It’s season pass time

Snow was falling at 49 Degrees North on Friday morning, a hopeful sign for season pass sales at the ski resort near Chewelah, Wash. A nip in the air, and a touch of white on the hills, typically turn skiers’ thoughts to bargains. Forking over $200 to $500 for a season pass can translate into hundreds of dollars of savings for avid skiers and snowboarders. But buyers know it’s always a gamble. During mild winters – like last year’s – they can get stuck with a hefty investment during a period of brown slopes, closed runs and inferior conditions.

That’s why skiers and resort owners watch the skies so anxiously this time of year.

Monday is the last day to buy discounted season passes at Silver Mountain, Mt. Spokane and Lookout Ski Area. Forty-nine Degrees North’s current promotion lasts through Nov. 8.

“People are playing catch-up,” said Gabe Lawson, sales and marketing director at 49 Degrees North, which had slower than normal season pass sales earlier this year. Six inches of snow at the top of the mountain is definitely helping move sales along, he said.

At Lookout, people are waiting until the last minute to buy $199 adult season passes, said President Phil Edholm. After Monday, the price goes up by $50 for a season pass to the ski resort on the Idaho-Montana border.

Melissa George ranks among the undecided.

Last year was the first ski season in five years that George, her husband and two kids didn’t buy season passes to Silver Mountain. Given the mild winter, it was a good choice, said the Coeur d’Alene skier.

But George also likes the convenience of season passes. “You don’t feel guilty if you only ski for a couple of hours,” she said, “and you don’t have to worry about coming up with the money each month. It’s been budgeted up front.”

This year, “we’re still debating whether or not to do it,” she said. “We’ll wait to see if there’s any snow in November.”

At Silver Mountain, the resort has actually seen an increase in early sales of $349 adult season passes, said Marketing Manager Cathi Jerome. At Mt. Spokane, which was open just 31 days last winter, season pass sales have also been strong.

“It’s still the best way to get to the hill for your money,” said Denise Weiss, guest services manager. “Chances are we’re not going to have a winter like that two years in a row.”

Mt. Spokane also offered deeply discounted passes to last year’s season pass holders. In the spring, they got a chance to buy new adult passes for $199. Those who renewed also received two free lift tickets to give away.

The price was the lowest in seven years, said Brad McQuarrie, Mt. Spokane’s general manager.

“We kind of braced ourselves for a lot of calls at the end of last season, but we really didn’t have that many negative comments,” he said.

Mt. Spokane also extended the deadline for its next season pass promotion by a month, McQuarrie said. Adult season tickets remain on sale for $299 through Monday. Normally, Mt. Spokane ends that promotion at the end of September, he said.

Schweitzer Mountain Resort also looked for ways to appease last year’s disappointed season pass holders, said Sandy Chio, marketing director. Schweitzer’s best buy of $459 for renewing season pass holders was extended through Sept. 30, which is also longer than usual, she said. People who renewed also received a $35 gift card.

So far, season pass sales are running ahead of projections, Chio said.

“We definitely prepared strategy-wise for a backlash from last winter,” she said. “But time did its healing.”