sugarloaf;c-37106 wrotenewpylong;c-37103 wroteI didn't say losing, I said not making much if anything.
But you're seriously saying they're no margin in day tickets? Most folks can't afford $600 for a season pass. Most of what I see around here at the local areas are people with day tickets.
Ski Sundown, Southington,. Mohawk and the southern MA areas rely on day ticket skier's from the NYC area. None of the CT ski area's are on Liftopia, so it's always the full walk up rate.
No, that is obviously not always the case - varies area by area. It was a generalized comment, but one that holds a lot of water.
Based on my time running a ski area, and time spent with other area managers, there is minimal profit to be made on day tickets FOR MANY. This is especially true for destinations further from population centers. They rely heavily on passholder revenue, F&B, and other ancillary services. The day ticket is only the hook to get the person there. Areas closer to population center can take advantage of higher walk up volume, and margins will be undoubtedly be higher.
Why do I say this? If you had access to the books and saw the costs of what it takes to run a ski area: get people there trained and working, proper management, put snow on the ground, run and maintain the lifts, electrical, snowmaking, grooming costs, plus the rest of the physical plant, insurance costs, workmen's comp costs, vendor bills, etc and so on, you would see that day ticket costs aren't exactly over the top at all.
Frankly I am amazed that so many area are still around in this day and age, it is a cut throat weather dependent business and it is not forgiving.
