Next time you are stuck in a long lift line on a powder day at one of the four Aspen Snowmass ski areas, don’t point fingers at Ikoners or destination skiers. Look for your neighbors.
Aspen Skiing Co. says its biggest surge in business has come from Roaring Fork Valley season pass holders.
“I would say in terms of local pass sales, those have gone way, way, way up and that’s the biggest shift that I’ve seen,” Skico President and CEO Mike Kaplan told the Pitkin County commissioners on Wednesday.
The discussion was an offshoot of the review of Skico’s expansion of Aspen Mountain ski area into the Pandora’s terrain. Commissioner Greg Poschman asked why there have been big crowds at Aspen Mountain on an increasing number of days in recent seasons — with lift lines long enough to dredge up memories of the 1970s.
“Are we seeing more people showing up?” Poschman asked Kaplan.
While Skico’s skier visits have been flat for more than two decades, there are more local customers waiting to leap into action on powder days and weekends, Kaplan explained.
“Overall what we’ve seen in terms of skier days is it’s been a flat line for 25 years,” he said. “We saw some little dips and shifts. When we installed Deep Temerity and opened up into Highland Bowl, you did see some shifting from Aspen Mountain to Aspen Highlands.”
However, Aspen Mountain still pulls in significantly more skiers and riders over the season than Highlands.
“For context, Aspen Mountain does roughly 300,000 skier days per year, give or take. I don’t think it’s ever gone over 315,000, from what I can recall, or under 295,000,” Kaplan said.
Highlands hovers around 200,000 in annual skier days, he said.
Skico’s four mountains typically log around 1.25 million skier visits per season, with the vast majority at Snowmass.
Pass use by locals last season generated more than 50% of Skico’s overall skier days for the first time ever, according to a slide that Kaplan shared with the commissioners. Typically, pass use accounts for about 40% of overall visits.
Last season might have been unusual because of the COVID-19 pandemic when people were seeking ways to get outdoors and more part-time residents spent the full winter in the valley to escape urban areas. However, Skico officials emphatically feel season pass use is the key driver of growth.
Season pass use accounts for even a higher percentage of skier and rider visits at Aspen Mountain. Local pass users have accounted for more than 50% of Aspen Mountain’s skier days since at least the 2011-12 season, according to the information Kaplan shared. Last season, local pass use soared to about 65% of visits to Aspen Mountain. That, Kaplan said, entrenches Aspen Mountain the locals’ ski area.
In a prior meeting with the county commissioners, Kaplan said use of the Ikon Pass isn’t responsible for increasing days of crowding on the slopes. The Ikon Pass is sold by Skico’s sister company, Alterra Mountain Co. It entitles buyers to a certain number of trips to Skico’s four mountains, depending on which pass is purchased.
In Skico’s accounting, Ikon Pass use counts as a lift ticket sale rather than a pass sale, according to Jeff Hanle, Skico vice president of communications.
Kaplan told the commissioners at the prior meeting that many people using the Ikon Pass at Aspen Snowmass formerly used different pass products, such as the Classic Pass. Therefore, Ikon Pass sales haven’t resulted in a significant net gain in skier visits at Skico’s four areas, he said.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Kaplan said Skico is reaching its peak number of skiers at one time more frequently, which he tied to the surge in local pass buyers.
“Our peak days are usually about 20,000 skiers in a day,” he said. “If you have 18,000 across the four mountains, you feel busy but you don’t feel like you’re over the top. When you go over 20,000 you go ‘Oooo.’
“That’s the period between Christmas and New Year’s,” he continued. “We have had more days coming up close to that 20,000 number. It’s happened more on weekends in the middle of the year. That, I think is due to the population growth (in the Roaring Fork Valley) and the growth in the Mountain West.”
The Aspen Ambulance District seeks a property-tax increase to keep up its level of service, and the Pitkin County commissioners showed initial willingness this week to put the question on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Readers around Aspen and Snowmass Village make the Aspen Times’ work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.
Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.
Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.
-Professional with Clean Driving Record -Full Time Position -50/50 Split After Expenses
Davinroy Services Inc., property management company in Snowmass, is seeking to hire the following positions. Part-Time QuickBooks Bookkeeper $25-$35 (starting…
Now Hiring: The Aspen Mountain Residences Front Desk Agent Maintenance Engineer Bell Attendant Housekeeping Manager Housekeeping Supervisor Learn more and…
Come join a The Simply Team! Simply Massage in Avon and Glenwood are looking for front desk receptionist!! -Great PT…
Crew: $17.00 per hour, Shift Managers: $190.00 per hour. Management Opportunities, Free Meals, Free Uniforms, Flexible Schedules. Text WEN12 to…
NOW HIRING Server, Bartender, Host, Food Runners, PM Prep Cook, Dishwasher, Bussers, Expo Please send your resume to mail@almresi-aspen.com or…
Miller Sports is seeking full time and/or part time sales associate to sell outdoor and athleisure apparel, designer ski wear…
Now Hiring: • Maintenance Technician $20-$22/hour + $1000 Signing Bonus We are ready to train the right candidate. Full Benefits,Winter…
Please send cover letter and resume to: anne@challengeaspen.org
We are looking for a full-time Commercial Lines Account Manager. This position is for an experienced, licensed property and casualty…
Hiring for a Class A CDL Driver. Experience preferred. Please call
MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN 1) Corrective maintenance by completing resident service requests. 2) Unit preparation to include painting, cleaning, repairing and/or replacing…
YOUR PERFECT CAREER PATH ANB Bank hires individuals who provide excellent customer service and build meaningful relationships with our customers…
Mountain Parks Electric, Inc. (MPEI) has an immediate job opening for the position of Operations Coordinator located at our company…
Job Type Full-time Description Sign on Bonus: $1,500, ask for details. The position will be located in the Vail, CO…
Log/timber experience helpful Pay based on experience
- Leadership - Operations - Brand Management
Seeking eager and motivated: Dishwasher, Line Cook, Sous Chef, Sushi Chef. Apply in person, 3-4:30 or e-mail StevenS@MatsuhisaAspen.com
Ute Mountaineer is currently seeking Sales Associates. We are people who love the outdoors and want to help customer by…
Pay now $20/hr! Applicants should love kids, have an outgoing personality, and enjoy being around others. Not currently certified? Don'…
What do you think of Aspen Theatre building an underground auditorium at Rio Grande Park?What a great idea! Start construction now. Can’t wait. Everyone does know this is a private entity using a public facility, right? Please, the “tent” is more than adequate. I miss the original circus tent. Here we go again, just getting more elite by the day. View Results Loading ...
What do you think of Aspen Theatre building an underground auditorium at Rio Grande Park?
Submit a Request to Update a Crime Story
Do not sell my personal information
Steamboat Springs - Routt County
Winter Park - Granby - Grand County
Aspen High School - Skier Scribbler