far as staying, yeah. Its super over priced and with airbnb renting out all available housing for locals I cant see staying over night being economical
  • 6 12
flag pinnityafairy (Jul 23, 2019 at 15:37) (Below Threshold)
 U.S.A. U.S.A. U.S.A.
  • 4 0
 @hyroller80:

Vail bought Stowe VT and the lift prices are now basically $150 at the window!! I no longer go there and go to Jay Peak, is a shame they got Mount Snow VT. Good mountain with fair prices from lifts to rooms.
  • 8 2
 Jay peak sucks!!!! no one should go there. They get no good snow and very cold. No good snow at all, go some place else!!!???????? @fedfox:
  • 4 0
 @hamncheez: Your economic analysis is spot on, except for one thing: there's no increase in supply. Tamarack is the only new major ski resort in America in the last 40 years. More and more people and nowhere to put them. Prices have to skyrocket to keep them away.

skiinghistory.org/history/ski-resorts-years-they-were-founded
  • 1 0
 @hpman83: or another match with a greater number of lifts and number of trails is Portes Du Soleil at 28euros a day.
  • 3 1
 @Lookinforit: the large companies that were gobbling up independently owned resorts failed (American Ski Company, for example). The resorts and the towns that support them benefitted from the failures, in my opinion. Just my two cents from talking with people like myself who have been through a cycle or two of the boom and bust in the industry.
  • 5 0
 AF is a great place, but it’s getting up there - $45 a day and about a 40% chance of getting rained or lightening-ed out by 1:30 pm starting in July.
  • 3 0
 @gnarnaimo: I usually head south for a whis trip every year and this year rode Squamish instead for the first time, had more fun riding those zones than destroying my forearms in the park (although it is still a good time)
  • 3 0
 @Douger-1: Bought a splitboard four years ago and never looked back, touring is worth looking into
  • 1 0
 @foggnm: agreed! A great bike park with good cheap lodging options. We live at trestle but always get down to angel fire at least once a season
  • 2 0
 @TEAM-ROBOT: spot on! I work at a ski resort that is a bit over its service capacity for parking and lifts for well over half the season. more people each decade...no new facilities
  • 2 0
 @TEAM-ROBOT: are you implying that Eagle Point isn't a major ski resort???
  • 1 0
 @islandforlife: just sometimes local trails dont have all the fun stuff of the park and unless you are a climbing machine theres no way you can do that much riding compare to a lift I did Whistler open to close 125km total over 8000m elevation. Same with mount Washington 20ish$/2hrs is well worth the price for me.
  • 4 0
 @drlancefreeride: I love the day that Vail came to town and bought Perisher here in Australia.

Finally, some bloody investment in the resort, new lift, increased on mountain accommodation etc and, best of all, the EPIC pass!

Buy my season pass here, and then I can go to Colorado and board Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breck (which I have) etc all on the one trip and not pay a cent more for lift tickets! Awesome.

Airbnb some accommodation, get groceries at the local and there's breakfast and dinner taken care of for the trip. So I'm only up for one overpriced meal a day at the resort (which isn't anywhere near as bad a rip off as we have it here).

Such a good deal.
  • 4 1
 @BaldBilly: good idea! I don‘t understand the e-bike hatred anyway. People aren‘t open minded
  • 2 0
 @Douger-1: Same. Formally of the industry, gold pass owner, etc. Now a father and a family of five and we rarely ski. None last year in part due to excessive cost, but also the total parking lot of people and traffic of Californian's who've moved to Seattle. Wink .

I'll just go mountain bike and "earn" my turns thank you. Ironically, Heli-biking in Whistler is becoming comparably cheap to lift access. Yes, different in many ways. But A-star Alpine time is special!
  • 2 0
 @drlancefreeride: This can only be good for the Snowmobile industry for winter enthusiasts and Toyota Tacoma sales for, well, summer and winter access and shuttling. Great, now they are even MORE valuable than they already were!
  • 2 1
 @SlodownU: this is why i dont buy new DH bike, i have pretty dialed V10 on retro 26", but it work 3x better then new norcos in price range under 5000USD or anything, so i will ride it for another 3 years and then propper superEnduro bike will be just fine, i do 40 Lift days in a year, but so much more on pure and loamy AM/FR trails around, so... sorry bikeparks, you starting to suck... (not CGP, Kickinhorse, Chatel, Morzine, or EVO, or offseason Whistla - those are the best ones...)
  • 1 0
 @pinnityafairy: love your irony.
  • 2 2
 Plus those bike parks destroy the mountain! I really prefer natural trails with lots of roots then those DH super highways.
  • 2 1
 @endurogan: My wife and I went on vacation out to BC this spring and she was shocked I didn't want to rent a bike and ride Whistler. I just wasn't that interested which seemed weird even to me. I'm way more interested in off mountain riding these days and am psyched to go back out there to ride and climb Squamish next year if possible. Great town. Even if I went for a day at Whistler I'd stay in Squamish.
  • 2 0
 @LexB: You should also check out the Whistler Valley trails, Pemberton and the North Shore while you're out there. Unreal riding in these spots.
  • 2 0
 @gnarnaimo: We hiked around where the Valley trails are and I was super impressed. We also stayed in Deep Cove for a couple of days and I would have loved to have ridden in the area.
  • 2 0
 @H3RESQ: So the entrance fee will be heavy on price. Or will ban E-bikes because of some bullshit reason.
Best to do is some uphill lines only.
  • 1 0
 @Leethal-1: At the momento you become wise enogh to not injure yourself over little stupid things. You'll be left only with the big hitting stooopid crashes.
  • 2 1
 @vp27: you're from Canada, possibly the cheapest place to ski in the world (not Whistler) Euros fly here for a month to ski cheaper than a week at home. Heck dirtbag Euros spend winters here because Canada is so cheap compared to their home.
  • 1 0
 @islandforlife: same.
  • 3 0
 @waxman: that isn’t true, look up some lift pass prices in Europe. Similar or cheaper prices for much, much bigger ski resorts.
  • 2 0
 The increase in lift prices was pretty inevitable. When the demand is high and the lifts are overpopulated, increasing lift prices is a form of population control. Also, Vail has not been performing THAT well financially. The costs of trail crews, maintenance and running lifts is incredibly expensive. In Whistler, they were taking subsidies from the village to keep running (as they bring people to restaurants, hotels, etc). If we want bike parks, prices were bound to go up.
  • 1 0
 @rstokes: there's more to most ski days than just a lift ticket. I'm blessed as I live in a mountain town, we have euro tour groups come in for 2 weeks to 4 months plus transients that just follow snow Point Break style. Again outside of Whistler and based on most currency values, ticket specials, ski and stay packages Canada is cheaper.
  • 115 2
 This is fantastic news for the EMTB industry well done everyone lol
  • 12 4
 Most underrated comment here. Technically, the resorts only charge for access to the chairlift, so you could just bring an ebike with extra batteries and cruise your way to the top on the access roads and ride all the trails for free.....
  • 7 7
 I wish PB had a "fire" reaction button like The Gram. This is the best, erm, most fire, comment on PB right now.
  • 1 11
flag lugan1 (Jul 23, 2019 at 10:58) (Below Threshold)
 Or HTFU and pedal uphill.
  • 7 2
 @Mereckis: those hills are huge & there are not always trails to the top. This is a dumb.
  • 20 1
 The moment you realize E-bikes have potential to lower prices of lift tickets...
  • 1 3
 @WAKIdesigns: How' that working in Europe? They must be giving away tickets by now. :p People (generally the young guns) will always want to ride park trails and downhill bikes. The only thing E-bikes in your scenario will do is push some of the growing user base away from trails that have paid maintenance onto volunteer maintained trails. The and the monied ride more while the dirt bags keep it going.
  • 7 2
 @lostlunchbox: first off there are E-bikes and e-bikes. There are crappy shtbikes/ ATBs with motors and there are high end Haibikes with components better than SWorks Enduro. Then there are complete fat Joeys riding the latter ones, and then there are rippers who switched to the dark side. The last group is small but don’t be surprised to see them on the lift. Yes.

Ebikes will only bring more clients to trail locations, including those with the lift. They will pay for hotels, lodges, restaurants, shitty beer, awful burgers with cancer fries and ride easy blue trails. What is not to like about that? Meanwhile keep it real bros can send it on big jump lines or ride “natural” trails. I personally don’t care whether I follow a Joey on enike or regular bike or what I am chased by...
  • 4 1
 @WAKIdesigns: I love french fries
  • 1 1
 @phops: the second they see too many people riding ebikes and not paying anything, they simply forbid ebikes on THEIR trails. They certainly have the right to do so.
  • 3 0
 @f00bar: most resorts in Europe rent out ebikes themselves...
  • 1 0
 @phops: Just leave the extra batteries at the vehicle, and go full turbo up, full eco or off down, change the battery and do it again. Extra points because will get some exercise uphill too.
  • 1 0
 @phops: The last vail resort I went to charged for an ebike pass ($25) and had built some new climb only trails to access the mountain. Used to be free to pedal up.
  • 69 0
 Vail Press Release:
"We are the Borg. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile."
  • 32 0
 At least the borg were up front about it.
  • 1 0
 Comment of the day right there ahaha
  • 52 1
 This is the worst possible thing for the bike and ski industries. They are single handedly killing the industry and reverting it to something that I had hoped we'd finally escaped. When it costs as much to take your family to the snow for a couple days as it does to fly to a foreign country, that's a huge problem. Veil's business model is the inverse of what it should be. They bleed you absolutely dry the first time you go up instead of keeping costs reasonable to insure repeat trips. When families can only afford to go up once a year it does not instill that love and passion for the mountain that comes with repeated trips. So that passion can not travel from one generation to the next so easily. It's unsustainable. Screw these guys.
  • 6 1
 honestly, freom everything i've seen and heard, its quite the opposite. the price dump on the season passes makes TONS more people go to places that can't really handle the crowds. ask anyone from jackson hole how the multipass has gone
  • 5 0
 I for one grew up skiing and can tell you not one of my 3 kids have ever skied. I cannot afford the small fortune required to take them even for a weekend within driving distance let alone a destination mountain. When they grow older they can decide if $600 for a 1 day lift ticket is worth it.
  • 6 6
 Bleed you dry? Do you know how CHEAP an Epic pass is compared to our Jackson Hole Grand Pass? Vail has a pretty good business model. Pump money into a resort to get money. Business 101.
  • 5 0
 I think they see how much we spend on bikes and gear and assume we must have more $ laying around. When an entry level rig is $3k, maybe we share the blame. I spent nearly that much on a left over Trek, but I won't spend a dime on a bike park. I save $ for local races and campground reservations, the rest of the time I ride for free and a little help on trail maintenance days.
  • 5 0
 @ADGproductions: Heard you guys got hammered from Vail resorts people this year cause you were put on one of the other passes? Maybe its the alterra? A basin was worthless this year, 10K a-holes every day.
  • 1 0
 @Douger-1: I hope you take them biking.
  • 2 0
 @kmg0: A-Basin dumping other pass agreements was a really good move, hopefully the epic crowds won't fill up all parking on loveland pass every weekend now.
  • 1 0
 @Kitejumping: hope not. So far love is my favorite hill outside of mine
  • 1 0
 @DDoc: All 3 of my kids have learned on a balance bike and all three were riding pedal bike with no training wheels by 3. We are heavily involved in the local bike community, kids included, and my oldest has begun moving into moto. Got him a PW80 and he rips.
  • 44 1
 Bummer. Vail’s only focus is on Winter since that is where all the $$$$ is at. If these mountains do not make any money from MTB, they will shut them down. They did this to our local bike park in Park City - RIP “Canyons bike park”.
  • 5 0
 Exactly what I afraid of
  • 36 4
 With the state of the global climate crisis, I suspect Vail has a keen eye on summer revenue.
  • 5 0
 @sngltrkmnd: We'll see what happens next year with Stevens Pass.
  • 6 0
 i got to ride canyons it's last year. it was a great park! i could not believed they closed it. if that was my local park, i would have been pissed beyond belief.
  • 1 0
 I found out Canyons was permanently done when I was getting a shuttle from Big Rack. I was hoping to do Crest to Insurgent, but that is no more ????
  • 3 0
 I thought Canyons was shut down due to the huge construction projects Vail started when they bought the resort? They moved a bunch of snowmaking lines that cut right through the bike park.
  • 8 0
 & they're killing us up here at whistler. costs an arm and a leg now to stay a night and ride for one day. normally i'd go 3-4 times in the summer, so far this year i haven't been once.
  • 5 1
 @sngltrkmnd: I have heard this from people that work at Vail resorts. Summer revenue aka bike riding has to be part of their future.
  • 4 0
 @AdustytrunkMonkey: pretty sure that trail is still there.
  • 5 0
 @AdustytrunkMonkey: You can still ride that route through Canyons, only the stunts have been sabotaged.
  • 1 0
 @crysvb: best to get a seasons pass, early bird. I used to do that when I was in Vancouver alot and also when i lived in Victoria
  • 6 0
 @bicycle019: But it won’t be. The dirty secret is that they barely break even at Whistler, so they won’t be opening bike parks at any of the other resorts.
  • 1 0
 @sngltrkmnd: They are planning on putting in boat ramps and boat lifts.
  • 3 0
 @AdustytrunkMonkey: Insurgent still rips. Hit it a few weeks ago via pedal power.
  • 2 0
 so true with vail shutting down canyons bike park
  • 1 0
 @AdustytrunkMonkey: you can still ride insurgent. Still a great lap from crest
  • 3 0
 Keystone they raised the price of the bike park season pass, and shortened the hours the lifts are running for this year vs last. Its almost always empty due to Vail Resorts terrible management, meanwhile Winter Park is cheaper for a season pass, has way better trails, and is annoyingly crowded.
  • 2 0
 @JustinVP: As well as Snoqualmie, no?
@SlodownU - I've never heard that. I am sure you don't have publicly available data for that anecdote but I just hope it's not true.

All: I have to remain hopeful that this is good news as much as a duopoly is less than ideal for the consumer. I was just at Whistler last weekend for my first trip of the season and even after 17 seasons of riding there, I continue to be impressed at the extent and creativity of the trails in the park. It just gets better and better. The Creekside expansion seems promising as well. I stayed in an affordable condo there and was able to ride in/ride out without having to pay for parking nor drive on Sea to Sky.
  • 3 0
 @SlodownU: isn't breaking even just fine? they already own the mountains through debt and have to pay interest and upkeep year around, they're losing money by not using them for anything in the summer, breaking even is a win
  • 6 0
 @crysvb: Same here. I used to make 4 to 6 trips to Whistler every summer. Since Vail took over, I go once a year. Too expensive, hotels are booked months in advance, too many people, restaurants are packed, service has gone downhill, get charged an arm & a leg for everything including parking etc. I've noticed that the demographic has changed too. It's a different crow from 8 to 10 years ago.
  • 1 2
 @crysvb: Still cheaper than Queenstown. Look on the positive side
  • 3 0
 @bicycle019: summer revenue isnt just coming from bikes & lodging.
Resorts want hikers too..on guided routes. And they're building off the bike kid friendly attractions.
Smaller ones will put in a kart track, malibu style. ( can be mega fun, depending on the karts tuning)
Family $$ seems to be the prize for resorts.
And it sure seems like thers more families with more money.
on that scale...it makes sustainable business sense
  • 3 0
 @Kitejumping: as a trestle local I can confirm that we took the torch from keystone. Keystone will always be CO OG bike park and is sad to see it be left to die a slow death. Meanwhile trestle and AF continue to grow and expand. Usa cycling nationals at trestle this week and it's bumping. Trestle has 3 lists running and more trails coming every year. In glad Alterra is getting behind bike parks.
  • 1 0
 depends on what your into. I think keystone has way bettering trails.
  • 3 0
 @Engie85: more and more get sanitized every season, ride it before its completely ruined.
  • 2 0
 @shedsidechuck: This is happening at Steamboat as we speak
  • 44 5
 What a world where a for-profit corporate can simply "buy mountains".
  • 10 1
 you think it's different in Europe? think again... corporations have been buying mountains for quite some time now
  • 21 0
 I am not sue if it is the same in the eastern US but in the western US most ski resorts just own the infrastructure and the land is leased from the Forest Service.
  • 3 0
 @iantmcg: Its like that in some parts of the East as well. For example, Stowe is on state park land.
  • 5 0
 Correct me if I'm wrong, but Vail is almost exclusively investing in the guest-services aspect of mountain resorts, rather than any real capital investments. But yea, it's crazy there is an income disparity such that a single entity can do anything close to that.
  • 20 4
 Yeah, no kidding. Next thing you know people, businesses and for-profit corporations will be buying valleys, property near oceans rivers and lakes, or even flat land and putting things like houses, farms and businesses on them. What has the world come to?
  • 2 0
 They got the idea from McDonald's probably. One of the world's leading real estate holdings companies...
  • 3 0
 @n3sta: yes. They don't own the land. Just have the entitlements to use it.
  • 3 0
 @Tamasz The headline is misleading slang. It should say "buys resorts", since few resorts actually own the mountains they are on.
  • 1 0
 I saw that movie too. @makripper:
  • 1 0
 @LOSTMAYHEM: what movie
  • 1 0
 @iantmcg:
Really it's generally the same as west but generally things on the east are divided up much more locally so different local bodies end up leasing to different resorts.

If one is on private land it's doubtful it's on land that wasn't privately owned long before it was a resort or that it's on a hill or mountain of much significance to those in it's area.
  • 4 0
 @MtbSince84: fair point, thanks for clarifying!
  • 36 0
 "Vail Resorts has a proven track record of celebrating the unique identity of its resorts"...their proven track record is literally the opposite.
  • 11 0
 If the resorts "identity" does not translate to dollars, they'll kill it. They effectively did that up in VT.
  • 7 0
 HAHAHA, so true. Any business not affiliated with Vail resorts is booted from the resort and replaced with your run of the mill chain.
  • 29 0
 Vail does not own a bike park in Park City. Vail purchased Canyons and shortly after dismantled their bike park operation. I really miss that place!
  • 11 0
 Was going to add that Park City is NOT a bike park. Thank you Vail for killing it.
  • 15 0
 If you want Vail to Fail stop skiing/biking/spending money at at their resorts. All it would take is a 1 year don't go to Vail resorts protest and they will crumble. The people have the power, they just choose to keep spending there.
  • 1 0
 On point mate.here,have an upvote.
  • 1 1
 They do a great job for winter, they just suck for summer activities.
  • 1 0
 Yes, vote with your dollar!
  • 1 1
 That's such a naive suggestion. Never going to happen. Majority of people doesn't give enough of a $h#t otherwise things like intensive animal farming, fast fashion palaces, etc. would be out of business but all these markets are still growing. This is not #whataboutism I'm just giving examples.
The people who care are always in the 1-5% range and have a very hard time changing the 95-99%
  • 1 0
 @colincolin: You're wrong. The people that care are in the 95-99% range, they just don't have the funds the 1-5% do. Yes, the rich people will keep things going because of their money but if you are in the 95-99% you can have a clearer conscience by not supporting big companies and spending your money somewhere else and letting people know when/if they ask you how you feel about large conglomerates taking over shit. I think the ski ind is in for a big surprise coming up soon by charging so much for day lift passes. Millennials aren't spending the money they have at ski areas and the old rich people are dying off, like the baby boomers so the ski areas won't have anyone to use "their" mtns anymore and have to restructure their biz model to attract day skiers.
  • 2 0
 @lightsgetdimmer: I'm hoping we're going to see that!
#makeliftpassesaffordableagain
  • 16 1
 Damn man, if y'all haven't ridden Attitash yet I highly recommend you do it now before it gets gravity logic'd. Nate runs a great operation over there and has hustled to make the bike park a treat.
  • 5 0
 Going there next week!
  • 6 0
 Some of the best hand cut DH trails I've ever ridden!
  • 17 1
 Awesome more places that will soon be too expensive to ride on the regular!
  • 16 1
 If Keystone is indicative of things to come, look for high lift prices, horribly-maintained trails, and jumps and features built by the incompetent.
  • 1 0
 Money is still a bit wierd and one jump seems impossible but it's a huge improvement on what it was. Holy roller I thought was pretty good except the speed is wrong for the last of the largest jumps and you have to pedal hard for the bridge. The new bit at the bottom of paid in full works okay and the wooden berm stuff near the lift seemed a good solution to stopping that area getting blown out. Holy diver seems a waste of resources for some berms and 4 or 5 jumps. Despite needing better maintenance and some tweaks, I think they have improved Keystone a lot in the last couple of years. Obviously they could do so much more with the place.
  • 4 0
 @catweasel: Good summation, and I was a little harsh, but I expect so much more. The jumps at Keystone have been oddly-spaced for a decade now. They have the terrain to build something truly exceptional and worth the drive up i70. What's the holdup?
  • 2 0
 @spankthewan: yeah agree with you, I think the problems are:
They did so little for so long that all the existing trails needed a lot of love and that blew all the budget. They have actually done significant work in the last couple of years to Girl Scout, Mosquito Coast, Milky Way, High Speed Dirt, Paid In Full, Cowboy Up plus totally rebuilding Money (which was a death trap) and building Holy Roller.
Building new trails probably requires National Forest approval and a 3 year planning process like Trestle went through for their expansion. They really need a new way down the last section of the mountain, something flowy that's fun when you are tired.
So much room for improvement, they really do have a good mountain but I think it's a catch 22. Not enough people go, so Vail don't see a return on the investment but it needs investment for improvement to raise the numbers.
Maybe climate change will force their hands, here's hoping!
  • 2 0
 @catweasel: Keystone had forest service approval years ago, and never built the planned trails. Copper also has a really awesome summer bike park master plan approved.... still waiting.
  • 2 0
 @Kitejumping: no excuses then, lame!
  • 13 0
 Vail has no clue how to operate a bike park! They could also give 2 shits about the trails on there own mountain so what do you think is going to happen to the trails and bike parks they just acquired? On Vail mountain proper there is potential for "world class" trails to be created. Will Vail do it? Hell no is the answer. They don't want grungy MTB's riding around their fake European villages and scaring all the old dust farting tourists away. I will say the MTB trails on Vail mountain suck so bad and have no logical flow or layout. They are horribly maintained and full of brake bumps from idiot tourists who sit down while they rider their brakes and destroy the trail. Vail could have an insane MTB park if they wanted too, however they just figure all the locals will go to Keystone--45mins away..And even Keystone has gone to the shitter in the last few years. the problem is Vail just doesn't want to create a MTB scene outside of what it has already acquired ( and have begun to ruin) ask the locals at Whistler what they think about it. If anything they are trying to suppress MTB and replace with rope courses and zip lines and other "family friendly" activities. Vail Resorts...YOU SUCK!!!!!!!!!!
  • 2 0
 Yeah, the trails on Vail are friggin garbage. I only ride parks in the High Country if I'm an employee's guest, otherwise I'll stay in the backcountry. I don't want trails with illogically placed and shaped turns, waterbars, and bumps. We'd all be better off if our parks tried to emulate natural trails instead of half assing park trails.
  • 12 0
 Vail single-handedly set back the Mountain bike progression here in Utah. You SUCK Vail!

Another non-mountain-bike-related loss for the Utah ski industry; Snowbasin (not owned by vail) has made some sort of deal with Vail, in which users who have an EPIC pass can go 8 times to Snowbasin, yet individuals who purchase a Snowbasin pass, do not reap any benefit from Vail. This is a great example of the horrifying nature of Vail, they are selfish and I f*ckING hate them. f*ck YOU VAIL!!!!!
  • 1 0
 They like to make money, probably part of the reason why the freeride "unlimited" Vail / Keystone bike park pass is useless at Whistler.
  • 13 0
 jokes on you america. here in england.. if you don't have any mountains, nobody can own them! ha! oh..
  • 12 0
 Welcome to skiing/snowboarding/mountain biking McDonalds, can I place your order?
  • 1 1
 Down at McDonnellzzzz with Ronnell McDonnell.
  • 7 0
 They destroy the local resort town economies when they do this. Saw it firsthand in Park City. They cancel all ongoing contracts with the local small bushiness that do things like catering and putting on concerts. They then bring in their own people. So that money gets sucked up to corporate instead of staying in the community. And with that, the resort loses it's soul- it's never the same.
  • 10 2
 Omg, how is it possible the goverment let them do this? Will Vail be owning all of the mountains in US and CA by few next years?
  • 10 0
 The federal government could still step in under antitrust law, but they won't. There's a line of cases related to ski area mergers that carve up the markets for each mountain in somewhat counter intuitive ways. Take a look at this Justice Department release from 1997 when Vail acquired Ralston Resorts in Colorado: www.justice.gov/archive/atr/public/press_releases/1997/1021.htm

One of the market segments at issue in that dispute (though not discussed by that link) was defined as "skiers who travel from far away to ski mountains in Colorado." My guess is that a similar market segment could be at issue here due to these mountains all being located close to major metro areas; Vail Resorts has a rather big chunk of mountains that attract the "weekend ski trip" crowd now.
  • 18 2
 market regulation = communism, haven't you heard?
  • 6 1
 Haha, this is the US we're talking about.
  • 3 6
 There are an incredible number of resorts that Vail doesn't own. I, for one, am thankful the government can't step in...
  • 1 0
 @WhatToBuy: Yea it seems like they own alot (34) but like you said there hundreds of ski areas in the US. Vail by no means has any kind of monopoly on the industry yet.
  • 3 0
 @bok-CZ If you're saying "Omg, how is it possible the government [did this]" about this, man please don't turn on the news!
  • 6 2
 @f00bar: communism is when the government does stuff
  • 2 1
 @sino428: I found that in the 17/18 season there were 472 ski areas in the US. Vail is definitely light years away from being a monopoly!

www.statista.com/statistics/206534/number-of-ski-resorts-operating-in-the-us-since-1990
  • 2 0
 There is some market regulation. As the link provided by @nitur shows, Vail couldn't buy the Basin. To this day, that decision has major effects on Summit County. It's doubtful that this is going to lead to a monopoly on the East Coast, though. It's an M&A race over there, but there are multiple players and a lot is still up for grabs.
  • 2 0
 @under hawk: good info there. It seems like in that case the government looked at it on a more micro market based scale, seeing the front range as its own market.
  • 9 0
 Sweet, more mega corporations to swallow up everything that used to signify independence
  • 6 0
 AT skis and all mountain bikes. Earn your turns. I understand bike parks and ski resorts allow you to dial your skills quickly, but resorts are also sort of a carnival ride designed to separate you from your money. There are other options.
  • 5 0
 I never knew there was so much hate for bike parks, I guess I didn't realize how good we in the southeast US have it when it comes to parks. With 3 descent ones within 2 hours and Snowshoe and Windrock within 5 hours. Oh and my $190 snowshoe season pass covers 3 days at windrock and one of the other bike parks close to my house too. Sure nothing down here is like the big resorts way up north but as far as the summer side of it there is more than enough to keep you busy.
  • 3 2
 Things the Pinkbike news story community hates:
Parks
Gravity logic
Ebikes

Not necessarily representative of the biking community as a whole.
  • 1 2
 @InGoodFaith: Gravity Logic? Can you explain where you have got that from please?
  • 3 2
 @InGoodFaith: amen to gravity logic. they should be out there designing roads and highways because thats what their trails are like
  • 4 0
 Vail Hates Mountain Bikes!!! VAIL HAS REDUCED MOUNTAIN BIKING HOURS THIS YEAR!!!!! VAIL HAS ALSO FOUND SOME COST SAVINGS BY NOT HAVE BIKE PATROL OR ON MOUNTAIN MEDICS, SO YOU'LL PROBABLY GET HELP SOME INJURED PEOPLE WHILE RIDING IN VAIL, I'VE HAD TO HELP TWO PEOPLE THIS YEAR!!!! FUCK VAIL!!!!!
  • 9 0
 boooooo
  • 5 1
 This doesn't help mountain bikers at all as Vail only has buy a season pass here get a free day there. The Whistler season pass is $700 and Vail doesn't have a mountain bike season pass that is shared across multiple resorts!
  • 7 1
 #FAILRESORTS
  • 5 0
 Vail is killing the ski industry and I can only hope they die a miserable death in my lifetime. Of course those responsible for the eventual bankruptcy won’t be held accountable
  • 2 0
 The backcountry is trying to save it. Let's help it.
  • 5 2
 I hate Vail resorts. I am all about capitalism (read: work hard and smart, get rich.) However, their blatant greed and disregard for customer experience is overwhelmingly disappointing. The ski day pass at Keystone has increased by 200% in 17 years. It used to be $35 a day, and now it's over $100. You can't tell me that they've added 200% more lift capacity or runs. The bike pass tickets have increased by nearly 100%, but they've done very few new trails and they haven't done any rider appreciation closing day giveaways in many years. Very disappointing.

But I digress, as I love riding there so much. I'll just grab my ankles and take it like a man...
  • 4 3
 You can’t be ‘all about capitalism’ and then complain about any of this. What Vail is doing is capitalism in its most pure form. They are using their capital to buy up mountains, and then leveraging that to make the most money they can by raising prices and expanding the reach of their epic pass. They aren’t simply raising prices out of thin air, they know exactly what they are doing. They know exactly how much they can raise prices and still keep people coming. They know the exact price where supply and demand meet to produce the max profits. You may not like what they are doing to these resorts, but please save the ‘I’m all about capitalism’ bullshit. You are only about capitalism when it benefits you and probably complain about everything else.
  • 2 0
 @sino428: Not quite, but good try. They don't know the "exact price where supply meets demand." They are simply buying out their competition. When there's less competition in any market, price gouging becomes rampant. I'm not about capitalism only when it benefits me. What I am about is companies who bring value and good customer service to the table with their increased pricing. Cost increase + the same/worse customer experience = decreased value.
  • 3 0
 If you want Vail to Fail stop skiing/biking/spending money at at their resorts. All it would take is a 1 year don't go to Vail resorts protest and they will crumble. The people have the power, they just choose to keep spending there.
  • 3 0
 The inclusion of busted ass Jack Frost and Big Boulder on this list cracks me up. Oh well, at least they didn't gobble up either of the two mountains that are sort of worth skiing in PA and the one worthwhile bike park. Shame about Hunter and Mount Snow though.
  • 1 0
 Big boulder is very small but has one of the best terrain parks on the east coast.
  • 6 0
 Vail ruined Whistler for all the locals
  • 4 0
 Ride at Attitash and Mount Snow while you! Actually, don’t. They both only have a few trails. Not sure why either place bothers with bikes tbh.
  • 5 0
 Snow is basically one big trail, with a few off shoots - too paved and it keeps getting worse (catering to the beginner, XC/family crowd) Attitash, still is rough and natural - has quite a few trails and has two mountains to go between. I hope they don't pave it over like they do everywhere else. Most bike parks are jump trails/ slope style or enduro. Very little true DH. Tough to justify buying a DH bike these days.
  • 3 1
 @neimbc: weekend before last I did a half day at Attitash and the second half of the day at Bretton Woods. One of them was much easier to deal with, the other took 3 employees to get us to the bike shop to get our "free" lift passes (mtbparks pass). Both were reminiscent of Sunday River, tight with a lot of roots and rocks, best trail of the day was probably OG at Bretton Woods. Either park would've been fine on my trail bike, but I had the DH bike for the next day at Killington.

If I'm to go back up that way, I wouldn't bother with Attitash again.
  • 4 0
 they really need to put Peaks in quotations followed by a question mark...as in Paoli "Peaks"?
  • 3 0
 and now I'm pissed b/c they'll likely take away the college ID latenight sessions that were only $20, AKA the only time it was worth it to go.
  • 5 0
 I get angry just looking at how long the lines are at Whistler!YUCK!
  • 1 0
 Iam glad I've left right before Vail came there
  • 7 1
 That's why no one goes there anymore.
  • 4 1
 @aquanut: so, there are no lines then?
  • 1 0
 @aquanut: lines are long at every ski resort... well actually some of the mom and pop ones aren't too bad around here but that assumes they get enough low elevation snow to open.
  • 3 0
 @f00bar: Yep - It's too popular now so everyone stays away.
  • 2 0
 @f00bar: Whistler had some of the longest lines I have ever seen at the start of this season. It was insane.
  • 3 0
 Sun Peaks ftw!
  • 1 0
 @BalfaGuy:

"start of this season" is the key word, right? I mean start of any season - be it biking or skiing, is crowded as hell pretty much everywhere. How are the lines usually in September?
  • 9 0
 @f00bar: lol... yep. People are dumb, they go skiing in early November on a 15" base so they can post pictures on social media of them being first, meanwhile the bike trails are still in decentish shape. Then along comes March they throw their skis in storage and go ride muddy bike trails while the mountain is still getting fresh snow.
  • 1 0
 @f00bar: Agreed, but this season start was the worst I have seen in 8 years of riding there. Even a couple weeks after the opening weekend, it was still lines longer than I have ever seen and almost all the way until dark which isn't common. Labour day has generally been packed full, but we will see this year. Hopefully everyone blows their load early and stays home! Wink
  • 1 0
 @BalfaGuy: hopefully the lines get way worse up there so the people in charge of managing Vail resorts in the US finally invest in their bike parks.
  • 5 0
 Vail needs to chill. This is not okay
  • 1 0
 Just fly to Italy, have a walk in the plaza of any small town, talk with locals, enjoy our best uplift for free if you are smart enough

proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fipocars.com%2Fimgs%2Fa%2Fd%2Fq%2Fs%2Fc%2Fpiaggio__ape_50_europe_box_new_vat_now_ready_to_pick_up_2010_3_lgw.jpg&f=1
  • 4 0
 This site is super depressing now. Moped reviews and news about ski resort monopolies.
  • 2 0
 Vail Sucks. The IKON’T pass alliance from other resorts who are competing with the gapic pass hasn’t been a great thing either.
  • 5 1
 even more people able to ski whistler for less than the locals?
  • 3 0
 Come to Big White, you could get accommodation and a 2 day pass for less than 2 days skiing at Whistler!
  • 1 0
 @Blackers: if you like skiing in fog.
  • 2 0
 One day in a post artificial scarcity world this won’t happen. Until then those ho have more money will exercise total leverage if it.
  • 2 0
 Crotched pass was $530 now it’s $699. Thanks Vail. I know I get to go to Whistler and Tahoe but I just blew all my money on a MTB.
  • 2 2
 Rumor they are trying to shut down Steven's pass summer mountain biking. No presales tickets and no trail maintenance before opening day.Not sure how true that is, but fuck Steven's anyway. I hope when snoqualmie pass open they decimate Stevens.
  • 1 0
 What?! Edit: Also, excuse me/you, you're not even remotely in the area.
  • 2 2
 @mtbikeaddict: please dude, I go to Steven's at least twice a month. I dont put what city I live in because I dont feel like it. This years trail maintenance sucks, brake bumps still there and slingshot wookie is rough Af....so. tell me where I live again.
  • 2 1
 @Biocoug1: I get the privacy concern, but it's not my fault that you get ticked when you say you live across the country and someone calls you out lol. And could it improve? Sure, but at least we've got something. Braking bumps... Cry me a river. Asking for what little we have to be taken away is stupid shooting ourself in the foot. If you are in the area you'd hopefully know how hard it can be to get in the first place... Don't go giving handing them a reason to take it down, heaven knows people jump in on that easily enough without reason already.
  • 2 0
 @mtbikeaddict: when you pay 46 bucks for a lift ticket, and I get it's not Whistler but at least opening day could be smooth. Stevens has been the only one in the game for too long. They know this and they continue to ignore their trail network. Snoqualmie opening will be a game changer especially if Evergreen is building the trails. Besides, I read a rumor that Vail bought them out and will be shutting down summer operations. Just what I heard. Let's just hope the Summit kicks ass and we get a great trail network at Snoqualmie. Hand me a shovel, I'm all over digging
  • 1 0
 @Biocoug1: Sounds like we're closer to agreeing. It could be improved and a bit less expensive, but for what it is - smaller newer DH park, I think it's good. And it's easily half the distance and time from Snoqualmie... Straight shot down 2 vs the worst traffic in the nation south. I'm all for more trails. Meaning keep and hopefully improve Stevens, and add Snoqualmie. There's no way I could make Snoq. as frequently. I know Vail bought Stevens, but I've heard nothing about a shutdown or anything of the kind. Very confused
  • 1 0
 @mtbikeaddict: I read last night on Facebook, dont know how much truth to it. Snoqualmie is closer to me, but only by 15 minutes to 20 minutes. I live in Eastern Washington anyway. I have to drive no matter where I go. I'd love to see both parks thrive and think they could both do well. However Steven's has to add some more trails and clean up what they have. I've heard a lot of people got hurt this year already. Lots of people complaining about bad trail maintenance.
  • 1 0
 @Biocoug1: Ah. Makes more sense. I'm in Western directly west of Stevens. Yikes. Doesn't sound ideal...
But I do think/hope both will do well.
  • 2 0
 For the moment Big Bear season passes aren't too expensive. You can also get tix for $33 from REI if you live in the LA area.
  • 2 0
 @fudgedredd
$33 bike park ticket?? what is required? rei membership? I had no idea!
  • 1 0
 @stikmanglaspell: Yes, REI membership is required.
  • 3 0
 WBP is so fun, but the best trails ive ridden in BC are not in the bike park.
  • 1 0
 They're not even in Whistler
  • 4 0
 WORST NEWS OF THE DAY - to hell with monopolies and eat the rich.
  • 1 1
 This is awesome news! We can beg and plead with government agencies all we want but in the end, especially as the sport grows, bike parks will be the only place to let loose and not worry about skidding and erosion, running into hikers, or features getting removed because of liability. So far Vail had done an amazing job with it's parks, putting more under it's control is a win for mountain bikers.
  • 1 0
 Weren’t they suppose to drop the cost of whistler passes?
I heard that but never saw that but not sure if those rumors were true or not?
  • 2 0
 Whistler is owned by vail and it’s the best. But it didn’t become that way under Vail. Vuck fail
  • 2 0
 They also just bought Boston Mills & Brandywine, Alpine Valley, and Mad River Mountain in Ohio.
  • 3 0
 You're like an echo of the article.
  • 1 0
 @whitebirdfeathers: thanks! don't you have anything better to do?
  • 3 0
 Wildcat?? Noooooooooooooo
  • 4 0
 Dear Vail - f00k yOU
  • 3 0
 At least I still have Cannon Mtn, run by the State of NH.
  • 3 0
 My home mountain as well. Hope it never changes. Besides....its too icy and cold Wink
  • 3 0
 BULL MOUNTAIN! DONT GO CHANGING!!
  • 2 0
 Looks like they bought Perisher Mtn in Australia and own the domain snow.com - not good. Sorry world.
  • 1 0
 Vail have had Perisher/Blue Cow/Guthega/Smiggin Holes for about 4 or 5 years now. Sent prices through the roof and removed quite a few peices of expert terrain to make it more beginner friendly.

Thredbo is the only place to go for NSW/ACT skiers.

Even Falls Creek and Hotham are under lease by Vail, which sucks ass
  • 1 0
 Mount Snow's "Yard Sale" section was tagged one of the most difficult and dangerous sections on the old NORBA circuit back in the late 90's yearly 00's.
  • 1 0
 theyll find a way to put a fence around it and station a guard to watch it 24/7 so no one can go too fast or hurt themselves
  • 1 0
 Windrock and Angel Fire forever Add lake leatherwood to the list of reasonable parks, as long as you're okay with the short tracks
  • 2 0
 Would have been nice if Vail resorts took just 1% of that purchase and spent it on improving their existing bike park.
  • 2 0
 Maybe they'll sell CB now because nobody including Vail or the locals wanted them to purchase it.
  • 3 0
 No. Just no...
  • 4 2
 where do i apply for a job !?
  • 2 1
 ^ I like the way you think! That's a positive.
  • 6 0
 Employees needed to close some mtb parks and increase ticket prices of others by 350%.
  • 2 1
 If this makes more mountain bikers move south away from those resorts, then I hate it.
  • 2 0
 FFFFFhew. Glad they didn't get any of the parks I ride.
  • 3 0
 this is cray all day.
  • 3 0
 sad day
  • 2 0
 Heading to Silver Star this weekend. So stoked!
  • 1 0
 I really hope they dump some money into Mount Snow. That place used to be awesome.
  • 7 0
 they wont.. they'll end up taking away everything that made the mountain awesome.. just look at Stowe
  • 1 0
 I believe Mount Snow has always had Forestry Service restrictions on when they can allow summit access as well as restrictions on where they can cut trails. Nesting Birds or some such thing. It has always limited their ability to truly develop the space for mountainbiking.
  • 3 0
 @LexB: They're more interested in the first timer/XC and family crowd - Sunday River just closed because they couldn't attract that crowd. Sad. Problem is DH guys don't rent. We have our own stuff - that's where there money is fr them. Not a measly lift ticket from us. We give them no incentive to make bona fiide DH trails for the experienced DH rider.
  • 2 0
 @neimbc: I agree but look at Highland and Thunder Mountain. They're both independently owned and have had success catering to all types of riders (although I think Thunder has a better overall mix). I stopped doing downhill around the time I got married and had kids, and have mostly just stuck to local trail riding. Out of the blue one day a couple of years ago my wife tells me we're going to Thunder for an event she wanted to attend. She had never done downhill and had a blast with her group while I rocked the trails she wouldn't have wanted to ride at the time. A great balance can be created. With my riding level these days I even had a great time riding the easier trails as fast as possible.

Sunday River had always been on the edge of failure when it comes to mountain biking because it's too damn far away. I can get to Thunder in an hour and a quarter and Highland in less than two and half hours. That's day trip distance. Thunder is easily accessed by a huge population of people from NY, CT, MA, RI, etc. A lot of places want to charge a high price and because of distance you can't go without a huge bill for food, lodging, etc. Day tripping distance is a recipe for success.
  • 3 0
 This can't be good.
  • 2 0
 Mt Bachelor STAY AWAY FROM VAIL!!!!!!!
  • 1 2
 Would it really be any different than Powdr Corp? They suck so much money out of Bachelor for other places. Not to mention on powder days at Bachelor it would literally be impossible for more people to get up Century Drive. I think too Bachelor has the most expensive season pass in the nation.
  • 3 1
 @iantmcg: Any mtn on powder day is bad. Bachelor is deff not the most expensive. Might want to check some of those Vail resort prices. In fact just check Squaw Valley. Now let’s compare mtn bike park prices. My bike park season pass At Bachelor was $189 and they give a vet discount. VAIL DOES NOT GIVE VETERANS DISCOUNTS!!!!! I have the email to prove it.
  • 1 0
 i said season pass and I was talking winter. Think it is 1100 now. Though I saw for 100 a month you can get winter pass and bike park along with float trips on the deschutes. I know some pro patrol people there and no one speaks highly of powdr. But maybe vail is worse. On powder days I usually just dawn patrol it and make a few cone laps to miss traffic... though tons of people do that. Anyway man didn’t mean to set you off or anything, I just don’t really care a ton for powdr
  • 2 0
 @iantmcg: No worries im all good lol. As far as working for Powdr or Vail I can’t speak on either as I have never worked for either company. My wife being from Whistler before the Olympics were in Vancouver when Whistler was the good ol days and myself who used to go to Northstar in Tahoe for my bike park laps both of us have watched Vail take over those resorts and completely change them and I would not say for the better. Is bachelor the best? Probably not. I don’t understand how they do not give a locals discount but also their season price for the winter last year when I checked was only $999 and this year they said they are selling at the same price as last year so they are still under $1000.
  • 1 0
 So does this mean my lame ski resort in Ohio is going to have a bike park!? All my wildest dreams are coming true!
  • 1 0
 nope it does not.
  • 2 0
 @laxguy: Yeah I woulda deleted this post if I could have. In my very excited haste I posted before reading the comments, and after reading I quickly found it out it seemed less likely to happen lol
  • 2 0
 #bailonvail #letbobbyboard
  • 1 0
 Ironic that many of the crybabies here, all ride around on $7000 carbon fiber gnar bikes.....
  • 3 2
 Does this mean bike parks coming to all ski resorts?
  • 14 0
 nope
  • 52 1
 It means ski resort prices coming to mountain bike parks
  • 5 0
 @Fouad: and organ transplant prices coming to ski resorts
  • 4 0
 Vail is not totally anti-bike park, they're just a very solid meh on bike parks. If it's profitable, they'll keep it open, but as soon as it loses money it's gone.
  • 5 0
 @PAmtbiker: its not profitable because it is poorly managed. If they invested millions to make a copy of Whistler bike park at Vail or Keystone in a few years they could probably charge 500 for a season pass and 100 for a lift ticket, which in the long term would make them less dependent on winter. Denver is full of wealthy mountain bikers on Yetis and the non directional trails in the front range are already way overcrowded.
  • 1 0
 @PAmtbiker: Vail resorts killed off a Dual-Slalom series after 5 years at a southeastern michigan resort (Mt. Brighton) because they said it wasn't making money. Gee, I wonder why? They scheduled the series for Wednesday, practice at 4:30-5:30, and races at 6pm - and cut it from a 12 week series to only 6 weeks.....what working adult can blow off early mid-week, and fight rush hour traffic to hit that race time? Not many - for attendance dropped year after year. I raced all 5 years, and loved every minute, but Vail Resorts had no interest in actually placing this event in a time slot where it could actually succeed and make enough money to float. Asked why they wouldn't move the date? Vail Resorts said it would interfere with the golfers (the DS races were not held on a slope where any golf occured, btw), who have leagues on the weekends....c'est la vive!
  • 2 2
 Any one remember when Vail almost bought Whistler? Yeah... that was a real thing.
  • 1 1
 Be nice if they bought Hemlock/Sasquatch resort in BC and turned it into a bike park as well.
  • 1 0
 I guess this makes me happy I ride free places.
  • 2 0
 wowwwwwwwwwwwwww
  • 3 5
 All the bitching on here on prices. Who cares what happens in Merica! If you live in BC or Alberta and don’t have about 60$ Canadian to Ride somewhere other then “Whistler” you’re hurting.
  • 2 1
 Works for me if Hidden Valley ends up with bike trails!
  • 1 0
 hopefully it means more dh ski bike action !
  • 2 0
 Nooo not wildcat
  • 1 0
 All I know is that I have to hit Crotched Mountains at some point.
  • 2 1
 #VailFail







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