adminFor a limited time, Mt. Baldy is offering season passes for $59 to skiers and snowboarders who have never had a Baldy pass before. “It’s an almost risk-free way to sample our mountain,” said Mt. Baldy president Ron Ellingson.
“Passes are intended for skiers and snowboarders unfamiliar with Mt. Baldy and issued on a strict first-come, first-served basis,” said Ellingson. ”We know that some will look at the offer and think, ‘What’s the catch?’ There isn’t one, just a few restrictions.” Those include buying the pass by the end of November, and making sure there are still passes available. And that’s the tricky part; the resort is not revealing the maximum number of $59 passes it will sell.
The pass itself is a virtual one. That is, passholders do not receive a physical pass, but have their names placed on a list of passholders. To use the pass, they must reserve their day tickets at least 24 hours in advance; otherwise, tickets cost $15. And if a $59 pass buyer has purchased a Mt. Baldy pass at any time in the past, they will be required to “upgrade” to a regular Baldy pass.
Baldy’s aim in all this is to help skiers and riders discover the area’s natural gladed terrain and steeps, and to realize it’s all nearby. The area is the closest ski resort to Los Angeles, Orange County and most of the Inland Empire—within 60 minutes of most of these areas. “We are the local mountain resort to about 10 million people, but many … are surprised to learn how close we really are,” said Ellingson. He added, “By offering first time rider season passes for only $59, we will start to put Mt. Baldy back on the map.”
