NOTE: All images in this article were taken on Sunday, January 30th, 2022. Notice anything in common in all of the photos?
Doesn’t it feel like most of the news related to the ski industry is pretty doom-and-gloom?
That’s mostly because the other resorts across the country are drawing intense criticism for long lift lines, overcrowding on the slopes, and a whole other mess of problems that are the result of overselling passes.
Some people have come to accept this dystopian ski experience as the new norm, but others are actively fighting against it.
Arapahoe Basin Ski Areaย has been leading that charge.
A-Basin is a true Colorado classic that has been highly regarded as one of the best ski areas for decades.
An advanced rider has to look no further than the Pallavicini Lift.
Despite the ski area’s overwhelming popularity in ski culture, A-Basin has made a firm commitment to preserving the skiing experience.
A-Basin could very easily follow its competitors by selling tons of passes to anybody that will buy one, but they’ve chosen to do the exact opposite.
The ski area actively limits season and daily pass sales to preserve the skiing experience. They do this so guests can enjoy their time on the slopes, and to prevent extremely long lift lines even on the busiest days.
Rather than maximize profits on a season-to-season basin, A-Basin is banking on establishing long-term relationships with guests by making them happy.
That might seem crazy, and well… it kind of is.ย Think about it.
A-Basin values their guests’ happiness over profits. How many other ski areas/resorts across the country can honestly say that?
Limiting pass sales has actually paid off for A-Basin. They’ve made their core season pass holders happy, and are establishing a base of reoccurring daily pass guests who can actually enjoy skiing on weekends and holidays. Imagine that.
A-Basin is proof that skiing isn’t broken. While other resorts implement policies and pass sales to please shareholders, A-Basin has remained firm on preserving the overall skiing experience.
It gives me hope that skiing isn’t dead. We just need more good folks like those at A-Basin to keep the vibe alive.
All Image Credit: Ian Zinner/Arapahoe Basin