How Blue’s best deal became a local institution.
by Geoff Taylor
There’s the first-tracks crowd lined up waiting for the lifts to open who are done by 10 a.m. to have a coffee with friends, the locals working from home who come out for a few runs at lunch, and students who arrive for a few turns after school and take advantage of the fully-lit trails at night.
“Choosing your moments changes the way people ski,” says Blue Mountain’s president Dan Skelton, explaining how the 5×7 Pass makes it easy to fit a session on the slopes into personal schedules and lifestyles. “Last season, 5×7 Pass holders took over one million runs at Blue.”
When Blue Mountain first introduced the 5×7 Pass in 2002, the goal was to increase the number of skiers midweek and at night. The idea was to provide unlimited skiing Monday to Friday with few restrictions throughout the winter. At the time, no one realized the 5×7 Pass would ultimately revolutionize the way people of all ages approach the sport. By 2012 the term “5×7” was a registered trademark unique to Blue Mountain.
Former president Gord Canning remembers the excitement. “It was the power of intuition by Bev Philp, our marketing director. There was a sense of adventure about the idea. It was a concept that couldn’t be proven on a spreadsheet.” They decided to jump in with both skis. “The first year we sold 3,000 passes and doubled our number of midweek skiers. We knew we were onto something,” says Canning.
“We had no budget for promoting the pass,” Philp recalls of the early days when it was all legwork. “It was guerrilla marketing. We knocked on doors across southern Ontario. Firehalls, hairdressers, police stations, schools, nightclubs—wherever we thought potential skiers might take advantage of a midweek pass.” The pricing has always reflected an investment less expensive than three individual full-day passes. “That is the customer break-even point and skiers were ready to take that chance,” says Philp.
The pass removes the impetus to have to ski all day.
State-of-the-art technology removes reliance on natural snow cover and allows Blue Mountain’s snow guns to blanket the runs soon after the weather turns cold. “Our snowmaking capability pretty much guarantees Blue can offer a ski season of 90 days,” says Skelton.
The benefits of buying a 5×7 Pass continue to expand. The pass now offers visitors unlimited access to hiking and gondola rides, as well as year-round discounts on other tickets and services. Special VIP events are held exclusively for pass holders and if a 5×7 Pass holder decides not to use their pass, for any reason, they can elect to defer and receive a full credit to use the following year.
Beyond the Collingwood area, most pass holders live within a two-hour drive of the hill. Many skiers have graduated to the Ikon Pass, providing access to 50-plus ski destinations across North America and around
the world.
Veteran skiers, considering hanging up their skis, have extended their careers in the sport with the use of the 5×7 Pass, which provides the promise of “I can ski if I want to.” By picking their moments, these skiers can ski longer, selecting only bluebird days when conditions are perfect, the snow is not too heavy and the hills are wide open—ideal for a few runs with friends, children and grandchildren to show them how it’s done.
“My father’s mission was getting more people out to enjoy the Ontario winter and growing the sport of skiing,” reflects George Weider, son of Jozo Weider, who founded Blue Mountain in the 1940s. At that time, skiing was considered an elite and somewhat dangerous pastime for weekenders from the city. “His original vision was attracting more people to skiing and providing greater access to the sport.” The impact of the 5×7 Pass is a natural continuation of Jozo’s passion.
