I’ve officially lived in Colorado for one month, one week, and one day. In that time I’ve learned three things. First, riding at bike at 8,000′ is very different from riding at 4,500′ (just ask my lungs). Second, driving a Subaru Outback in Eagle County is like wearing shoes: not technically required but everyone’s doing it anyway. Third, Epic Passes must come free with every Outback purchase because, as far as I can tell, they’re just as common. Which makes the my marketing mind wonder: how do you compete with a pass that offers unlimited skiing at a half-dozen world-class resorts for $600?

The solution, for now at least, may be to not compete at all, at least not directly. This is the vibe I get from a pass that was announced yesterday by Aspen/Snowmass, Steamboat, and Winter Park. The tagline for the new offer? “Don’t just get your days in. Get your resorts in.”

The 411
The Colorado Triple Play pass gives you two days of skiing (6 days total) at each of the three resorts. There is one short blackout period (Dec. 27-31) and prices run $299 for adults ($50/day) and $249 for kids (12 and under, $41.50/day).

Perspectives from Those Involved
“Skiing and snowboarding has been a passion and way of life in these three mountain communities for decades and something that has always been shared. The new Colorado Triple Play is our way of sharing the best of these three iconic Colorado resorts at an exceptional value.” Christian Knapp, Aspen/Snowmass
“Another La Nina snow year is in the works, and now, guests have a fantastic opportunity to experience these genuine Colorado communities and their legendary skiing heritage on one incredible ticket. If you want the ultimate winter experience, then the Colorado Triple Play is your ticket to ride the best of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.” Rob Perlman, Steamboat
“Aspen/Snowmass, Steamboat and Winter Park Resort have been known for their industry-setting family programs for decades. The Colorado Triple Play ensures even the littlest powderhounds can enjoy the slopes, making for the ideal adventure across three of Colorado’s premier family resorts.” Gary DeFrange, Winter Park

So, from what they said, here are the elements I see:

• Three local destinations with strong brands (Christian)
• It’s about the experience: both the towns and great skiing (Rob)
• Geared toward families (Gary)

So, those are the themes.

What I Think I’m Seeing
The Epic Pass is a great deal, but it also carries two negative side-effects: traffic on the freeway (all of the resorts sit on or near I-70) and traffic on the trails. In other words, a weekend that is supposed to be spent skiing turns into long hours in the car, lost time waiting in lift lines, and a crowded skiing experience.

In my likely wrong marketing brain, I see this deal indirectly targeting Epic Pass holders with three, unspoken pitches:

1. Fewer, more quality skiing experiences are better than lots of poor ones
2. If you are going to put in the effort for weekend of skiing with your family, make it count
3. The money you save from not buying an Epic Pass next year could be put toward lodging for a few awesome weekends at these mountains

In a nutshell, there is a better way to enjoy skiing in Colorado. To go back to those earlier themes, local destinations means they are far enough away to be fun yet close enough for easy, weekend travel. Strong brands mean they are viable alternatives to names like Breckridge and Vail. Great towns and skiing mean an improved experience. Family centered programs and the right price means the family can make a weekend of it.

This was released at an tough time of year (a few days after most major season pass sale deadlines) so sales may not be off the charts. Next year, however, could tell a very different story.  It’s interesting to see what non-Vail Resorts do to compete in this state.  Pretty fun to watch.

About Gregg & SlopeFillers
I've had more first-time visitors lately, so adding a quick "about" section. I started SlopeFillers in 2010 with the simple goal of sharing great resort marketing strategies. Today I run marketing for resort ecommerce and CRM provider Inntopia, my home mountain is the lovely Nordic Valley, and my favorite marketing campaign remains the Ski Utah TV show that sold me on skiing as a kid in the 90s.