I'm guessing that the Epic Pass revenue, even if it's only $10 a head (which I heard somewhere, maybe EMSC), in the early/late seasons is a major part of A-Basin's cash flow.
A management decision to limit ticket sales to control skier congestion is relatively rare in the ski world. Snow Summit used to have a ticket limit that was low enough in the 1980's and 1990's at least that it was wise to buy in advance for a weekend days. I don't recall needing to do that in the 2000's, so perhaps the limit was was more related to lift capacity and got raised once high speed lifts were installed. I do know that Snow Summit's limit was stricter in early season, but again I suspect it was a function of open lifts not open terrain. I read somewhere that there is no longer a ticket limit at Big Bear under Mammoth's management.
Hey, I'm all for it. If the lemmings want to pay the resorts to stand in line in early season and ski one or two WRODs, that's more revenue for them to stay in business and make improvements (developing the Beavers in A-Basin's case) that I can appreciate during a more sensible part of the season.