It’s cold comfort for skiers
Disgruntled season-pass holders who didn’t get their fill of skiing this winter won’t be getting refunds from any of the five Inland Northwest Ski Association resorts. But some of the mountains are offering their customers perks for next year.
None of the resorts said they’re considering changing the structure of season pass sales in the future because the warmer weather this year is such an anomaly.
Mount Spokane, which is the only ski area that’s closed right now, is offering a discount on next year’s early adult season pass price of $229. If customers buy a pass before March 31, they’ll get it for $199, the lowest price in seven years, said Brad McQuarrie, general manager of the ski and snowboard park.
Season pass holders from this year who renew for next year also will get two free lift tickets – valued at $35 each – for friends and family to use.
“It was a real letdown to have a short season,” McQuarrie said, noting that the skiing earlier this winter was “phenomenal.” Customers have been supportive of the resort, he added, and some have said they can “eat one year (of season ticket purchases) because it’s such a great deal.”
Silver Mountain is considering its options and will deal with customers on case-by-case basis, said Stephen Lane, director of sales and marketing there. “We haven’t made a firm decision. It will depend on pass usage,” Lane said. While some people have gotten the value out of their passes this season, others have not even picked them up, he added.
“We certainly will do something for people who didn’t think they got their money’s worth,” Lane said. An early adult season pass at the Kellogg resort costs $269. Silver Mountain is considering crediting a dollar amount to next year’s pass, or giving one or two guest lift passes for the next season.
At Lookout Pass, getting a season pass early yields a deep discount — $199 and sometimes lower — but it’s a gamble, said marketing director Jim Schreiber. “You never know how the seasons turn out every year,” Schreiber said. “Some years you get a lot of extra ski days and some years you don’t.” Giving a partial refund or discount for next year is not feasible, he added, because the resort took a hit due to the slow season.
Schweitzer Mountain Resort, near Sandpoint, isn’t taking any special action on the occasion of the peculiar weather. It has deals with resorts in Utah and Canada, so its season pass holders – who paid $469 if they bought early – can travel to those areas and ski, said marketing director Sandy Chio.
“People who make an investment in a pass tend to be more passionate” so they’ve been frequenting the resort, Chio added, albeit not as much as previous years.
As for 49 Degrees North, it’s considering compensatory steps for customers who bought a season pass – for $199 if they purchased it early – but no details are available yet, said chief financial officer Curt Bishop.