Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded

but bipocs go to the head of the line

Vail Resorts now runs dozens of ski areas around the country and apparently, they all suck.

Skiers are complaining about the massive crowds and mismanagement at Vail Resorts in Colorado after the major skiing company slashed season ticket prices and sold a record 2.1 million passes this season  - 76 percent more than in the 2019-2020 season. 

Vail Resorts dropped prices by 20 percent for its multi-resort season pass, the Epic Pass, from $999 to $819. The company also changed the price for its smaller circuit season pass, Epic Local Pass, from $749 to $619, in March 2021 for the current 2021/2022 season. 

The mountain resort company has a portfolio of 40 resorts worldwide and sold a record 2.1 million passes this season after the drastic dip in prices. 

Vail Resorts is now the largest ski area operator in the United States with properties in Colorado, California, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont and beyond. The passes, which are no longer for sale, give snow-lovers access to dozens of resorts across the U.S.

The increased sales brought the company a 76 percent jump from the 2019–20 pass sales and raised earnings 30 percent from fiscal year 2020 to fiscal year 2021. 

But it was apparent in recent photos posted to social media, where skiers noted a very stark contrast between crowds and lines in past seasons versus this year, that the company isn't able to keep up with the record number of people now that passes are more financially accessible, among other factors. 

Denis Hall, has had season passes in Crested Butte, Colorado, for 54 years. 

'The first two things they need to do is pay their people and house their people,' Hall told the Denver Post. 

'I gave them three years, and they didn't make my skiing better; they made my skiing worse,' Hall continued. 

'I've been here through four different owners of the ski area, and this is the first one that has actively destroyed the ski culture that had been here through all those owners for all those years. They've made the place a lot worse.' 

To add to the tremendous increase in skiers, Vail has not been able to scale their business similarly. 

'Vail Resorts took really aggressive pricing action this year on the Epic Pass, and that was undoubtedly going to trigger high sales,' Tom Foley, a ski-industry analyst and director of business intelligence at the travel research company Inntopia, told Outside. 

'I think it might have exceeded their expectations.' 

Vail's vice president of communications, Sara Olson, claimed to Outside that the company 'made a significant investment' in wages pointing to 'the $2/hour bonus added to our employees' compensation for the rest of the season.' 

But despite the bonus, some positions still pay far less than local retail or fast food restaurant positions. 

The noncompetitive salaries have led many resorts to scale back their operations, changing runs, closing lifts and shortening the season and daily hours. That, combined with an increase in customers, is leading to long lines at the queues and complaints.  

Well, at least their black guests will be treated by the staff"lovingly and intentionally” and will be able to park anywhere they wish and dine at the resort’s restaurants even when they are closed to other races.

I gave up downhill skiing in favor of X-Country for the same reason I prefer snorkeling to scuba diving: no bulky equipment, no crowds, and I can go where I want to. For free.