Who Gets to Ski? (Published 2022) (2024)

When Tim Pham learned to ski in the 1980s, the sport seemed simpler. He would go to quiet resorts in Northern California like Sugar Bowl, where he would show up any time of day, buy a $35 lift pass, and ski without facing lines or crowds.

“I could just decide I wanted a lesson and go up to the window and ask for one,” Mr. Pham, 50, said. “There were no reservations needed or long lines.”

He didn’t even have the right gear. “I skied in jeans and rented skis,” he said. “The boots never fit right, but we didn’t care.” Afterward, he would head to the lodge, where there was live music and domestic beer on tap for $2.

“I miss those days,” said Mr. Pham, who now lives in San Jose, Calif., and works in corporate wellness.

Now, he said, everything is more of a hassle.

In 2017, his local mountain, Palisades Tahoe, became part of Alterra Mountain Company, a huge skiing conglomerate that owns prestigious properties across the country including Deer Valley in Park City, Utah. Since 2018, the company has sold an Ikon Pass, which, at various prices, offers admission to its 47 mountain destinations all season long.

The result: more skiers.

“I used to be able to get to the mountain in the afternoon and ski half the day. Now, if you don’t get to the resort by 7:30 a.m., you can’t find parking,” Mr. Pham said. “Now, on weekends and holidays, there are lines everywhere.”