This is incredible.
Northern VT: what a start
- Thread starter jasoncapecod
- Start date
ChrisC
Well-known member
News Alert: Jay Peak joined the Vail Epic Pass this weekend! Definitely left Indy.
Jay on MLK Weekend: storm day powder skiing! Epic lift lines.
Looks exactly like Vail for storm day powder skiing! Epic liftlines!
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Reference? I can't find anything. It would also be VERY unusual to make that kind of switch mid-season.
ChrisC
Well-known member
Sorry, I am being sarcastic/joking. I just saw a photo of the Jay Peak lift lines and thought they resembled anything as 'Epic' as Vail's lines on a storm day.
The Internet will always attack Vail, but 'real' mountains are protected from the same criticism. My point: Indy Pass mountains can be just as bad.
Lots of Indy Pass areas have slow lifts which can make them vulnerable to lines. Jay may be on Indy but it's still a high profile ski area. When I had 3 days to ski in northern Vermont in March 2003, former admin recommended Stowe, Mad River and Jay.
Vail the mountain has always had an overexaggerated (IMHO) reputation for crowds since before my first visit in 1986. Thus I've generally taken precautions (full operation, avoiding peak time frames though I've had a couple of days during Easter Week) and never had much of a crowd issue as evidenced by my 24K vertical average over 18.5 ski days (one was split with Beaver Creek). I wouldn't touch Vail with a ten foot pole in its current restricted status though.
Perhaps James should take a pass on Colorado and stay in the Northeast for his upcoming trip. The OpenSnow weather guys think the current weather pattern both East and West will persist for the rest of January.
Vail the mountain has always had an overexaggerated (IMHO) reputation for crowds since before my first visit in 1986. Thus I've generally taken precautions (full operation, avoiding peak time frames though I've had a couple of days during Easter Week) and never had much of a crowd issue as evidenced by my 24K vertical average over 18.5 ski days (one was split with Beaver Creek). I wouldn't touch Vail with a ten foot pole in its current restricted status though.
Perhaps James should take a pass on Colorado and stay in the Northeast for his upcoming trip. The OpenSnow weather guys think the current weather pattern both East and West will persist for the rest of January.
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ChrisC
Well-known member
Basically, the Indy Pass is a Vermont/slightly New England and Washington/Inland Northwest & BC Pass Product.
These resorts account for 70-80% of visitors, which is why the Indy Pass goes off sale: they are just dumping skiers on a small set of worthwhile ski areas.
The Indy Pass is just as bad as Epic/Ikon. Most partner resorts are marketing fluff - like Epic/Ikon's European partners - and do not contribute meaningfully to the business. Both CEOs said so in Storm Podcasts.
These resorts account for 70-80% of visitors, which is why the Indy Pass goes off sale: they are just dumping skiers on a small set of worthwhile ski areas.
The Indy Pass is just as bad as Epic/Ikon. Most partner resorts are marketing fluff - like Epic/Ikon's European partners - and do not contribute meaningfully to the business. Both CEOs said so in Storm Podcasts.
Most Popular Indy Pass Resorts (By Indy Pass Usage & Estimated Indy % of Total Visits)
| Rank | Resort | Region | Indy Visitation Volume | Repeat-Visit Intensity | Est. Indy % of Total Skier Visits | Typical Indy Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jay Peak Resort | VT |  | ☆ | 15–25% | Multi-day destination trips |
| 2 | Bolton Valley | VT | ☆ | | 12–20% | Frequent weekday laps |
| 3 | Magic Mountain | VT | ☆ | | 25–40% | Cult-level repeat visits |
| 4 | White Pass Ski Area | WA | ☆ | ☆ | 8–15% | Seattle weekend repeats |
| 5 | Mission Ridge Ski Area | WA | ☆ | ☆ | 6–12% | Regional repeat skier days |
| 6 | Lost Trail Powder Mountain | MT | ☆ | ☆ | 12–20% | Powder destination stays |
| 7 | Cannon Mountain | NH | ☆ | ☆ | 10–18% | High weekend Indy traffic |
| 8 | Saddleback Mountain | ME | ☆ | ☆ | 10–15% | Two-day Indy redemptions |
| 9 | Bridger Bowl | MT | ☆ | ☆ | 5–10% | Expert Indy visits |
| 10 | 49 Degrees North | WA | ☆ | ☆ | 10–18% | Spokane regional hub |
Overuse Risk Assessment (with Rule-Tightening Signal)
| Resort | Est. Indy % of Visits | Repeat Intensity | Overuse Risk | Rule-Tightening Signal | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Mountain | 25–40% | Very High |  High | Early & aggressive | Small capacity + cult Indy loyalty |
| Jay Peak Resort | 15–25% | High | High | Incremental but steady | #1 Indy destination; peak-day pressure |
| Bolton Valley | 12–20% | Very High | High | Weekday controls first | Heavy local Indy weekday usage |
| White Pass Ski Area | 8–15% | High |  Moderate | Weekend-focused | Seattle surge days drive caps |
| 49 Degrees North | 10–18% | Moderate | Moderate | Seasonal adjustments | Regional hub; weather-dependent |
| Lost Trail Powder Mountain | 12–20% | High | Moderate | Soft caps / calendar tweaks | Destination powder spikes |
| Cannon Mountain | 10–18% | Moderate | Moderate | Peak-day limits | Strong weekend Indy traffic |
| Saddleback Mountain | 10–15% | High | Moderate | Reservation emphasis | 2-day Indy trips cluster |
| Mission Ridge Ski Area | 6–12% | Moderate |  Low–Mod | Minimal | Large local pass base buffers Indy |
| Bridger Bowl | 5–10% | Moderate | Low | Minimal | Strong locals dilute Indy share |
That's interesting data on Indy. Where did you get it? Does Indy require disclosure from its partner areas? I get the impression that exact Ikon use at places like Alta and Jackson Hole are closely guarded state secrets. Jackson disclosed 14% Ikon during its first year in 2018-19 but not since then.
My impression is that Lost Trail and 49 Degrees North are extremely low density ski areas, a characteristic I do not expect Indy to change. I skied 49 Degrees North on Indy in 2021 and Lost Trail on Powder Alliance in 2023.
In winter White Pass is farther from Seattle than Mt. Baker at about 3 hours. White Pass is primarily the local hill for Yakima, one hour 10 minute drive.
I would agree the biggest impact is likely in Vermont, particularly on weekends.
My impression is that Lost Trail and 49 Degrees North are extremely low density ski areas, a characteristic I do not expect Indy to change. I skied 49 Degrees North on Indy in 2021 and Lost Trail on Powder Alliance in 2023.
In winter White Pass is farther from Seattle than Mt. Baker at about 3 hours. White Pass is primarily the local hill for Yakima, one hour 10 minute drive.
I would agree the biggest impact is likely in Vermont, particularly on weekends.