Can I use my buddy's Peaks Pass without "issues"?

As long as no one knows. So, don't breath a word.

I looked up the phrase "not transferable" in the dictionary and it clearly states that your buddy is allowed to transfer his Peaks pass to anyone he chooses.

While I was there, I also looked up "speeding" and it was defined as the act of breaking the law and hoping that you don't get caught.

Will using your buddy's pass be a problem? Only if you get caught, and only then if your actually planned to ski all day or your buddy ever planned to have a Peaks pass in the future.

Something to remeber,, Threft of Services is a felony. Just because some gets away with not having passes looked , doesn't mean your going to get away with it.
And your buddy, what if he wants to buy a new one next year, and the pass provider has a red flagg under his name and picture, chances are they won't sell him one next year,( if you get caught), all because you got caught using his pictured ski pass. Good luck.
btw , resort employess don't read the posts here. So you have nothing to worry about.

Your "friend" is lying or not too bright. If you think the lifties don't try to catch people, think again. They get paid a bonus for catches and they are very well aware that pass theft attempts increase exponentially as the season ends. If you get caught you will be prosecuted.

But by all means go for it. Our lifties need extra cash.

Liar.

If the lifties catch you skiing on someone else's pass, they do get a few $$ in their pocket. So there is some incentive there to catch people. I'd say your friend is right about the pass, especially if you're wearing goggles and a helmet.

In an extreme case, Breck has been known to have sheriffs waiting at the bottom of the hill to take people into custody for transferring passes. They did it once about 4 years ago.

If you really wanted to do this the honest way, just go get your own Peaks Pass. They're free and you just sign up at the ticket window. Plan on getting to the mountain an extra half hour early to do it though.

I'd go for it - especially wearing goggles and helmet.

Heh, morality by default.

I'm not sure which home page it was on from Vail Resorts, but they actually state the number of people ARRESTED for using others passes, and the number of passes currently revoked and/or under suspension.

I can't speak for the Vail owned Summit Cty resorts, but at Vail and Beaver Creek, there is a $$ bounty to any liftie snagging a fraudulent user. And yes, the police WILL be involved......

Final answer..... not worth it.....

Could be an interesting trip report with special attention to accomodations at the Crowbar Hotel. They have a "men's santuary" like the Stoweflake. Hey, it's Vail - only the best:

Wrong place to ask that question, my friend. Epicski is populated with the moral and ethics police.

That being said, I wouldn't suggest you use it either... however, I think you could get away with it quite easily. The rumors going around that Vail Resorts are stepping up their efforts? Horsesh*t. I've skied over 120 days the last few years, and not ONCE has a liftie actually looked at my pass, or anyone I was with.

You guys should ski in Switzerland, there is an electronic sensor at each lift, you must pass your card through the sansor before you get to the lift...Once I miss read the card and only one foot got in the turn stile, I had to take off the skis and climb in.

I could be wrong but I think it's almost impossible to scan a pass without looking at it.

Since the photo on my pass was taken so many years ago (younger, fatter, and no beard), I get asked "the questions" many times every year especially during the spring. I get the second face check almost every day upon which I usually say, "It's an old photo".

A friend of mine borrowed a Vail pass last year...they checked the picture and said "this is not you"...she was detained and questioned by police...

$300 fine + $81 to ski that day...ouch baby! :

You're wrong. They've got the "guns" they scan the passes with. Very rarely do they actually grab the pass to scan it- they simply shoot the gun at it as I slowly ski by. Not once has someone actaully looked at my face and double checked the pass... besides, as long as its a guy on there, how are they going to tell when I've got a helmet and goggles on?

I've never been asked any questions about my pass- maybe you just look suspicious.

You don't have to "grab a pass" to look at it. They are trained to quickly check pass photos without the guest knowing. How do you know where their eyes are when they are wearing sunglasses?

Maybe you resemble your photo.

I already stated why I get double-checked. The fact that I do, proves they check. The fact that others get caught also proves it. But by all means keep arguing your point...

I would agree that it probably isn't the best thing to teach your daughter.

But I would also say that dirtbagging and ski bumming is part of the ski culture. Rebellion against big resorts who build too many weekend condos isn't exactly the worst thing in the world.

I personally wouldnt' take a chance using someone else's pass. I guess if I couldn't afford lift tickets, then I'd hike for a few runs. Not saying some lift ticket prices aren't insane...some are crazy, some are reasonable...but they can set whatever they want. Tickets to sporting events are insane too...but I don't buy those, cause I just dont' care enough about it to pay those prices.

I agree with your thoughts about your kid -- if everyone lived their life by the values they try to instill in their children then we'd always eat our vegetables, not flip anyone off in traffic, and only say something if we had something nice to say. And everyone would get a cupcake, except the people with wheat allergies who would get yogurt.

On a somewhat related note, was in New Hampshire a few weeks ago. Our package deal came with vouchers for lift tickets that were good at any of about seven mountains. We ended up with extra vouchers because one day went to Sunday River (not included) and one day the temp/wind chill was something like...40 below at the base...went x-c skiing instead.

So, we figured we'd sell some of these things....but who wants to buy a "voucher." We redeemed teh vouchers for lift tickets (4 - there were two couples) as soon as the ticket office opened, and then thought we'd sell the tickets. We figured it was ok, since we didnt' actually USE the lift tickets. We were wrong. Got the attention of happy friently resort staffer (this was at Attitash) who told us it was illegal to sell them, and to leave immediately or he'd call the cops. Ouch. Funny thing was I thougth he was interested in buying them at first, and was doing my best to tell him the tickets were legit and he was getting a good deal -- until I saw the Attitash logo on his jacket -- doh! We scurried away with our tails between our legs -- there was plenty of room there where our b-lls used to be -- went and changed jackets, and used the tickets ourselves.

I still think it's wrong that we couldnt' sell the tickets. The statute we allegedly violated was "theft of services" but since we never actually used the tickets, not even for a single run, how coudl we have stolen anything? I'd attempt to sell the tickets again, since I wasn't actually using them and then re-selling -- but I'd do it in the hot tub the night before...and make arrangements so as not to get nabbed.

Oh well. Made for a good story when I got back to work....with some embellishment of course.

Do not try to make sense of those "theft of service" laws as applied to lift tickets. It is really "breach of contract" which is a civil matter when it involves lots of money. The peons get fined and jailed...