Skiers and snowboarders today have many choices when deciding where to spend their time on the slopes.
While discussions around Mega Passes versus independent ski areas seem to dominate social media, both share a fundamental expectation: a seamless guest experience without unnecessary waiting.
Today’s consumers are used to skipping lines for coffee, groceries, and everyday essentials—so why should skiing be any different? Standing in line to purchase or collect a lift ticket is increasingly becoming a thing of the past.
Online purchases, along with using self-service solutions such as kiosks and pick-up boxes to get passes, have significantly reduced the need to wait in a ticketing line upon arrival at a resort or ski area. Accelerated further by the COVID period and the push toward contactless interactions, these expectations have now become the new standard. Today, guests not only prefer convenience—they expect it. It is unlikely they will return to standing in line when faster, easier options are available.
As a result, RFID ticketing has become a core technology across the industry. With adoption now exceeding 80% in North America, resorts and ski areas of all sizes are embracing RFID technology to enhance the guest experience. Regardless of the size or visitor numbers, RFID offers greater convenience for guests while providing valuable insights and operational efficiencies for operators. It’s a win-win technology for both guests and operators.
Recently, the demand for our RFID technology from smaller operators has grown significantly. Over the past few years, at least half of our new customers have been semi-private ski clubs and community-based ski areas, all looking to improve efficiency and create smoother guest experiences.
One example is Boler Mountain in Central Ontario (CA), a community-run nonprofit founded in 1946 by veterans returning from World War II. Despite its modest hill of 207’ (63 m), the resort offers year-round activities including skiing, snow tubing, and world-class mountain biking events. Boler Mountain has implemented Axess RFID ticketing, along with 2 Axess PICK UP BOX units, and 12 AX500 Smart Gate NG units to streamline guest access across the resort.
Another great example of small community ski area is Glen Eden in Kelso Conservation Area, just outside Toronto (CA). This 240’ (43 m) vertical recreation playground boasts 100% snowmaking with 3 quads and 3 carpets and adaptive skiing programs – all accessible to a large population base. Glen Eden issues the same Axess RFID passes as larger destination resorts such as Blue Mountain and Mount Tremblant —both Axess customers—, making it easier for winter sports enthusiasts to hit the slopes without waiting in a ticketing line. They have installed 15 AX500 Smart Gate NG units, 5 Axess PICK UP BOX and Axess SMART PRINTER 600 for printing cards.
Additionally, many private and semi-private ski clubs across North America (where membership and a paid subscription is required) have relied on Axess Solutions to manage the flow and tracking of members and their guests on the slopes and lift access, as well as other facilities such as restricted areas, parking, lockers, and members-only spaces. For example, Windham Club in the Catskills (US) has been an Axess customer for over 8 years, while Ski Big Bear in Pennsylvania (US) uses our solutions to track daily skiers as well as their HOA (Homeowners Association) members.
Today, RFID ticketing is no longer reserved for large destination resorts. It has become a unified standard across the industry, used by both Mega Pass destinations and independent ski areas of all sizes.
Beyond enhancing the guest experience, RFID technology delivers valuable insights from skier and rider data to operators. It provides real-time information on lift capacities and skier traffic flow, while supporting lost-child location and electronic online ticketing waivers—all seamlessly bundled and supported by Axess.