brownSnow

as i'd never buy a full or even 5x7 pass for Blue due to our unpredictable winters, I do plan on picking up a couple double downs. Worth checking out, they're on sale until Dec. 13th on Blue's site.

just thought i'd share

budderbear

Cool idea, Arapahoe Basin is running the same thing. The thing that worries me is no pass insurance. I can't guarantee my health a year from now. Its bad enough if you've ever gotten hurt during the current season and can't use your pass anymore. Could you imagine getting hurt real bad mid season this year, and you couldn't ride next year because of it either? Then your out a few hundred bucks just to save $50-$100

p.s. kids are made of rubber so its probably fine for them lol

LyGuy

You can buy insurance for your 5x7 pass. It's about $12 and in the case you get injured/cant board anymore, you get pro-rated the $ back equivalent to how much time is left in the season. IE you get injured exactly mid season, you get half your money back.

In the case of double downs, you can just sell it on kijiji. Tonnes of people will buy it because they missed early bird prices or have last minute trips to Blue.

brownsnow - if you plan on going at least 5 times to blue - get the 5x7. Otherwise 2 double downs isn't a bad choice as theres no black-out dates giving you more flexibility

poutanen

I had 5x7s for years... Never went less than 10 times a season when I had my 5x7. That was either from Brampton or Hamilton in the later years.

Keep in mind you get lodging discounts with the pass too. It makes for a nice vacation to stay on the hill a couple days, have the hot tub and some beers, etc. To each his own but I got good value out of my 5x7s...

Fuck my pass here in Calgary was $1290 on the early bird discount (that ended in June)... I'd love to have a $180 pass option that covered weekdays.

Easto

Is the double down essentially 2 lift passes at a discount price?

Dysantic

^^ More or less. I don't think its completely 2 for 1, but pretty close. I used to buy them in the past as well. They were a good value if you could only get out to Blue a few times a season.

Although I am much happier now that I don't have to worry about crappy Ontario conditions for that kind of pass. lol

LyGuy

Yes. But they are full day passes irrc. Meaning a value of at least $65+ each ticket for over $130 for the price of $80.

budderbear

I think you may have misunderstood. I wasn't talking about the 5x7, I meant the double down pass, for which Arapahoe Basin doesn't have pass insurance or pro rate. Meaning if you bye the Double Down pass and get hurt in your second year, your shit out of luck. Although I think if got hurt before the season started, you might be able to talk them into pro rating you a pass for the following season.

aiidoneus

That whole unpredictable thing is somewhat in your head. By January 1st last year I had 8-10 days at Blue which covers the cost of a full pass. January had quite a few great Sat and Sun mornings of 10+ cm snow falls.

Last season which was one of the mildest winters on record, I had 100+ days of boarding (30 or so was out west, rest was in Ontario). I loved every minute of it.

Anyway, double downs are still a great option!

LyGuy

And just to be clear, he meant the cost of a FULL pass, which is ~$500?
Since OP is just looking for a 5x7, 4 trips or more will start making up for itself already.