California Ski Passes in Vermont? The Interesting Things Found at Stratton’s Clean-Up Day

Skiers may have an environmental streak, but they can also be a messy bunch. Beer cans, hand warmers, general detritus—you name it, you’ll probably find it on the slopes of your favorite long after the snow melts. 

To combat the trash that comes with the skiing masses, many resorts host clean-up days in the spring. Stratton, Vermont, is one of them. 

While their search turned up the usual suspects (you might be able to guess what they are), a few surprising contenders made their way into the mix, too. 

Here’s what Stratton found.

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Handwarmers and old poles check out. The number of shooter bottles, while unfortunate, wasn’t surprising, either. 

But how about those Mammoth or Mt. Bachelor passes? You’d expect to find some from other Vermont resorts, but these passes traveled a good distance from California and Oregon, respectively, before they arrived in Vermont. 

It’s fun to think about the kind of second lives old passes take on, long after they’ve become useful. They end up in old dressers or pant pockets often, but they might find their final resting place on a mountain thousands of miles away from where they originated. While the Mammoth pass spotting was fun, it’d be even more interesting to see one from an obscure ski destination like Georgia (the country, not the state).

Even better, though, would be if Stratton’s staff didn’t find any old passes at all. Yes, ski resorts might be closer to amusement parks than real-deal natural areas, but that doesn’t mean you can chuck your junk wherever you like. 

Instead, we recommend building a stash of all your old passes. Then, on a hot summer day, it’ll be easier to reminisce about all the fun mountains you’ve visited. 

While you’re at it, consider seeing if your home mountain has a clean-up day. Many resorts host them on a volunteer basis, letting the community look after their favorite place to ski. Maybe, if you're lucky, you'll find actual treasures instead of old junk.