Lift ticket prices seem to be going up all over, but it is rare for a resort to send out an explanation of exactly why their prices are going up and to apologize for it. Timberline Lodge, in that radical, lawless, war zone known as Oregon, did that today.
Their liability insurance, which was difficult to even get, reportedly increased by more than two and a half times, and their deductible is 10 times higher than last year, therefore their ticket prices are going up:
Guests will see increases in peak time lift ticket pricing, tier 2 season pass pricing, and summer ski products. We want you to know: Timberline remains committed to delivering the best possible mountain experience. But without long-term solutions from the State Legislature, the impacts will be unavoidable; higher costs, reduced offerings, and diminished opportunities for recreation in Oregon. This threatens not only skiers and riders, but also rural communities, jobs, and families who depend on tourism.
For the entire letter (including some of the politics behind recreation in Oregon), please follow the jump.
A Message for Oregonians:
Why Prices Are Increasing
On June 1, we were notified that our insurance carrier would be leaving Oregon effective October 1, a casualty of the state’s broken recreational liability system. Without reform, Oregon has become an untenable place for insurers. Timberline, along with other tourism and outdoor operators, have warned for more than a decade that this day would come. Without state-level liability policy reform, conditions will continue to deteriorate.
We were able to secure coverage for the coming ski season, but only at an extraordinarily high cost:
This year our liability insurance premium has increased by more than two and a half times, a 166% jump
This year’s deductible is now 10 times higher than last year’s
Since 2020, our liability insurance has increased 586%
These changes create unsustainable financial pressure. We are absorbing as much of this cost as possible, but cannot shoulder all of it. This is not the fault of our recreational insurance carriers, many of which have already been forced to leave the state.
Guests will see increases in peak time lift ticket pricing, tier 2 season pass pricing, and summer ski products. We want you to know: Timberline remains committed to delivering the best possible mountain experience. But without long-term solutions from the State Legislature, the impacts will be unavoidable; higher costs, reduced offerings, and diminished opportunities for recreation in Oregon. This threatens not only skiers and riders, but also rural communities, jobs, and families who depend on tourism.
We are deeply disappointed that our efforts to reform (House Bill 3140 and Senate Bill 1196) were not advanced this past legislative session. That was another missed opportunity to protect Oregon’s outdoor future.
If you value recreation in Oregon, we encourage you to learn more and get involved at protectoregonrec.org. Together, we can push for the changes needed to keep Oregon a place where outdoor access thrives.
We appreciate your understanding, and we thank you for standing with all Oregon recreational providers through these challenges.
