Rob Katz back in as Vail CEO

RRhighriderhttps://www.powder.com/news/vail-new-mountain-classifications

It's great to see them implementing significant changes, like categorizing resorts by experience instead of region.

They will probably change their pass offering into tiers based on the category for 2026/2027.

The destination group includes well-known Vail Resorts properties like Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Whistler Blackcomb that, according to the email, “attract skiers and riders from around the world.”

The regional destination group marks a perceived step down in star power and includes Crested Butte, Heavenly, Stevens Pass, and Stowe.

The local group, which Vail Resorts describes as the places “where passion for skiing and riding are born,” is the largest and composed of smaller ski areas like Seven Springs, Paoli Peaks, and Afton Alps.

Finally, the Europe & Australia group, as its name would suggest, covers the smaller number of mountains owned by Vail Resorts outside the U.S.

“At its core, this change is about bringing resorts together with those they share the most in common with—making it easier for them to access the expertise that is most relevant to them and learn directly from each other,” a spokesperson for Vail Resorts, Kelsey Pietranton, told POWDER via email.

RRhighriderhttps://www.powder.com/news/vail-new-mountain-classifications

It's great to see them implementing significant changes, like categorizing resorts by experience instead of region.

They will probably change their pass offering into tiers based on the category for 2026/2027.

well this has been an internal designation for resorts for well over a decade particularly with their guest feedback surveys. alterra does the same. it’s been something used to level set because vail is vastly different than afton alps. so basically resorts are in friendly competition within their groups.

sounds like the way they are structuring their corporate focus groups will alter so instead of crested butte being in the rockies group they will be in the local destination group with places like stevens pass. makes sense for their best practice groups and for the resorts to align on things based on that vs. created butte trying to align with what vail and park city and breck do.

as an optimist, i hope this allows those non-destination groups have their own authentic vibe vs. trying to match the big dogs vibes.

as a pessimist, i worry that they will say the destination resorts are the heavy hitters and therefore will get all the resources. also, they might have a blind spot for local trends by separating them

my bet is that from a consumer standpoint, passes will stay basically the same and have little effect on the offerings and just shift the focus on how the resorts operate slightly. seems like there’s quite a microscope on VR if we are giving a fuck about this petty change lol.

partyandBSalso, they might have a blind spot for local trends by separating them

I'd fucking hate to be a Whistler local right now. Seems like those places deemed "destinations" are going to become even more touristy.

guy on FB had the perfect take. said going back to katz was "like shitting your pants and changing your shirt"

abjectwoeI'd fucking hate to be a Whistler local right now. Seems like those places deemed "destinations" are going to become even more touristy.

i mean all the destination places are already touristy as fuck. whistler is 100% touristy already considering it see the most skier visits in north america. i don’t think them talking to other touristy locations will make them more touristy lol. now they won’t be in meeting with stevens pass and kirkwood anymore and instead meet with park city and vail.

really don’t think this is “news” it’s like if all mcdonald’s said we no longer are putting the burgers and chicken on shelf 3 and instead all burger ingredients like tomatos and onions will be on shelf 3. and then we speculate and say ‘uh oh how is this gonna make the Big Mac taste now?!’ it’s an internal operational choice that really won’t impact the product much at all

**This post was edited on Jun 5th 2025 at 3:04:56pm