A man skis untracked snow at Aspen
Can you put a price on pristine powder? If Aspen’s untouched preseason runs are priceless to you, then $25,000 is a paltry sum for a divine ski excursion.
The famed Aspen ski resort is offering the “Ultimate Ski Pass,” allowing the skier unlimited runs on what we can only assume will be perfectly groomed trails. No lift lines, no reckless novices bombing down the mountain, and you get to lay the first tracks for the season. Aspen, the Rocky Mountain slope 150 miles southwest of Denver, is allowing the exclusive preseason access to 18 well-heeled (and presumably well-skied) buyers.
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But that $25,000 gets more than just the untouched runs. The skiers get to meet the U.S. Women’s Ski Team when they race at Aspen over Thanksgiving, and the affluent snowbirds will have breakfast with U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association president Bill Marolt. And naturally, the rest of the cost runneth off – in this case, though, to charity. Aspen Skiing Co. touts their relationship with the community and has pledged to donate the remainder of the Ultimate Ski fee to help either Aspen schools or World Cup Racing events, both of which are “under assault” in the area, the company notes.
Though the perks are plush, the cost is not. A normal full-season pass costs up to $1900. For more than 13 times the cost of the peons’ pass, the Ultimate Ski Pass is presumably only for those with padded wallets or a charitable spirit.
And the proof is in the numbers: historically, Aspen hasn’t come close to selling all 18. In the past, only two or three passes have been sold in total. For the upcoming season, they’ve sold just one so far.
Nick Carbone is a reporter at TIME. Find him on Twitter at @nickcarbone. You can also continue the discussion on TIME’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.