You don’t mention a key component of competition: new entrants to the market. The last new ski resort opened in 1980. The permitting and capital expenses means we can’t build new resorts to soak up additional capacity.
To your point, I also wonder how much of it is just a supply demand issue? Like for the alpine countries, what's their skiable acreage per Capita, vs the US (even if just isolating to states with ski resorts)
It's actually not trivial to compare the size of the resort. This is from a website discussing it: "Size comparisons between the US and Europe are tricky because of the different methods used. The Alps goes with kilometers of trails, which are for the most part groomers, ignoring any 'off-piste' powder areas, whereas the defined perimeter of a US area can be measured in acres, making it hard to know if you're comparing apples with apples. Europe (and the world's) largest, the 3 Vallées, has previously claimed over 25,000 acres of skiable terrain compared to Park City's circa 7,000, although the methodologies to reach these figures are unclear. Whichever way you slice it though, the biggest in the Alps are bigger. When you factor in the uncounted off-piste, there are amazing opportunities for travelling around in the Alps - and this is one of the big differences. Start your day in your 'home' ski town, make your way to another village in an adjacent valley, or even country, for lunch before returning via a different route. In one of the most celebrated cross-border areas, where Switzerland's Zermatt and Italy's Cervinia share the soaring Matterhorn peak, people often cross from Switzerland to enjoy the Italian side's better coffee and sun-soaked, pasta-filled lunches." (from here: https://www.america2alps.com/post/usa-vs-europe)
Great read. Think I’ll stick to Japan. Conditions are generally amazing. Exchange rate is favourable. Lift passes around $60 per day. Never had to queue, even in peak season. ….Japanese food!
Thanks for this. I was one of those unfortunate souls languishing in line over the break. We switched to Deer Valley for our last day, which was a much better experience despite being sold out.
For example, DV has cell connectivity all over the mountain and free wifi in every dining location; PC has limited coverage and no wifi (very frustrating considering that you need to use their app to look at the ski map and lift wait times); DV employs a healthy mix of locals with some foreign workers, whereas PC relies very much on lower-cost, foreign (mostly Argentinian) workers; presumably because PC underpays this mostly foreign workforce, you are prompted to tip at every transaction vs. never at DV; lines at DV were minimal with average wait time measured in seconds vs. well, the picture at PC tells the tale.
But you are right - nothing in USA compares to the French Alps in terms of value and this all ties back to greater competition among ski resorts and within ski resorts for services like dining, rentals, and ski school. If you are lucky enough to live in Europe, your flight will be cheaper too because...more competition among airlines. Less noobs on the slopes as well.
This was precisely why we skied DV a few years ago, but we decided to return to France the following year. The price difference (including flights) was astonishing.
You don’t mention a key component of competition: new entrants to the market. The last new ski resort opened in 1980. The permitting and capital expenses means we can’t build new resorts to soak up additional capacity.
Excellent point!
To your point, I also wonder how much of it is just a supply demand issue? Like for the alpine countries, what's their skiable acreage per Capita, vs the US (even if just isolating to states with ski resorts)
It's actually not trivial to compare the size of the resort. This is from a website discussing it: "Size comparisons between the US and Europe are tricky because of the different methods used. The Alps goes with kilometers of trails, which are for the most part groomers, ignoring any 'off-piste' powder areas, whereas the defined perimeter of a US area can be measured in acres, making it hard to know if you're comparing apples with apples. Europe (and the world's) largest, the 3 Vallées, has previously claimed over 25,000 acres of skiable terrain compared to Park City's circa 7,000, although the methodologies to reach these figures are unclear. Whichever way you slice it though, the biggest in the Alps are bigger. When you factor in the uncounted off-piste, there are amazing opportunities for travelling around in the Alps - and this is one of the big differences. Start your day in your 'home' ski town, make your way to another village in an adjacent valley, or even country, for lunch before returning via a different route. In one of the most celebrated cross-border areas, where Switzerland's Zermatt and Italy's Cervinia share the soaring Matterhorn peak, people often cross from Switzerland to enjoy the Italian side's better coffee and sun-soaked, pasta-filled lunches." (from here: https://www.america2alps.com/post/usa-vs-europe)
Great read. Think I’ll stick to Japan. Conditions are generally amazing. Exchange rate is favourable. Lift passes around $60 per day. Never had to queue, even in peak season. ….Japanese food!
Thanks for this. I was one of those unfortunate souls languishing in line over the break. We switched to Deer Valley for our last day, which was a much better experience despite being sold out.
For example, DV has cell connectivity all over the mountain and free wifi in every dining location; PC has limited coverage and no wifi (very frustrating considering that you need to use their app to look at the ski map and lift wait times); DV employs a healthy mix of locals with some foreign workers, whereas PC relies very much on lower-cost, foreign (mostly Argentinian) workers; presumably because PC underpays this mostly foreign workforce, you are prompted to tip at every transaction vs. never at DV; lines at DV were minimal with average wait time measured in seconds vs. well, the picture at PC tells the tale.
But you are right - nothing in USA compares to the French Alps in terms of value and this all ties back to greater competition among ski resorts and within ski resorts for services like dining, rentals, and ski school. If you are lucky enough to live in Europe, your flight will be cheaper too because...more competition among airlines. Less noobs on the slopes as well.
This was precisely why we skied DV a few years ago, but we decided to return to France the following year. The price difference (including flights) was astonishing.