Replying to A serious discussion about resort crowding
Gonna leave it pretty open, but apart from spring pow days 2 years ago when Snowbird was the only mountain open in May or June and it dumped a huge storm, this weekend was undoubtedly the worst lines that I have ever seen. I will always be a resort skier at Snowbird, but damn.
I know the mountains will always be attractive, and everyone deserves to ski, but waiting 30-45 min at a time is not my idea of a good time, nor anyone's. It's clear that the Epic and Ikon passes have made accessing world class resorts far easier, but damn if the crowds are almost unacceptable.
My solution:
A reservation system only for Ikon and Epic pass users. I buy a season's pass to one mountain, and I do feel somewhat entitled to not have to deal with hoardes of ikon pass users from out of state every single pow day. Limit the total number of ikon pass users that can book a single day. They only get 5 days a season, make it so that we don't get a day like this past Saturday where every single one of them was at one resort. Open to suggestions, but yes, as a local, I'm getting a bit fed up. My idea here will probably never happen because lone resorts sold out the minute they got on ikon and Epic passes. I remember hearing that Jackson got 52 dollars per day one year per ikon pass day used. Then you have food, lodging, the whole 9 yards. That's a lot of money, and it sure fucked the resort line, but that's a lot of money.
TLDR: Jaded local who is not alone rants about overcrowding at resorts, and the ikon pass causing it while feeling powerless to do anything.
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