Utah 2021-2022 Utah Ski Resorts/Conditions/Meetups

[dbostedo]

Less parking in the upper lot, and a 300 room hotel to be run by Club Med. I wonder what type of clientele the Club Med will attract? People who like fancy drinks with umbrellas in them?

I have some friends that have done club med ski vacations. Their favorite part is that the kids stuff is all included - all day lessons and activities. And in Europe, guides were included too.

 

[AmyPJ]

That lift that we’ve all been waiting for on Strawberry would sure be nice…

 

[Johnfmh]

If there is a ski-up bar it could grow on me.

Only if you stay there. Club Med is moving into the N. American ski market, charging between $165 and $355 per person, per night all-inclusive. That means all drinks are covered, so be careful on the Wildcat Bowl after lunch.

Club Med will open its first ski resort in North America this winter -- and it's all-inclusive - The Points Guy

Head to Quebec this winter for the launch of Club Med's first ski resort in North America. This all-inclusive resort is sure to become a winner with anyone looking for a value on the slopes.

thepointsguy.com

Club Med Is Opening Its First All-inclusive Ski Resort in Canada

Opening Dec. 3, 2021, Club Med Québec is a spot that will "provide guests with all the comforts and luxuries of an all-inclusive vacation while also allowing travelers the opportunity to immerse themselves in Canadian culture."

www.travelandleisure.com

 

[Johnfmh]

That lift that we’ve all been waiting for on Strawberry would sure be nice…

And while they are at it, they can also replace Becker and Porky.

 

[Phelmut]

I have some friends that have done club med ski vacations. Their favorite part is that the kids stuff is all included - all day lessons and activities. And in Europe, guides were included too.

Our ski club has done trips to Club Med in Europe and they are running one this year. to France. I heard in previous years it was a great deal with meals and guides included, seems like it went up a bit this year.

 

[Wasatchman]

So is club med a high end concept catering to wealthier skiers? Or is it mid tier and will be competitively priced as all inclusive for the price?

I wonder if Snowbasin will shift to catering to a well heeled crowd versus a current mix that is a broader spectrum and includes the very economical learn to earn deal for locals. Currently, that learn to earn program for locals may be the best deal in Utah. But the village concept seems like it will be catering to a wealthy crowd. The two concepts can coexist i suppose but it leaves me a bit confused as to what the long term vision of Snowbasin will be?

 

[mikel]

Club Med is making a come back to the US ski scene? There are still a couple of instructors at Copper from back in the day when Club Med was part of the scene at Copper.

 

[AmyPJ]

So is club med a high end concept catering to wealthier skiers? Or is it mid tier and will be competitively priced as all inclusive for the price?

I wonder if Snowbasin will shift to catering to a well heeled crowd versus a current mix that is a broader spectrum and includes the very economical learn to earn deal for locals. Currently, that learn to earn program for locals may be the best deal in Utah. But the village concept seems like it will be catering to a wealthy crowd. The two concepts can coexist i suppose but it leaves me a bit confused as to what the long term vision of Snowbasin will be?

Leaves me confused, too. The Club Med thing makes me think they are catering to the wealthy crowd. Trying to compete with Wasatch Peaks Ranch on some scale? Gross. Sorry, it's just gross. I live in Morgan County and the super wealthy are buying million dollar family homes here in residential neighborhoods that they don't even live in, and can't rent them out due to HOA rules (thank GOD for that!) The Ogden Valley is being flooded with vacation home owners and super-wealthy. People who are building in Wasatch Peaks Ranch are buying "cottage" homes here to live in while their sprawling estates are under construction at WPR. The middle class are being squeezed out of this formerly sleepy farm community.

 

[AmyPJ]

And while they are at it, they can also replace Becker and Porky.

I've heard rumblings that Becker will be replaced from the same person who knew about the Club Med thing last winter. Porky needs a total re-route at least at the bottom as all it does right now is add to the bottleneck that merges with the folks coming off of JP on Mt Ogden Bowl Rd and then the park rats and it's scary as hell even on a quieter day. But nothing could be a better addition right now than a lift on Strawberry. That part of the mountain is vastly underutilized on storm days due to the wind and crap visibility at the top (which is downright scary.)

 

[dbostedo]

Leaves me confused, too. The Club Med thing makes me think they are catering to the wealthy crowd. Trying to compete with Wasatch Peaks Ranch on some scale? Gross. Sorry, it's just gross. I live in Morgan County and the super wealthy are buying million dollar family homes here in residential neighborhoods that they don't even live in, and can't rent them out due to HOA rules (thank GOD for that!) The Ogden Valley is being flooded with vacation home owners and super-wealthy. People who are building in Wasatch Peaks Ranch are buying "cottage" homes here to live in while their sprawling estates are under construction at WPR. The middle class are being squeezed out of this formerly sleepy farm community.

I will say that the club med trips I'm aware of my friends taking are not affordable, but not really expensive either, compared to other family ski trips, or things like Disney. Other than being all-inclusive, Club Med is not priced like something only uber-wealthy can afford. A bit expensive perhaps, but not too out of line with other slopeside inclusive places (like those at Alta, for instance). I think it may still have some of the super expensive rep from long ago.

Looking online, I see rates at Euro resorts Club Meds of like $400/adult/night including airfare. Depending on what all that includes, it may not be that bad. Alta for a similar trip would only be a few hundred dollars less at Goldminer's Daughter, and may not include as much. I don't know if Club Med will keep it that way for the US market though, as I suspect that the Euro places have to be more competitive.

 

[Johnfmh]

From what I know, Club Med runs a sort of dry land cruise ship operation with its own bubble of services. The appeal In the past was hedonism but these days, it appeals to families who want a lot of activities for kids (with maybe the parents indulging a bit in moderate hedonism on the side). I think it is sort of an upper middle brow type of experience. I am not sure how well it will sync with the Snowbasin vibe. We shall see. It’s either that or a Stowe Mountain Lodge/Westin Riverfront Beaver Creek type of place—a big condo/hotel run by a major hotel chain.

I totally agree with @AmyPJ about Strawberry. Some locals describe the top of Strawberry (Main Street/Elk Ridge) as the “trail of tears” when the fog rolls in suddenly. It reminds me of skiing in the Alps on low visibility days. “No worries kids,” the locals say, “just follow the florescent popsicle sticks and you will be fine.”

 

[AmyPJ]

I will say that the club med trips I'm aware of my friends taking are not affordable, but not really expensive either, compared to other family ski trips, or things like Disney. Other than being all-inclusive, Club Med is not priced like something only uber-wealthy can afford. A bit expensive perhaps, but not too out of line with other slopeside inclusive places (like those at Alta, for instance). I think it may still have some of the super expensive rep from long ago.

Looking online, I see rates at Euro resorts Club Meds of like $400/adult/night including airfare. Depending on what all that includes, it may not be that bad. Alta for a similar trip would only be a few hundred dollars less at Goldminer's Daughter, and may not include as much. I don't know if Club Med will keep it that was for the US market though, as I suspect that the Euro places have to be more competitive.

I said this in the other thread on this topic, but I predict that in 10 years, elevations below 7500 feet will receive more rain than snow. So, building a ton of new terrain and a hotel at 6300 feet to me seems a risky proposition. As far as Club Med goes, either way, it's catering to those with a lot higher income level than your average Ogden resident. If you follow Snowbasin on FB or Insta, you'll see the local reactions and this is not going over well. The skier experience at SB has decreased greatly over the past 3 seasons in particular. This won't help. It's a tough one to swallow for anyone who's been here for any period of time greater than 5 years. I really feel for the locals who've been skiing her for 30+ years. My husband is one of them.

 

[4ster]

That lift that we’ve all been waiting for on Strawberry would sure be nice…

And while they are at it, they can also replace Becker and Porky.

That’s all well & good but if your going to add more skiers you really need to add more terrain! We all knew lodging was coming, in fact I’m surprised it took so long. Without saying much about this it seems to me they are going about this development bassackward! There have been a lot better concepts over the years, like a base area by the highway below Strawberry where the real beginner/low intermediate terrain is.
I’m also surprised they would leave the lodging to Club Med when the Holding family have already done well in the hotel business.

I spent a week at a ClubMed in Cancun Mexico in the early 90’s, it was nice but I wouldn’t call it “high end”

Looks like they have sold off the Sinclair Oil part of the business…

HF Sinclair Corporation | Home

An independent petroleum refiner in the United States with operations throughout the mid-continent, southwestern and Rocky Mountain regions. Subsidiaries of HollyFrontier produce and market gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt, heavy products and specialty lubricant products. Additionally...

hollyfrontier.com

 

[Wasatchman]

Meanwhile, Vail announced 2 new lifts at Park City. 8 person lift to upgrade Silverlode capacity and 6 person lift to replace Eagle 3 seater. They are trying to stay ahead of crowds. Their pass sale products were up 42 percent in units this coming season!!!!!

Park City looking like it will be the most affordable place to ski in Northern Utah the way things are trending!- ha!!! Never would have believed it 10-plus years ago.

 

[AmyPJ]

I totally agree with @AmyPJ about Strawberry. Some locals describe the top of Strawberry (Main Street/Elk Ridge) as the “trail of tears” when the fog rolls in suddenly. It reminds me of skiing in the Alps on low visibility days. “No worries kids,” the locals say, “just follow the florescent popsicle sticks and you will be fine.”

I've followed those markers more than once and it was terrifying. I ran right into the side of a snowbank and buried my tips on one occasion (better than going off the side.) Vertigo that had me laying down without even knowing I was tipping over. I now refuse to ski over there if it's not bluebird. Great intermediate terrain that a majority of instructors won't go near on anything but clear days, either. It's a vastly underutilized 1/3 of the acreage of the entire mountain all because of the lack of a lift to compliment the gondola. A lift that the Forest Service approved years ago.

 

[Wasatchman]

You're not kidding @AmyPJ . Just reading the Snowbasin Facebook comments and the announcement is going over as well as a lead filled balloon with the locals. Wouldn't that be something if management posted sorry you don't like the changes. Perhaps you should look into the new Wasatch Peaks Ranch as an alternative

 

[AmyPJ]

You're not kidding @AmyPJ . Just reading the Snowbasin Facebook comments and the announcement is going over as well as a lead filled balloon with the locals. Wouldn't that be something if management posted sorry you don't like the changes. Perhaps you should look into the new Wasatch Peaks Ranch as an alternative

I do wonder how much of this is intended to compete with WPR. It seems WPR will cater to the 1% (Yellowstone Club types) but I don't know anything about the average income of people buying into it. All I know is a lot of instructors want to teach there. If I can get a spouse pass, I'm all over it.

As for the locals--the resort doesn't care. I'm convinced of that. It's all about $$. The mountain was a lot more enjoyable when an avid skier was in charge, I'll say that much. Grooming doesn't bring in money, but food and beverage and mass crowds does.

 

[Wasatchman]

I do wonder how much of this is intended to compete with WPR. It seems WPR will cater to the 1% (Yellowstone Club types) but I don't know anything about the average income of people buying into it. All I know is a lot of instructors want to teach there. If I can get a spouse pass, I'm all over it.

As for the locals--the resort doesn't care. I'm convinced of that. It's all about $$. The mountain was a lot more enjoyable when an avid skier was in charge, I'll say that much. Grooming doesn't bring in money, but food and beverage and mass crowds does.

I have no doubt management wouldn't care too much what the locals think because where else are you going to ski in the Ogden area. They know you'll have to suck up the changes.

To some extent all resorts in Northern Utah are like this although there is a little more competition between resorts. I've talked about it before, but ski resorts need to consider locals because they are a stable revenue base even though they don't spend as much. The locals will still be there during a deep recession or when travel dries up due to the pandemic, etc.

Unfortunately ski resorts are somehow trending toward both luxury and volume. You would think one would exclude the other but they seem to be getting both somehow. I guess because there is just a massive amount of wealth thanks to the inflationary policies over the last 10-20 years that has boosted stock prices and house prices. Not sure what it is but I am often floored by how much wealth I'm seeing everywhere.

 

[AmyPJ]

I have no doubt management wouldn't care too much what the locals think because where else are you going to ski in the Ogden area. They know you'll have to suck up the changes.

To some extent all resorts in Northern Utah are like this although there is a little more competition between resorts. I've talked about it before, but ski resorts need to consider locals because they are a stable revenue base even though they don't spend as much. The locals will still be there during a deep recession or when travel dries up due to the pandemic, etc.

Unfortunately ski resorts are somehow trending toward both luxury and volume. You would think one would exclude the other but they seem to be getting both somehow. I guess because there is just a massive amount of wealth thanks to the inflationary policies over the last 10-20 years that has boosted stock prices and house prices. Not sure what it is but I am often floored by how much wealth I'm seeing everywhere.

I’m floored by it myself.
we share a lot of the same sentiments. The locals at the end of the day are who will still be there. The inflationary policies can’t last.

Powder Mountain is also trending towards serving the 1%. I feel like the blue collar town I moved to (Ogden) is quickly becoming overrun by money.

 

[fatbob]

A bit expensive perhaps, but not too out of line with other slopeside inclusive places (like those at Alta, for instance). I think it may still have some of the super expensive rep from long ago.

Looking online, I see rates at Euro resorts Club Meds of like $400/adult/night including airfare. Depending on what all that includes, it may not be that bad. Alta for a similar trip would only be a few hundred dollars less at Goldminer's Daughter, and may not include as much. I don't know if Club Med will keep it that way for the US market though, as I suspect that the Euro places have to be more competitive.

Yeah Club Med is largely paying a bit of a premium to be all inclusive and kinda get the everyone's friends/everyone mixes vibe. So you pay for the bits you don't want/need like creches and evening entertainment or perhaps a ski guide/instructor or ski rental. Net that results in a bit of an uplift on price over DIY for the same sort of accomodation/location. It seems a weird choice in the US given that the Euro model is built on 7 night Sat-Sat stays.

$400 per adult/night is leaving a lot of skrilla on the table if we assume for a 7 night stay they are putting you in coach on fare around $700-800 bucks, good value if they are putting you in biz.