My end-of-season ski statement had two very clean numbers.
Household point balance: 0.
Reward certificates available: 0.
The rest of the email was much more exciting. Vail Resorts called 2007–08 a record-breaking season and was already selling the next one. The new Epic Pass offered unlimited, unrestricted access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Heavenly for $579.
Putting down $49 before the end of May locked it in. The balance would come due in September. Buying early also came with discounted lift tickets for friends and the possibility of earning 10,000 PEAKS points.
The offer was attached to an account with no points and no certificates. Nothing in the statement explained why the balances were zero. It did not list visits, lift tickets, or days on the mountain.
The Epic Pass terms were specific. Five named resorts were included. Access was described as unlimited and unrestricted. The full price was $579. A $49 payment before the deadline held the pass, with the remaining balance due in September.
The email was selling the 2008–09 season before summer had started. It also promoted discounted tickets for friends and a possible 10,000 PEAKS points.
I had not purchased the pass in this message. There was no receipt, confirmation number, or updated balance. It was a statement and an offer, not a completed order.
The two parts sat next to each other without much explanation. My account totals were both zero. The sales section promised unrestricted access to five mountains and thousands of future points.
I could reserve the pass for $49 before the end of May. I had not done it yet.
Household point balance: 0.
Reward certificates available: 0.