Michigan Ski Resort Stirs Controversy With "$10,000 Pass Sales Contest"

This past weekend, October 21st, Mount Bohemia, a legendary Michigan-based ski resort, stirred the pot when they announced that they would give $10,000 to whoever gets the most people to sign up for a Mount Bohemia lifetime pass. Additionally, per the contest's rules, if you get six of your pals to buy a Mount Bohemia lifetime pass, you get one yourself for free.

Before you make up your mind about this contest, a little context is necessary. Seasons passes at Mount Bohemia are dirt cheap, costing $109.

Lifetime season passes at the resort, which offer 75 years of skiing at Mount Bohemia, are also comparatively inexpensive at $1,299.

The resort also offers $99 season passes that exclude access on Saturdays.

For reference, a Midweek Bypass™ at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming, costs $1629.

You get the picture. Mount Bohemia is an outlier among outliers when it comes to pass pricing.

As is often the case on the internet, several skiers weren't too keen on the contest.

One skier wrote the below the post: "Another bohemia gimmick."

Mount Bohemia, never afraid to get in on the comments section action, had a wonderful response: "Remember this promotion is purely optional similar to going to Red Lobster and hating on the all-you-can-eat shrimp for $20 because you love lobster . btw you can still order lobster tail at red lobster."

Y'know, they have a point.

Another commenter suggested that the contest was similar to a Ponzi scheme: "No guys don't worry its totally different from a pyramid scheme its called MLM!"

Mount Bohemia, again, had a measured response: "Guys first off you don't have to participate . Secondly you can still buy the lowest price season pass in North America and not buy a lifetime pass. We just thought this would be a great way to empower people to join up with their friends to earn themselves a free lifetime pass and maybe if they were really good at sales possibly $10,000 dollars."

You gotta appreciate the endurance of Lonie Glieberman, Mount Bohemia's owner, who runs the resort's Instagram page. Getting into the comments section to defend anything -- be it your favorite movie or, in this case, a little contest -- is like pushing a massive boulder up a hill. Sisyphus would understand.

The final commenter I picked up on, inexplicably, was concerned that the contest's prize purse had caused an increase in Mount Bohemia's pass prices. As already noted, Mount Bohemia's passes, lifetime or otherwise, are unbelievably cheap, so I can't totally understand the concern.

Regardless, in response, Mount Bohemia was quick to point out that the price increase of the standard passes -- from $99 to $109 -- resulted from "inflation conditions" in 2022, not the contest.

Glieberman also provided POWDER with a statement via email that broadly addressed those upset about the contest: "We are not sure of why there is even controversy over a 10,000 giveaway. At Bohemia we empower our season passholders to be our soldiers in our war to get more customers. We see gaining passholders like an army sees gaining more territory. We are confident our empowered army of Bohemia passholders will continue to liberate more skiers looking for a lifetime of skiing at an amazing place."

If you haven't picked up on it by now, Mount Bohemia is different.

It wasn't all negative in the comments section. Plenty of skiers piled on the love for the quirky resort. I think this comment sums up the positive side of the reactions pretty well: "HATERS… I say POUR on the gimmicks. I want a boho Only F*ns, calendar spread, and branded flamethrower. Best place in the world!"

I, too, want a Mount Bohemia-branded flamethrower. Fingers crossed.

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