# Mammoth buys Big Bear



## Zombaco (Dec 14, 2011)

Big deals going down out west. Mammoth has bought Big Bear / Snow Summit for $38Mil, and has introduced the Cali4nia Pass for all 4 resorts. :yahoo:

Exactly what I always wanted to happened. One pass for everywhere I ride

Press Release

LA Times article


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

It's tough to picture many if any local hills existing within the next couple of decades. Everything is getting bought up and consolidated. There's positives and negatives to it, but as much as I'd like my local Loveland to team up with another mountain to give me additional options on my pass, I realize that it's essentially wishing away what I love about that mountain - good local vibes, no lift lines, and still good snow available well after the last dump.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

Holy shit!


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## SnowOwl (Jun 11, 2012)

I saw this. Not sure if I should be totally stoked or fearing doom. One side, Bear is going to have fund availability to reach more potential, whereas they'll have the shit corporate marketing....and Bear's marketing was getting bad as it was. Maybe it'll open up job opportunities for me haha


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## j.gnar (Sep 4, 2009)

nothing but positives to come from this. <700$ for a pass to four mountains with no blackout dates? count me in


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## SnowOwl (Jun 11, 2012)

j.gnar said:


> nothing but positives to come from this. <700$ for a pass to four mountains with no blackout dates? count me in


Bring on the crowds....as if Bear wasn't bad enough lol


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

SnowOwl said:


> Bring on the crowds....as if Bear wasn't bad enough lol


Some people can't see past the $$$ and understand this.


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## nillo (Dec 18, 2013)

This is super awesome. Now my buddies that typically have Mammoth passes can ride with me at Summit on random free days when we don't have time to drive up to Mammoth and I'll be able to cruise up with them when they need an extra for gas money without having to also plunk down a chunk of change for lift tickets. Sweetness. Makes the whole "how many days am I really going to get in" calculation a lot easier when you don't have to split up your main locations. Plus if the snow sucks here you can always drive to better snow.


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## j.gnar (Sep 4, 2009)

linvillegorge said:


> Some people can't see past the $$$ and understand this.


youre a little pissy today arent ya there bud?


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

linvillegorge said:


> Some people can't see past the $$$ and understand this.


True, but then doesn't that mean they are pulling people away from a different resort and thus making that one *less* crowded? The only way it actually can lead to more crowds at each mountain is if it increases the total amount of people who buy passes, which well the industry isn't in good enough shape for us all to be selfish enough to hope everybody quits riding.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

You guys are thinking small time here. It's all about the proposed Super Tram! Mammoth Mountain Jealous of Vail, Buys Bear and Snow Summit -


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## SnowOwl (Jun 11, 2012)

lab49232 said:


> True, but then doesn't that mean they are pulling people away from a different resort and thus making that one *less* crowded? The only way it actually can lead to more crowds at each mountain is if it increases the total amount of people who buy passes, which well the industry isn't in good enough shape for us all to be selfish enough to hope everybody quits riding.


I don't think you realize the potential havoc that LA, SD, and OC can possess, especially if you cater the marketing right. Bear has a bad habit of catering to sales instead of catering to their loyal riders. For example, that college mid season pass is a slap in the face to riders like myself who bust ass and make sacrifices to show love, like saving up for season passes, going to HDHR, etc., but instead they make it easier for the jack off Mt. High kids to get season passes for the price of 2 visits when they wouldn't have gone to bear in the first place. And I get it, that's the point; to drive up rider volume and exposure, but at the sake of the $$$ it ruins the quality of experience for the rest of us. IFFF they can somehow manage to correlate their marketing with what the mountain has to offer, then there's potential. Otherwise it's going to get shittier dealing with the over flow of kooks. We're talking about Cali here, where convenience dominates over practicality. Last years prices were extremely high, and it was still super packed with the shitty conditions. This is going to make it worst, especially since Bear lowered the prices a nice chunk, and SoCal is in the El Nino hype mode blindly praying for a great season to come (like myself Lin, so shhhh)



BurtonAvenger said:


> You guys are thinking small time here. It's all about the proposed Super Tram! Mammoth Mountain Jealous of Vail, Buys Bear and Snow Summit -


I'd be so down for a super tram. Then it'd definitely be more than worth it. The 4-6 hour drive scares me away already


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

SnowOwl said:


> I don't think you realize the potential havoc that LA, SD, and OC can possess, especially if you cater the marketing right. Bear has a bad habit of catering to sales instead of catering to their loyal riders. For example, that college mid season pass is a slap in the face to riders like myself who bust ass and make sacrifices to show love, like saving up for season passes, going to HDHR, etc., but instead they make it easier for the jack off Mt. High kids to get season passes for the price of 2 visits when they wouldn't have gone to bear in the first place. And I get it, that's the point; to drive up rider volume and exposure, but at the sake of the $$$ it ruins the quality of experience for the rest of us. IFFF they can somehow manage to correlate their marketing with what the mountain has to offer, then there's potential. Otherwise it's going to get shittier dealing with the over flow of kooks. We're talking about Cali here, where convenience dominates over practicality. Last years prices were extremely high, and it was still super packed with the shitty conditions. This is going to make it worst, especially since Bear lowered the prices a nice chunk, and SoCal is in the El Nino hype mode blindly praying for a great season to come (like myself Lin, so shhhh)
> 
> 
> 
> I'd be so down for a super tram. Then it'd definitely be more than worth it. The 4-6 hour drive scares me away already


Here's the problem that a lot of people don't actually get: Season passes don't make the mountain any money, nor do loyal riders. We would all love it if they did, but if resorts tried to focus on that they would all go bankrupt and then none of us would have anywhere to ride, which would be even worse. The truth is all the mountains money comes from the weekend warriors, gappers, and families with six kids in tow dropping 80 each for a day ticket. It sucks, but it is a necessary evil. This will either boost total volume of riders, or simply spread riders out across more mountains thus yes crowding some resorts more but creating less traffic at other mountains.


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## SnowOwl (Jun 11, 2012)

lab49232 said:


> Here's the problem that a lot of people don't actually get: Season passes don't make the mountain any money, nor do loyal riders. We would all love it if they did, but if resorts tried to focus on that they would all go bankrupt and then none of us would have anywhere to ride, which would be even worse. The truth is all the mountains money comes from the weekend warriors, gappers, and families with six kids in tow dropping 80 each for a day ticket. It sucks, but it is a necessary evil.


I wasn't even referring to what makes the mountain money and what doesn't. I was referring to what their marketing tactics are willing to do that sacrifices the quality of riding for the rest of us. Either way, it's the locals and people who represent the mountain that also makes it worth the weekend warriors attention. You kill the foundation, the rest will tumble.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

j.gnar said:


> youre a little pissy today arent ya there bud?


LOL! Yeah I am actually. Every been offered a fantastic job opportunity in a terrible location? Just had that happen yesterday. Gotta at least entertain it, but it's pissing me off.


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## SnowOwl (Jun 11, 2012)

look at the amount of stupid questions being asked on Bear/Summit/Mammoth pages and you'll lose hope of less crowds lol


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

linvillegorge said:


> LOL! Yeah I am actually. Every been offered a fantastic job opportunity in a terrible location? Just had that happen yesterday. Gotta at least entertain it, but it's pissing me off.


You should definitely take the job. One less car on I-70.:dance:


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

SnowOwl said:


> Bring on the crowds....as if Bear wasn't bad enough lol


My parents have a small place in running springs, and every weekend there was snow I made sure to show up in town by 7. The traffic on the main street was mind boggling.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

lab49232 said:


> Here's the problem that a lot of people don't actually get: Season passes don't make the mountain any money, nor do loyal riders. We would all love it if they did, but if resorts tried to focus on that they would all go bankrupt and then none of us would have anywhere to ride, which would be even worse. The truth is all the mountains money comes from the weekend warriors, gappers, and families with six kids in tow dropping 80 each for a day ticket. It sucks, but it is a necessary evil. This will either boost total volume of riders, or simply spread riders out across more mountains thus yes crowding some resorts more but creating less traffic at other mountains.


Last time I rode mammoth it was $99 for a day. This will now motivate every weekend SoCal family to buy passes now. Season pass sales will be significantly higher because most people that do one or two trips to mammoth a year, also ride at bear, or had passes to bear. This sale is a win win for every SoCal rider.


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## SnowOwl (Jun 11, 2012)

“We have a very good understanding of the Bear Mountain and Snow Summit market, which is why we’re going to cut our park offerings at Bear to make it more family friendly and improve on Westridge over at Snow Summit. We will be adding more resort amenities to attract a broader client base as well as transitioning into a four season recreational resort.”

What the actual fuck.

Mammoth Mountain Jealous of Vail, Buys Bear and Snow Summit -


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

SnowOwl said:


> “We have a very good understanding of the Bear Mountain and Snow Summit market, which is why we’re going to cut our park offerings at Bear to make it more family friendly and improve on Westridge over at Snow Summit. We will be adding more resort amenities to attract a broader client base as well as transitioning into a four season recreational resort.”
> 
> What the actual fuck.
> 
> Mammoth Mountain Jealous of Vail, Buys Bear and Snow Summit -


I always enjoyed westridge more than the park at bear.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

SnowOwl said:


> “We have a very good understanding of the Bear Mountain and Snow Summit market, which is why we’re going to cut our park offerings at Bear to make it more family friendly and improve on Westridge over at Snow Summit. We will be adding more resort amenities to attract a broader client base as well as transitioning into a four season recreational resort.”
> 
> What the actual fuck.
> 
> Mammoth Mountain Jealous of Vail, Buys Bear and Snow Summit -


LOL! Your mountain just got OC'ed. A lot more money creating a posh resort catering to the Real Housewives than there is catering to park rats. The crowd they're gonna try to appeal to isn't gonna ski for more than a couple of runs a day anyway.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

linvillegorge said:


> LOL! Your mountain just got OC'ed. A lot more money creating a posh resort catering to the Real Housewives than there is catering to park rats. The crowd they're gonna try to appeal to isn't gonna ski for more than a couple of runs a day anyway.


Na, back in the 90s the park was at westridge and it's a long run on the further most lookers right of the resort. You will loose a lot of regular non-park traffic moving it over there. At bear the park is down the middle of the main run top to bottom and all too often congestion was an issue. Although I haven't ridden bear in four years so I could be wrong.

When they merged and moved the park from summit to bear, that was when it was done as a marketing ploy to draw more progressive riders to bear, and that was when it was OC'd.


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## highme (Dec 2, 2012)

The park on Ego Trip was my jam, with the wooden cop car and the "mini halfpipe with a spine".

I think Mammoth locals will be the most fucked by this. Big Bear has been a hot crowded mess on weekends forever. An $800 pass that gives you access to Mammoth as well as the SoCal shitshow? So many more people will be drawn north.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

highme said:


> The park on Ego Trip was my jam, with the wooden cop car and the "mini halfpipe with a spine".
> 
> I think Mammoth locals will be the most fucked by this. Big Bear has been a hot crowded mess on weekends forever. An $800 pass that gives you access to Mammoth as well as the SoCal shitshow? So many more people will be drawn north.


You are 100% right. Then again, rentals in mammoth are going to be expensive. There is nowhere cheap to stay in mammoth. That is the only limiting factor.


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## Bones (Feb 24, 2008)

lab49232 said:


> The truth is all the mountains money comes from the weekend warriors, gappers, and families with six kids in tow dropping 80 each for a day ticket.


Yes and no. Most resorts are first and foremost real estate plays with food and beverage profits a secondary consideration. The mountain operations are the hook. Kind of like movie theaters are there to make money off popcorn, not tickets.

Mountain regulars are great, but they're not buying timeshares, condos, renting hotel rooms and eating all three meals every day in the restaurants. The weekend warriors and the gappers are the ones putting the cash in all those tills.

I am still amazed to see that jewelery stores at some big resorts do very, very well.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Bones said:


> Yes and no. Most resorts are first and foremost real estate plays with food and beverage profits a secondary consideration. The mountain operations are the hook. Kind of like movie theaters are there to make money off popcorn, not tickets.
> 
> Mountain regulars are great, but they're not buying timeshares, condos, renting hotel rooms and eating all three meals every day in the restaurants. The weekend warriors and the gappers are the ones putting the cash in all those tills.
> 
> I am still amazed to see that jewelery stores at some big resorts do very, very well.


Very true, I was equating those people to the ones who rent condos and such as well. Those of us who buy season passes, drive up to the hill in the morning and home at night, pack food etc. We're actually worthless to the resort but I'm ok with that because the more money the resort has the better it's taken care of and I understand dealing with crowds allows me to have a resort to ride in the first place. The real truth is is if everyone on this forum gave up and never spent another penny in the industry nobody would even remotely notice. In fact resorts would be able to open later in the season and close earlier than they do now. Resorts operate at or near a loss in early and late season.


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## j.gnar (Sep 4, 2009)

lab49232 said:


> True, but then doesn't that mean they are pulling people away from a different resort and thus making that one *less* crowded? The only way it actually can lead to more crowds at each mountain is if it increases the total amount of people who buy passes, which well the industry isn't in good enough shape for us all to be selfish enough to hope everybody quits riding.


honestly, i think this whole ordeal will result in longer lines at mammoth if anything. instead of having to pay $100 a day for a ticket you can just use your cal4nia pass which is only ~$200 more than a bear anytime pass, it would pay itself off after a handful of days


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## j.gnar (Sep 4, 2009)

BurtonAvenger said:


> You guys are thinking small time here. It's all about the proposed Super Tram! Mammoth Mountain Jealous of Vail, Buys Bear and Snow Summit -


do you have any sources for said super tram proposal? i cant find anything


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## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

BurtonAvenger said:


> You guys are thinking small time here. It's all about the proposed Super Tram! Mammoth Mountain Jealous of Vail, Buys Bear and Snow Summit -


Bah, Super Trams are for kiddies. I heard they are gonna use Elon Musks Hyperloop. Eat that Vail.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

j.gnar said:


> honestly, i think this whole ordeal will result in longer lines at mammoth if anything. instead of having to pay $100 a day for a ticket you can just use your cal4nia pass which is only ~$200 more than a bear anytime pass, it would pay itself off after a handful of days


If there's longer lines at Mammoth there will be shorter lines at Bear. Mammoth buying Bear isn't going to suddenly turn everybody in Socal in to daily riders. People will ride roughly the same amount, about the same amount of people will be snowboarding, just at different places.

Crowds are not a concern in this at all. If you want to be concerned how the facilities, parks etc etc are going to be run ok. But outside of that this will have no affect.


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## onthefence (Dec 16, 2010)

j.gnar said:


> do you have any sources for said super tram proposal? i cant find anything


Haha I googled this too. Pretty sure its just a joke tho, I really can't see that being realistic and actually existing. 

PS oh hey we live in the same city.


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## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

(CNN) -- A flurry of small earthquakes rumbling near the Mammoth Mountain Volcano, have been categorized as "volcanic unrest" by the United States Geological Survey.

The gods are not happy with the acquisition....


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## LA Forever (Apr 2, 2013)

onthefence said:


> PS oh hey we live in the same city.


Oxnard in the house!


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