A Petition to Snowbird to Revoke the Fast Tracks Program

Snowbird’s recent introduction of the Fast Tracks program violates the Deceptive Trade Practices clause of the Utah Commerce and Trade Code.

Snowbird describes the Fast Tracks Program on their website as such: “Level up your next day on snow with Fast Tracks, a daily add-on option that gives you exclusive access to dedicated express lift lanes.”  This add-on option begins at 69 dollars/day, but is ‘dynamically priced’ meaning it can be adjusted with no limit based on resort crowding and conditions.  

Snowbird has engaged in Deceptive Trade Practices

By disclosing the existence of the Fast Tracks program in early October, 6 MONTHS AFTER season passes were first offered to the public, Snowbird, and their holding company, POWDR Corp, have violated the Deceptive Trade Practices clause of the Utah Commerce and Trade Code.

They have violated specifically:

13-11a-3.  Deceptive trade practices enumerated:

Section G: Deceptive trade practices occur when, in the course of a person's business, vocation, or occupation that person: “represents that goods or services are of a particular standard, quality, or grade, or that goods are of a particular style or model, if they are of another;”

Section I: “advertises goods or services or the price of goods and services with intent not to sell them as advertised.”

The Season Pass has been devalued

At Disney World, the ride experience remains the same regardless of time spent waiting.  In skiing this is not the case, conditions on the mountain often deteriorate while waiting in line for the chairlift.  Snowbird describes their main season pass product, the Summit Pass: “The Summit Pass is the best way to experience everything Snowbird has to offer. Unlimited access to Snowbird with no blackout dates and a bevy of amazing benefits.”  By offering the Fast Tracks daily upgrade, the Summit Pass no longer fits the description: “the best way to experience everything Snowbird has to offer.”  The Fast Tracks upgrade clearly devalues the experience of a Summit Pass passholder by offering an express lane at a daily upcharge, which will contribute to longer lift lines for season passholders.  Until now, a season passholder did not have to worry about another passholder paying more money on a per diem basis to gain faster access to the chairlift, and thus the terrain when it is in good condition.   Therefore, the quality of the Summit Pass was not represented accurately(Section G); also, Snowbird advertised it with this misrepresentation for 6 months, and continues to do so at the time of writing this petition(Section I).

Snowbird cannot make this right by offering refunds

Ski Resorts raise prices on season pass products as winter approaches to encourage earlier purchases.  Due to this business model, Snowbird cannot make this right by offering refunds because other resorts have increased their season pass prices accordingly.  A person who bought a Snowbird season pass in April cannot purchase a season pass at another resort at an equivalent price point because other resorts have also raised prices on season pass products since April.  Snowbird did not inform its clients of Fast Tracks’ existence at the time of purchase, and a refund is not equitable because they cannot make an equivalent purchase at a separate resort should they wish to with this information.  If Snowbird wanted to introduce this program, they needed to have done so when season passes became available to purchase. By introducing it now, they have acted in a deceptive and unfair manner which has harmed their season passholders.

By Signing This Petition

By signing this petition, I am asking that Snowbird remove the option to purchase a Fast Tracks Pass to its resort through any channel.  I also call on Utah Attorney General, Sean Reyes, to please read this and take action to protect his citizens from this unfair and deceptive trade practice that has occurred within his state.