Letters to the Editor 4.7.2018
The World According to AARP
I always look forward to Jack Lunch’s 2nd page editorials, especially his April Fool’s version. In last week’s April Fool’s version, he had some rather humorous “tongue in cheek” comments on the senior pass issue. Recently, there have been several Letters to the Editor in regards to Mammoth Mountain discontinuing the senior pass.
Some letters argue that the senior pass should be continued because seniors have been loyal to Mammoth Mountain over many years. Some argue they have bought the MVP pass in their earlier years when the Mountain was growing and needed support.
These same people continued to support the Mountain as loyal customers in their later years by continuing to buy the MVP or senior pass.
In talking with other seniors, I suggest taking a look at the senior pass from another perspective. Take a look at Mountain facilities usage and the amount of time seniors ski the Mountain versus the younger groups. Many of us seniors no longer desire to ski a full day to get our last dollars’ worth.
In fact, many of us will only ski from around 8:30 a.m.-11 a.m. and then we get off the Mountain before it gets crazy.
In fact, this helps fill a void in lack of skiers during these hours. Most of us seniors avoid weekends and holidays, we usually ski mid-week. As seniors, we have come to realize that we are no longer immortal and that our bodies do not heal as if we were in our 20s, 30s or 40s.
Contrary to the Mountain’s claim, many of our senior friends have been injured by out-of-control skiers and boarders, especially during peak usage times.
When one looks at the usage factor of seniors versus the younger groups, the Mountain is getting a great deal from the senior pass.
Many years ago, while I was talking with one of my customer counterparts, he was commiserating about how he complained to his boss about a particular issue. His boss told him if he felt strongly about the issue he should vote with his feet—in other words, move on.
In fact, this young man took his boss’s advice and moved on to another company. Today, he is a senior vice president in that company.
In the case of the senior pass, if you really feel strongly about the issue, vote with your feet and your pocketbook. Spoken as a senior.
John Stavlo
Mammoth Lakes
