Season Pass prices flat to this year

“It helped drive the numbers…”

Crested Butte Mountain Resort has announced next year’s ski season pass prices will remain the same as this past year. The resort’s unlimited season passes, the Peak Pass and Peak Pass+ will go on sale May 1, 2014.

The Adult Peak Pass will be $599, plus admissions tax. Child, Young Adult and Senior Passes will also stay the same, at $199, $299, and $399, respectively. The Peak Pass+, which includes 2015 summer access and Adventure Park access, will be $799 for adults.
CBMR executives said the reduction in the season pass price last year was a gamble, but that gamble paid off in some areas of their overall strategy. At the same time, some customers were not happy with the move.
“There was a lot of buzz around our pass this past year and it was really exciting to see,” said CBMR communications and marketing director Erica Mueller. “We have definitely heard from those who miss some of the products we eliminated to make the $599 possible. However, given our entire scope of the products we sold, whether it was a season pass or multi-day products or a ski package that included lodging or air fare credit, we were able to drive the number of skiers we were hoping to see.
“There was a lot of debate on whether we should keep the Peak Pass the same or increase it, even if only slightly,” Mueller continued. “We decided to keep it the same for one more year and to add a lot of value to the Peak Pass+ to increase those sales.”
Mueller said the shift in marketing to attract some more regional skiers is paying off. “We have seen a big growth in the regional market, which is our goal. We hope to continue to see this trend, by keeping the price the same,” she explained. “When looking at drawing more skier visits, you really have to look at the entire picture. We had fewer flights, more snow, more regional visitors and, yes, we saw more skier visits, but I wouldn’t say it was solely due to our pass price.
“We need to continue to look at our air service and how we can grow seats coming into the valley,” Mueller said. “We did a great job driving regional visitors but it isn’t the only market we can look at. Overall, I think we had a good mix of products that also included lodging and our other offerings.”
As for the future, Mueller said nothing is set in stone. “I think it is important to know that what we do this year does not guarantee it is what we will do next year,” she said. “We are constantly analyzing, looking at data, testing different options and offerings. We want to remain competitive and we want to be creative. We will continue to do that. But there is no ‘right answer.’ So are we going to re-open next year and keep passes at the same price? Maybe not… Maybe. But we will look at our options.”
As for next year, one thing on Mueller’s mind for sure is snow. “Some are calling for an El Niño winter and that means big snow for us next year. Of course! Big snow. We’re always optimistic in the ski industry.” You have to be.”