The Internet continues to change the way Colorado ski resorts peddle their passes, leading Intrawest Corp. – which owns Copper Mountain and manages Winter Park Resort – to alter its popular four-pass options this winter.
To crack down on Internet resales and offer customers more security, the company is turning its heavily discounted four pass, good for four days of skiing at a single resort, into a nontransferable picture identification card.
The photo passes must be bought in person; they can then be renewed online annually and replaced if lost. They go on sale starting next week at more than a dozen Front Range sites.
A Copper four pass costs $84 this winter; Winter Park is charging $99.
Part of the strategy is to make it harder for people to resell unused ski days on websites such as Craigslist.
“We certainly understand that it’s not as convenient Year One,” said Jesse True, director of sales for Intrawest Colorado. “But we think the message of skiing for $21 per day at Copper and $25 at Winter Park is strong enough that people will go through what they need to to get a four pass.”
The Vancouver, British Columbia- based company is also offering a new, more expensive four-day option that can be still be shared between guests: the TransFour card.
The big difference is that it can be purchased online or through the resorts’ central reservations lines starting today, opening it up to out-of-state skiers.
The TransFour card is $149 at Copper and $169 at Winter Park.
The Internet has made out-of-state skiers much more aware of the discounts available to locals.
“It has changed our strategy,” True said. “We’re putting our best deals out there online.”
Both passes offer a much better deal than four full-price daily lift tickets, which are $79 each this winter.
Several past Copper and Winter Park four-pass purchasers said they would have no problem getting their photos taken to get the less expensive version.
“I’ll get my picture taken. I’m a cheapskate,” said Tom Kirby of Broomfield, who works in financial services.
But Jodie Cates, an accountant from Morrison, said she would probably stop buying extra Copper four passes to share with visiting friends and family.
“It was nice, but I’m not sure it’s worth another $70,” she said.
To sweeten the pot, Intrawest has dropped its four-pass blackout dates over Presidents Day weekend and spring break, keeping only the blackout between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Four passes have become a staple for many Front Range skiers. Several resorts offer a similar product with a photo, including Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Vail Resorts and Aspen Skiing Co.
“The four-packs are popular because they add flexibility to people” who might want to ski inexpensively at different resorts, said Molly Cuffe, spokeswoman for Colorado Ski Country USA.
Staff writer Julie Dunn can be reached at 303-820-1592 or jdunn@denverpost.com.
Al Día: Para leer este artículo en español. denverpost.com/aldia
Cost of a day of skiing
Copper Mountain
$21 With a four pass
$29-$59 With a season pass, depending on time of season
$37.25 With a TransFour card
$79 At the ticket window
Winter Park
$24.75 With a four pass
$29-$59 With a season pass, depending on time of season
$42.25 With a TransFour card
$79 At the ticket window
Intrawest’s daily discount ticket price at King Soopers stores was unavailable Tuesday; it was $59 last year.
Source: Intrawest Corp.
