Member of the Month

theabortionator
April, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

How do people get caught using someone else's pass?

profile picture
ToddlerBodyBag
Posts: 283 - Karma: 2,093
I don't get why using a friend's pass isn't completely foolproof. There are thousands of different skiers on the mountain every day, each one essentially identical. Yet I've heard dozens of stories from friends of people getting caught by the resort Gestapo.
Asking for a friend.
4 years ago
25 1
profile picture
CLQ
Posts: 2709 - Karma: 11,271
2 seasons ago I was wearing my dads jacket (with his pass inside without me realizing) and also had my pass in the jacket. I was wearing a mask, goggles, helmet, etc. Must have been the age popping up because they asked to see my pass.
4 years ago
13 0
profile picture
SlitherySnake
Posts: 1168 - Karma: 8,622
yeah the little scanner thing they have shows a pic of your face, your age, and the ones at my resort say your height too
4 years ago
20 0
profile picture
lil.Boye
Posts: 2784 - Karma: 12,649
A friend of mine got caught with a friends pass. Don’t know how they knew it wasn’t him. He had to pay for the season pass for him to keep it.
4 years ago
11 0
profile picture
eheath
Posts: 61936 - Karma: 126,480
Resort employees get compensated for finding people stealing services, ie using someone else's pass. Its probably a lot easier this year since everyone is wearing a mask, but in a normal year they'll call you out and make you take your hat and shit off to verify.
4 years ago
23 0
profile picture
SavageBiff
Posts: 3483 - Karma: 14,759
I’ve never been requested to do this at any mountain, I grew up using friends brothers pass, my daughters use my wife’s if she not skiing ,I’ve had ikon since the beginning but before that I was buying and borrowing
eheathResort employees get compensated for finding people stealing services, ie using someone else's pass. Its probably a lot easier this year since everyone is wearing a mask, but in a normal year they'll call you out and make you take your hat and shit off to verify.
4 years ago
10 0
profile picture
eheath
Posts: 61936 - Karma: 126,480
SavageBiffI’ve never been requested to do this at any mountain, I grew up using friends brothers pass, my daughters use my wife’s if she not skiing ,I’ve had ikon since the beginning but before that I was buying and borrowing


I mean its a small picture and a couple of small details, I wasn't saying you'll get caught, tons of people don't get caught.
4 years ago
9 0
profile picture
anders_a
Posts: 1680 - Karma: 5,604
our local resort has a new system this year, each gate has a camera builtin, so can both check your height, but also tons of other stuff, no idea how much is implemented.
4 years ago
3 1
profile picture
50Kal
Posts: 2836 - Karma: 5,541
I remember one season Aspen started the season with the a $50 dollar bounty per person caught, untaxed. Never seen so many motivated ticket checkers.
eheathResort employees get compensated for finding people stealing services, ie using someone else's pass. Its probably a lot easier this year since everyone is wearing a mask, but in a normal year they'll call you out and make you take your hat and shit off to verify.
4 years ago
9 0
profile picture
NateDude
Posts: 186 - Karma: 1,287
Not only is the picture on my pass totally unrecognizable because the pass printer at Shreadows sucks, but literally nobody has ever tried to check my face vs what my pass looks like. Also if you get caught during covid you're just fucking stupid because who in their right mind is gonna ask you to pull your mask down??
4 years ago
7 1
profile picture
SavageBiff
Posts: 3483 - Karma: 14,759
That’s when I pull my pants down and show the real meaning behind the “ikon ass “
NateDudeNot only is the picture on my pass totally unrecognizable because the pass printer at Shreadows sucks, but literally nobody has ever tried to check my face vs what my pass looks like. Also if you get caught during covid you're just fucking stupid because who in their right mind is gonna ask you to pull your mask down??
4 years ago
16 1
profile picture
ColoradoDogfart
Posts: 2479 - Karma: 30,043
as long as your not being dumb I feel like its pretty easy to get away with. For example, don't use somebody's pass that is 20 years older than you, or that is 6 inches taller than you, or has a distinct feature on their face
4 years ago
7 0
profile picture
watto
Posts: 40 - Karma: 279
as a ticket scanner at park city I can confirm that if we catch someone using a friends pass we can take it away and get cash rewards for it but I've never personally done it cuz homies gotta ride and I'm not stopping them not everyone can afford passes or lift tickets if yall are ever in park city as long as I work you goin up
4 years ago
50 0
profile picture
ColoradoDogfart
Posts: 2479 - Karma: 30,043
wattoas a ticket scanner at park city I can confirm that if we catch someone using a friends pass we can take it away and get cash rewards for it but I've never personally done it cuz homies gotta ride and I'm not stopping them not everyone can afford passes or lift tickets if yall are ever in park city as long as I work you goin up


you the man, make this dude member of the year @eheath
4 years ago
23 0
profile picture
watto
Posts: 40 - Karma: 279
👑
ColoradoDogfartyou the man, make this dude member of the year @eheath
4 years ago
10 0
profile picture
SlitherySnake
Posts: 1168 - Karma: 8,622
wattoas a ticket scanner at park city I can confirm that if we catch someone using a friends pass we can take it away and get cash rewards for it but I've never personally done it cuz homies gotta ride and I'm not stopping them not everyone can afford passes or lift tickets if yall are ever in park city as long as I work you goin up


hell yeah we need more lifties like you
4 years ago
8 0
profile picture
ToddlerBodyBag
Posts: 283 - Karma: 2,093
ColoradoDogfartas long as your not being dumb I feel like its pretty easy to get away with. For example, don't use somebody's pass that is 20 years older than you, or that is 6 inches taller than you, or has a distinct feature on their face


Lmao that’s pretty close to the situation I’m in. My roommate offered me his pass but he’s 5’3” with a Super Troopers mustache so I think I’m just gonna have to pay up.
4 years ago
2 0
profile picture
clorox
Posts: 1728 - Karma: 4,867
If they ask to see the pass and you have the ability to ski directly to your car, dip tf out and don't come back for a few days. Have your friend report a lost pass so they assume you were just using a pass you found. You're not gonna get fined if you drop your pass and some rando tries to use it.
4 years ago
4 0
profile picture
watto
Posts: 40 - Karma: 279
SlitherySnakehell yeah we need more lifties like you

oof not a lifty more of a guest services person that's stands in the maze
4 years ago
3 0
profile picture
Mixy
Posts: 8355 - Karma: 50,396
The slut strands with a bald dudes pass gave it away
4 years ago
22 0
profile picture
anders_a
Posts: 1680 - Karma: 5,604
not trying to take peoples jobs away, but I've never seen a person scanning tickets, its all 100% RFID 'ish tech here.
4 years ago
1 0
profile picture
eheath
Posts: 61936 - Karma: 126,480
anders_anot trying to take peoples jobs away, but I've never seen a person scanning tickets, its all 100% RFID 'ish tech here.


When PC had rfid gates, they had 2-4 people (depending on lift size) looking at ipads to check peoples passes, but after vail came in they changed everything to scanners.
4 years ago
1 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 52560 - Karma: 173,824
They know dude. Just like when your high af at your friends house and his parents start talking to you.

They know, they always know.

Also god is watching you bro


But really it depends on the place. Some places have pretty heavy incentives to catch people. Like $100 if you snag somebody using another season pass. It makes sense on the mtns side because it keeps people more honest. Some people just ask questions and even if they don't know anything about the person that owns the lass just aee if they start freaking out. Some people are psychic maybe too. Idk
4 years ago
12 0
profile picture
Saga.
Posts: 3812 - Karma: 45,341
I believe it happens more often than you would think because the pass the falsifier is using is more than likely the pass of someone who often goes to the mountain and has been noticed over the season by the lift attendants.

I know of a person (later went on to be quite prominent person in the ski business world(no it's not J Lev)) that was put into a police car at Stowe years ago trying to use another person's pass while in college. This incident was more closely related to what Eheath said before about the commission/incentive for catching poachers. This lifty had it out for this type of thing.

On the other hand, I also know of a person that was in their 30s that used a junior (under 17) pass at Northstar at Tahoe.

A lot depends on the person checking and knowing the actual info of the person who owns the pass.

Using another's pass can be dicey. I always preferred the one lift ticket, glove drop off the lift, rinse and repeat. This works best at mountains where you can get up to other lifts that don't check after riding the first.
4 years ago
4 0
profile picture
KCoCM
Posts: 963 - Karma: 8,787
if they stop u and wanna see ur pass just say no and gtfo the lift line. End of the day no resort employee can legally put their hands on you to forcefully take the pass/ apprehend you. Also, knowing that ur taking a risk, always a good idea to have some cash on you to get yourself out of the jam and discreetly tell them youll give them whatever they would get from their supervisor to look the other way
4 years ago
3 0
profile picture
anders_a
Posts: 1680 - Karma: 5,604
season pass here is $290 on preseason sale, it covers multiple resorts , so not horrible

yet everybody still wants to borrow mine, but its counter intuitive, because I ski every day and when I ski with buds.. should I stay home and give me theirs then?

we did cheat with it with when a buddy broke something and was out for the season, but I dont think its a huge thing here.
4 years ago
3 0
profile picture
ToddlerBodyBag
Posts: 283 - Karma: 2,093
KCoCMif they stop u and wanna see ur pass just say no and gtfo the lift line. End of the day no resort employee can legally put their hands on you to forcefully take the pass/ apprehend you. Also, knowing that ur taking a risk, always a good idea to have some cash on you to get yourself out of the jam and discreetly tell them youll give them whatever they would get from their supervisor to look the other way


This might me the smartest response so far but it raises a lot of questions. I know a liftie won’t chase me to the parking lot but what happens if I’m on the upper mountain and ski patrol tries to take my pass? Can I just bomb it to the bottom? Idk I’m picturing an OJ style chase with 30 ski patrol behind me, none of them actually being able to lay a finger on me.
4 years ago
2 0
profile picture
Lonely
Posts: 7112 - Karma: 68,910
Inb4 they dna test in lines
4 years ago
3 0
profile picture
SavageBiff
Posts: 3483 - Karma: 14,759
Dip into the glades
ToddlerBodyBagThis might me the smartest response so far but it raises a lot of questions. I know a liftie won’t chase me to the parking lot but what happens if I’m on the upper mountain and ski patrol tries to take my pass? Can I just bomb it to the bottom? Idk I’m picturing an OJ style chase with 30 ski patrol behind me, none of them actually being able to lay a finger on me.
4 years ago
2 0
profile picture
hdubs
Posts: 1133 - Karma: 11,690
Anyone on here know how Squaw is about this cuz I want to use my brothers pass and ski a few days there.
4 years ago
2 0
profile picture
ASAPCarter
Posts: 934 - Karma: 10,578
I feel like now that a lot of mountains have gates instead of an actual person scanning, it makes it ridiculously easy. Not saying I’d ever do it because that’s highly illegal and I would never commit an illegal crime of such proportions, but if I were to, just make sure you know your homies middle name and DOB. But like I said, I’d never do such a thing bc that’s highly illegal, Corey and Trevor.
4 years ago
3 0
profile picture
dolanslebensraum
Posts: 5959 - Karma: -13,095
If you are about the same height and weight of the pass’s owner u probably wont get caught.

but yeah the reason u send in a picture when ordering a season pas is so the ticket checker can scope you out.

i understand why resorts would deny cheaters to get onto the gondola, but the whole thing where resorts try to punish the fuck out of the owner of the pass by revoking it etc, is some vindictive bullshit.

also when u buy a day pass and you go home early, you should completely be allowed to sell ur day pass to somebody in the parking lot. The whole “theft of services” argument is bullshit. If i buy 2 packs of coca cola from the grocery store, and decide to sell one pack to a guy in the parking lot, it should be my right to do so. There should never be any sort of strings attached to something you buy. When you buy something, then tradewise It should be yours to do with whatever you want.

theft of services is an anti-free market crock of shit.

**This post was edited on Feb 16th 2021 at 4:28:51am
4 years ago
2 1
profile picture
warm_diet_coke
Posts: 179 - Karma: 1,832
mfw when Vail changes season passes to chips that get injected into our arms so we can’t pass share anymore

4 years ago
3 0
profile picture
BradFiAusNzCoCa
Posts: 7519 - Karma: 66,804
They incentivize their lifties with cash rewards. I know people who have gotten caught. If you’re roughly same size you’ll probably be fine
hdubsAnyone on here know how Squaw is about this cuz I want to use my brothers pass and ski a few days there.
4 years ago
1 0
profile picture
snowfinder
Posts: 2939 - Karma: 34,906
Saga.I believe it happens more often than you would think because the pass the falsifier is using is more than likely the pass of someone who often goes to the mountain and has been noticed over the season by the lift attendants.

I know of a person (later went on to be quite prominent person in the ski business world(no it's not J Lev)) that was put into a police car at Stowe years ago trying to use another person's pass while in college. This incident was more closely related to what Eheath said before about the commission/incentive for catching poachers. This lifty had it out for this type of thing.

On the other hand, I also know of a person that was in their 30s that used a junior (under 17) pass at Northstar at Tahoe.

A lot depends on the person checking and knowing the actual info of the person who owns the pass.

Using another's pass can be dicey. I always preferred the one lift ticket, glove drop off the lift, rinse and repeat. This works best at mountains where you can get up to other lifts that don't check after riding the first.


Ive seen someone get pulled out of the line at Stowe by a cop while I was using a friends pass. Not sure if Stowe is still like that now, and I have a guess who that was.
4 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Charliehermens1
Posts: 107 - Karma: 806
Mf I barely know are always trying to mooch my pass, fuck off im not losing the pass I worked for just because you’re a bum, I had a guy that is kind of a friend of a friend who is a snowboarder actually hit me up asking to borrow my pass skis and boots because “my roommate wants to learn to ski and I want to learn with her” fucking ridiculous.
4 years ago
1 0
profile picture
270on420out
Posts: 7522 - Karma: 51,280
eheathResort employees get compensated for finding people stealing services, ie using someone else's pass. Its probably a lot easier this year since everyone is wearing a mask, but in a normal year they'll call you out and make you take your hat and shit off to verify.

My last roommate was a ticket scanner at Breck and said he got 200$ for every fake pass they caught
4 years ago
1 0
profile picture
SuspiciousFish
Posts: 2794 - Karma: 16,914
Saga.I believe it happens more often than you would think because the pass the falsifier is using is more than likely the pass of someone who often goes to the mountain and has been noticed over the season by the lift attendants.

I know of a person (later went on to be quite prominent person in the ski business world(no it's not J Lev)) that was put into a police car at Stowe years ago trying to use another person's pass while in college. This incident was more closely related to what Eheath said before about the commission/incentive for catching poachers. This lifty had it out for this type of thing.

On the other hand, I also know of a person that was in their 30s that used a junior (under 17) pass at Northstar at Tahoe.

A lot depends on the person checking and knowing the actual info of the person who owns the pass.

Using another's pass can be dicey. I always preferred the one lift ticket, glove drop off the lift, rinse and repeat. This works best at mountains where you can get up to other lifts that don't check after riding the first.


In Colorado they do not screw around with borrowing passes. My buddy got caught and they actually charged him and he had court date etc and and bunch of fines to pay.
4 years ago
1 0
profile picture
jackhawkins5
Posts: 2 - Karma: 10
wattoas a ticket scanner at park city I can confirm that if we catch someone using a friends pass we can take it away and get cash rewards for it but I've never personally done it cuz homies gotta ride and I'm not stopping them not everyone can afford passes or lift tickets if yall are ever in park city as long as I work you goin up


brother r u still workin at park city?
a year ago
0 0
profile picture
jackhawkins5
Posts: 2 - Karma: 10
wattoas a ticket scanner at park city I can confirm that if we catch someone using a friends pass we can take it away and get cash rewards for it but I've never personally done it cuz homies gotta ride and I'm not stopping them not everyone can afford passes or lift tickets if yall are ever in park city as long as I work you goin up


brother r u still workin at park city?
a year ago
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 6:47AM