March 24 (Reuters) - Four skiers have filed a proposed

class action against Vail Resorts ( MTN ) and Alterra Mountain Co in

U.S. federal court, accusing the companies of exploiting their

grip on the industry to artificially inflate the cost of skiing

and snowboarding across the country.

The lawsuit, filed on Monday in U.S. federal court in Denver,

said Vail and Alterra, which own or operate 60 ski areas around

the country, are violating federal antitrust law by bundling

access to resorts in their multi-mountain season passes.

The plaintiffs, three Colorado residents and one

Massachusetts resident, allege both companies set high

single-day lift ticket prices to steer consumers into purchasing

higher-priced multi-mountain season passes.

"For years, skiers have been told that soaring lift-ticket

prices, reduced choice, and overcrowding are simply the new

reality," Greg Asciolla, a lead attorney for the plaintiffs,

said in a statement. "Our complaint alleges that these outcomes

are not the result of healthy competition, but of exclusionary

conduct by two companies that dominate access to the most

desirable destinations."

Vail in a statement said the claims in the lawsuit are

without merit. Vail said its multi-resort Epic Pass was launched

in 2008 to make skiing more accessible and reduced the price of

a season pass by 60%. The company also said it has launched new,

lower-priced pass options in recent years.

Alterra declined to comment.

According to the lawsuit, a wave of mergers, buyouts and

partnerships dating back 30 years has created "two - and only

two - behemoth ski resort owner/operators in the United States:

Vail Resorts ( MTN ) and Alterra."

The price of Vail's Epic Pass has climbed 37% since the

2021-22 season, to $1,089, according to the lawsuit. Alterra's

Ikon Pass has risen 40% over the same period, to $1,399.

The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified monetary damages and

a court injunction dismantling the alleged bundling practices on

behalf of a proposed class of all U.S. consumers who purchased

certain tickets since 2022.

The lawsuit said it seeks class action status for

potentially millions of skiers and snowboarders in the United

States and its territories.

The case is Goloja v. Vail Resorts Inc , U.S. District Court

for the District of Colorado, No. 1:26-cv-01191.

For plaintiffs: Gregory Asciolla of DiCello Levitt; Eric

Cramer of Berger Montague; and Yaman Salahi of Salahi PC

For defendants: Not yet known