
If you want to rack up as many days on the slopes as you can, a season pass is the way to go. The main question is: Which pass is right for me and is it too late to buy a 2019/2020 pass?
Short answer: It depends and no. It’s not too late to buy a multi-pass for this upcoming winter depending on where and how many days you want to ride. This season the main multi-resort passes are Epic Pass, Ikon Pass, and Mountain Collective (MC). As a passholder of any of the three, you get access to resorts all over the world.
Each one combines access to awesome ski resorts around North America, Japan, Europe, and in the Southern Hemisphere (yes there are ski resorts in Australia). Epic includes riding at a whopping 78 resorts, Ikon has 41 destinations, and Mountain Collective boasts 18 ski resorts. Depending on where the snow decides to fall each year you can hedge your bets and go to the best, snowiest location.
The number of included days ranges from unlimited at the high end to a set number of free days or half off additional days. The unlimited Ikon and Epic passes can be perfect for locals who live near the mountain, but the fixed days on other passes (like Epic Local and Mountain Collective) may be better value for one or two vacations. Mountain Collective includes two days at each participating resort plus 50% off single-day window prices, which adds up to an excellent value after you do the math.
Using Epic as an example, if you want to get in 10 days at a handful of the 78 resorts, there are a mind-boggling four trillion different combinations. (That’s 12 zeros.) To simplify the options, I’m comparing the passes by specific region. It makes it easy to see which pass works best (and gives the best value) for the type of trips and snowboarding you want to do. The multi-resort passes for the 2019-2020 season launched last spring, so you have missed the lowest prices but they still offer good value if you expect to snowboard enough.
Epic Pass vs. Ikon Pass By Region
If you know where you want to ride this, jump ahead to see the pass that gives you the best value:
- Colorado Central
- Colorado Destination
- Utah Central
- California
- Canadian Rockies
- Mountain West Destination
- Vermont
- Local Resorts
- International (Outside North America)
- Europe
- Japan
- Southern Hemisphere
- Summary
In each region, I’m pricing for one adult, non-holiday (non-restricted) for the last week of February into the first week of March 2020. I compare based on the average cost per day (divide total pass price by number of days) and see how many days it would take to pay off the pass using the window ticket prices.
How to read average-cost-per-day tables
Assuming daily ticket price is $120, and cost of a pass is $1,000, it would take nine days of riding before the pass is less expensive than individual window tickets. Column one shows the number of days on the mountain, column two is the average window price per day, and the third column shows the average cost per day after purchasing the season pass. On day nine, the average cost per day of the pass drops below the window price, making it the better value.
Days of riding | Window Price | Pass Price |
1 | $120 | $1,000 |
2 | 120 | 500 |
3 | 120 | 333 |
4 | 120 | 250 |
5 | 120 | 200 |
6 | 120 | 167 |
7 | 120 | 143 |
8 | 120 | 125 |
9 | 120 | 111 |
10 | 120 | 100 |
Pass prices as of 10/18/19 in US Dollars: Epic Pass $989, Ikon Pass $1,099, and Mountain Collective (MC) $509. Prices are subject to change often so visit each pass or ski resort website for latest pricing.
Colorado Central Ski Resorts

The core resorts on the Epic and Ikon passes are in the heart of the Colorado Rockies along I-70. These resorts are the go-to vacation spots and favorites for day trips from Denver (if you can tolerate the traffic). Epic includes Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, and Beaver Creek. Ikon includes Eldora, Copper, Winter Park, and Arapahoe Basin. It’s worth noting that Epic offers almost twice as many skiable acres as Ikon in this area of Colorado.
Epic Days | Acres | Epic Pass |
Unlimited | 3,148 | Keystone |
Unlimited | 2,908 | Breckenridge |
Unlimited | 5,289 | Vail |
Unlimited | 1,815 | Beaver Creek |
Ikon Days | Acres | Ikon Pass |
Unlimited | 680 | Eldora |
Unlimited | 2,465 | Copper |
Unlimited | 3,081 | Winter Park |
7 | 1,458 | A-Basin (MC) |
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains have some of the highest resorts in North America, topping out near 13,000 feet with base areas at 8,000 feet. If you are coming from sea level be prepared for the elevation. (Check out our article on how to handle elevation and avoid altitude sickness like a pro.) The average snowfall in this area is 300+ inches per year, and the snow is typically dry and fluffy. The typical Colorado ski and snowboarding season starts in November and resorts close in mid April.
For Epic Pass you’ll have to ride 9 days (seven days for Epic Local) to have a better average cost per day than buying Epic day passes at the window. The Ikon Pass also requires 9 days (six days for Ikon Base) to have a better average cost per day than the window. By day 9 they are fairly comparable average daily cost at $99 for Epic Pass and $110 for Ikon Pass.
Days | Window | Epic Local | Epic Pass | Epic Location |
1 | $112 | $739 | $989 | Keystone |
2 | 112 | 370 | 495 | Keystone |
3 | 112 | 246 | 330 | Breckenridge |
4 | 112 | 185 | 247 | Breckenridge |
5 | 112 | 148 | 198 | Vail |
6 | 112 | 123 | 165 | Vail |
7 | 112 | 106 | 141 | Vail |
8 | 112 | 92 | 124 | Vail |
9 | 112 | 82 | 110 | Beaver Creek |
10 | 112 | 74 | 99 | Beaver Creek |
Days | Window | Ikon Base | Ikon Pass | Ikon Location |
1 | $144 | $799 | $1,099 | Winter Park |
2 | 144 | 400 | 550 | Winter Park |
3 | 144 | 266 | 366 | Winter Park |
4 | 144 | 200 | 275 | Winter Park |
5 | 140 | 160 | 220 | Copper |
6 | 138 | 133 | 183 | Copper |
7 | 136 | 114 | 157 | Copper |
8 | 135 | 100 | 137 | Copper |
9 | 131 | 89 | 122 | A-basin |
10 | 129 | 80 | 110 | Eldora |
Colorado Destination Ski Resorts

Colorado resorts located farther away from Denver (aka more remote and less crowded woo hoo) offer mountain town vibes and a solid weeklong destination. The town of Crested Butte, for example, has no chain locations (read: no Starbucks) so it offers an authentic local experience, gets you out of your typical routine, and encourages a bit of adventure.
Epic Days | Acres | Epic Pass |
7 + 50% | 2,000 | Telluride |
Unlimited | 1,547 | Crested Butte |
Ikon Days | Acres | Ikon Pass |
7 | 5,250 | Aspen (MC) |
Unlimited | 2,965 | Steamboat |
The Ikon Pass and Epic Pass offer comparable destination resorts in Colorado as well, but differ slightly in pricing. Seven days are included for Telluride on Epic and Aspen on Ikon. For Telluride on Epic the window price is lower, but for Aspen on Ikon Pass you pay the same price as the window (if those are the only resorts you visit with your pass). Aspen is also on Mountain Collective, and it beats Ikon and window prices by day six. You will have to use your Epic or Ikon pass at additional resorts, as a week in Telluride or Aspen alone doesn’t to make it worth buying.
For Crested Butte on Epic Pass, the window price is much better average cost per day. The same is true for Steamboat on Ikon Pass. (Note: I’m only showing seven days here and the passes offer unlimited days so the pass is good for a local, or anyone with more vacation days.) Bundling with other trips ups the value if you have the vacation days and go big on a 14-day trip (or two seven-day trips). Then, the pricing is comparable between passes and much better average cost per day than the window prices.
Epic Days | Window | Epic Pass | Epic Location |
1 | $149 | $989 | Telluride |
2 | 137 | 495 | Telluride |
3 | 137 | 330 | Telluride |
4 | 130 | 247 | Telluride |
5 | 130 | 198 | Telluride |
6 | 127 | 165 | Telluride |
7 | 121 | 141 | Telluride |
8 | 119 | 124 | Crested Butte |
9 | 117 | 110 | Crested Butte |
10 | 115 | 99 | Crested Butte |
11 | 112 | 90 | Crested Butte |
12 | 109 | 82 | Crested Butte |
13 | 106 | 76 | Crested Butte |
14 | 103 | 71 | Crested Butte |
Ikon Days | Window | Ikon Pass | Location | MC |
1 | $179 | $1,099 | Aspen | $509 |
2 | 159 | 550 | Aspen | 255 |
3 | 159 | 366 | Aspen | 200 |
4 | 149 | 275 | Aspen | 172 |
5 | 149 | 220 | Aspen | 156 |
6 | 149 | 183 | Aspen | 145 |
7 | 149 | 157 | Aspen | 137 |
8 | 150 | 137 | Steamboat | |
9 | 150 | 122 | Steamboat | |
10 | 151 | 110 | Steamboat | |
11 | 151 | 100 | Steamboat | |
12 | 152 | 92 | Steamboat | |
13 | 145 | 85 | Steamboat | |
14 | 145 | 79 | Steamboat |
Utah Central Ski Resorts

Utah offers exceptional terrain, beautiful views, and longer seasons with 500+ fluffy inches of annual snowfall. Utah resorts on the Epic Pass and Ikon Pass are within 45 miles of Salt Lake City, which makes them easily accessible to travelers and locals alike. That can mean major gridlock on a powder day, when everyone heads for their favorite mountain up narrow canyon roads. Hours of stopped traffic isn’t uncommon on a powder day. (Powder panic is real here!)
With an Ikon Pass there are five great mountains—Solitude, Brighton, Alta, Snowbird, and Deer Valley—and on Epic there are two resorts—Park City and Snowbasin. However, Park City is one of the largest resorts in the U.S. at 7,300 acres (it merged with Canyons in 2015). Also, if you’re a snowboarder you cannot ride at Alta and Deer Valley because these resorts are ski only. Epic wins out on acreage, but Ikon wins for diversity of locations.
Epic Days | Acres | Epic Pass |
Unlimited | 7,300 | Park City |
7 + 50% | 3,000 | Snowbasin |
Ikon Days | Acres | Ikon Pass |
Unlimited | 1,200 | Solitude |
7 | 1,050 | Brighton |
7 split | 2,500 | Snowbird (MC) |
7 split | 2,614 | Alta (MC) |
7 | 2,026 | Deer Valley |
In order to get a better average cost per day than the window ticket price, once again you have to go 9 days on Epic or 11 days on Ikon. The Mountain Collective Pass equals Ikon and window rates if you go all 11 days at Snowbird. If you find a pair of skis and do 11 days split between Alta and Snowbird, then the Mountain Collective beats Ikon and window rates.
Epic Days | Window | Epic Pass | Epic Location |
1 | $105 | $989 | Snowbasin |
2 | 120 | 495 | Snowbasin |
3 | 116 | 330 | Snowbasin |
4 | 115 | 247 | Park City |
5 | 115 | 198 | Park City |
6 | 114 | 165 | Park City |
7 | 114 | 141 | Park City |
8 | 114 | 124 | Park City |
9 | 113 | 110 | Park City |
10 | 113 | 99 | Park City |
11 | 113 | 90 | Park City |
Ikon Days | Window | Ikon Pass | Ikon Location | MC Alta/Snowbird |
1 | $86 | $1,099 | Solitude | $509 |
2 | 86 | 550 | Solitude | 255 |
3 | 86 | 366 | Solitude | 170 |
4 | 86 | 275 | Brighton | 127 |
5 | 86 | 220 | Brighton | 114 |
6 | 86 | 183 | Brighton | 106 |
7 | 92 | 157 | Snowbird | 100 |
8 | 96 | 137 | Snowbird | 95 |
9 | 99 | 122 | Snowbird | 91 |
10 | 102 | 110 | Snowbird | 88 |
11 | 104 | 100 | Snowbird | 86 |
California Ski Resorts
California resorts are known for snowstorms so massive that everything, including the chair lifts, gets buried. The coastal climate is more humid creating wetter snow. With 400+ inches annual snowfall, the Lake Tahoe area and farther South to Mammoth are must visit destinations.
Epic Pass offers unlimited riding at three sizeable resorts Northstar, Heavenly, and Kirkwood near Lake Tahoe with 75 miles separating them. Ikon Pass has unlimited access to four mountains in California, but they are spread farther apart. Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows are next to each other in Northern California, but there is a 180 mile drive to Mammoth and its smaller neighbor June resort. Mammoth is at a higher elevation, which brings deeper snow and a longer season, extending into the month of June.
Epic Days | Acres | Epic Pass |
Unlimited | 3,170 | Northstar |
Unlimited | 4,800 | Heavenly |
Unlimited | 2,300 | Kirkwood |
Ikon Days | Acres | Ikon Pass & MC |
Unlimited | 3,600 | Squaw Valley |
Unlimited | 2,400 | Alpine Meadows |
Unlimited | 3,500 | Mammoth |
Unlimited | 1,500 | June |
If you’re a local (Sacramento, San Francisco, and more metro areas), then an unlimited pass option is perfect and you’ll have to ride a minimum of 9 days on Epic and 10 days on Ikon to match window rates in California resorts. If you’re coming in from out of town, then Mountain Collective has exceptional value.
Epic Days | Window | Epic Pass | Epic Location |
1 | $112 | $989 | Northstar |
2 | 112 | 495 | Northstar |
3 | 112 | 330 | Northstar |
4 | 112 | 247 | Northstar |
5 | 112 | 198 | Kirkwood |
6 | 112 | 165 | Kirkwood |
7 | 112 | 141 | Kirkwood |
8 | 112 | 124 | Heavenly |
9 | 112 | 110 | Heavenly |
10 | 112 | 99 | Heavenly |
11 | 112 | 90 | Heavenly |
Ikon Days | Window | Ikon Pass | Location | MC |
1 | $139 | $1,099 | Squaw Valley | $509 |
2 | 139 | 550 | Squaw Valley | 255 |
3 | 108 | 366 | Squaw Valley | 200 |
4 | 92 | 275 | Alpine Meadows | 150 |
5 | 102 | 220 | Alpine Meadows | 120 |
6 | 108 | 183 | Alpine Meadows | 100 |
7 | 111 | 157 | Mammoth | 73 |
8 | 113 | 137 | Mammoth | 64 |
9 | 115 | 122 | Mammoth | 65 |
10 | 116 | 110 | Mammoth | 59 |
11 | 117 | 100 | Mammoth | 54 |
Canadian Rockies Ski Resorts

The Canadian Rocky Mountains are a dry powder paradise and the more remote resorts provide an escape from long lift lines. When people think of Canadian ski resorts, most think Whistler. There are many more incredible resorts in British Columbia and Alberta. Several of the resorts are on the famed powder highway (named after the snow that blankets the slopes) with others in the iconic Banff National Park.
Currency conversion rates factor in if you’re visiting from the U.S., Canada is effectively 25% off and has been for the past four years. This is wonderful for traveling on a budget, but makes getting value out of a multi-pass purchased with U.S. dollars more difficult. Your U.S. dollars go further on window lift tickets and the rest of a ski trip, so no complaining here. (I’ve converted everything to U.S. dollars for the charts.)
Epic Pass added seven days at Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR). There are four locations in the area—Nakiska, Kicking Horse, Kimberly, and Fernie—which form an easy road trip loop from Calgary. Due to the currency conversion Epic pass is more expensive (higher average cost per day) than window prices. That means you will have to do more riding in the U.S. to get your money’s worth from the pass beyond the Epic road trip. More days on your board and on the slopes are always a good thing.
The Ikon Pass includes a total of 14 days at Revelstoke, Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise, and Mt Norquay. Revelstoke is lower elevation (base 1,500 feet), so the season ends in April, while the Banff area and SkiBig3 is at a higher elevation (base 5,400 feet) and can extend into June depending on the snow season. Again, the window prices are cheaper and you will have to do more riding in the U.S. to get your money’s worth on Ikon pass. The road trip from Revelstoke to the SkiBig3 is a trip to remember.
Epic Days | Acres | Epic Pass |
7 + 50% total | 1,021 | Nakiska |
3,486 | Kicking Horse | |
1,800 | Kimberly | |
2,500 | Fernie |
Ikon Days | Acres | Ikon Pass & MC |
7 | 3,121 | Revelstoke |
7 for skibig3 | 3,358 | Banff Sunshine |
4,200 | Lake Louise | |
190 | Mt Norquay |
In Canada, Mountain Collective beats window prices quicker with a lower average cost per day than either Ikon or Epic Passes. One extra perk of the Mountain Collective Pass is a fifth day at Norquay in addition to the advertised two days at Banff Sunshine and two days at Lake Louise. Norquay is the smaller of the SkiBig3 trio, so it’s more of a half day or powder day mountain if you’re an expert rider. But, it’s a good starter slope for beginners or first foray into the Canadian Rocky Mountains. With Mountain Collective, your savings can add up to a stop by Kicking Horse on your way over from Revy and experience its insane terrain.
Epic Days | Window | Epic Pass | Epic Location |
1 | $87 | $989 | Nakiska |
2 | 71 | 495 | Kicking Horse |
3 | 71 | 330 | Kicking Horse |
4 | 69 | 247 | Kicking Horse |
5 | 69 | 198 | Kicking Horse |
6 | 69 | 165 | Kimberley |
7 | 66 | 141 | Kimberley |
8 | 66 | 135 | Kimberley |
9 | 66 | 130 | Fernie |
10 | 66 | 126 | Fernie |
11 | 66 | 123 | Fernie |
Ikon Days | Window | Ikon Pass | Location | MC |
1 | $78 | $1,099 | Revelstoke | $509 |
2 | 78 | 550 | Revelstoke | 255 |
3 | 70 | 366 | Revelstoke | 186 |
4 | 67 | 275 | Revelstoke | 140 |
5 | 73 | 220 | Sunshine | 102 |
6 | 78 | 183 | Sunshine | 85 |
7 | 76 | 157 | Sunshine | 80 |
8 | 77 | 137 | Lake Louise | 64 |
9 | 78 | 122 | Lake Louise | 57 |
10 | 79 | 110 | Lake Louise | 56 |
11 | 80 | 100 | Norquay | 46 |
Mountain West Destination Ski Resorts
There are a few large ski resorts and mountain destinations on the passes that make excellent standalone trips. These are larger resorts with slightly higher day prices, so bundling these with other trips is a great way to add value (and have an awesome winter) if you have the vacation days. Epic Pass has unlimited days at Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada which is an incredible 8,100-acre resort that requires several days to explore.
Some sites try to claim it as the largest resort in North America (actually Powder Mountain in Utah has more acreage, or the private Yellowstone Club+Big Sky if you’re able to gain entry in the exclusive area).
Epic Days | Acres | Epic Pass |
Unlimited | 4,757 | Whistler |
Unlimited | 3,414 | Blackcomb |
7 + 50% | 2,154 | Sun Valley |
Ikon Days | Acres | Ikon Pass |
7 | 5,800 | Big Sky |
7 | 2,500 | Jackson Hole |
7 | 1,294 | Taos |
The Epic Pass matches window prices after nine days at Whistler Blackcomb. Epic also includes Sun Valley, but there are no other nearby mountains on the pass and Sun Valley won’t equal window rates alone.
Ikon includes seven days at Jackson Hole and seven days at Big Sky. Technically you could combine them into a 190-mile road trip. (We’ll report back when we tackle it.) Big Sky is well-named with 5,300 acres (It grew with a Moonlight Basin merger in 2013). If you do seven days at Jackson Hole, it’s worth the price of the Ikon Pass and is a lower average cost per day than window rates. Mountain Collective has two days each at Jackson Hole and Big Sky resorts and beats Ikon in average cost per day by paying off within four days versus the window price.
Taos is another remote western resort. Located in New Mexico, it could be a destination trip for Coloradans, similar to driving to Aspen or Steamboat. The Mountain Collective website lists an ambitious road trek combining Aspen, Arapahoe Basin, and Taos. This route includes many miles on mountain roads, but we’ll report back if/when we tackle it.
Epic Days | Window | Epic Pass | Epic Location |
1 | $112 | $989 | Whistler |
2 | 112 | 495 | Whistler |
3 | 112 | 330 | Whistler |
4 | 112 | 247 | Whistler |
5 | 112 | 198 | Whistler |
6 | 112 | 165 | Blackcomb |
7 | 112 | 141 | Blackcomb |
8 | 112 | 124 | Blackcomb |
9 | 112 | 110 | Blackcomb |
10 | 112 | 99 | Blackcomb |
Ikon Days | Window | Ikon Pass | Location | MC |
1 | $165 | $1,099 | Jackson Hole | $509 |
2 | 160 | 550 | Jackson Hole | 255 |
3 | 155 | 366 | Jackson Hole | 197 |
4 | 152 | 275 | Jackson Hole | 148 |
5 | 149 | 220 | Jackson Hole | 118 |
6 | 147 | 183 | Big Sky | 85 |
7 | 142 | 157 | Big Sky | 73 |
8 | 139 | 137 | Big Sky | 72 |
9 | 131 | 122 | Big Sky | 64 |
10 | 125 | 110 | Big Sky | 58 |
Vermont Ski Resorts

If you live between New York City and Boston, you’ve likely considered or at least heard about Vermont ski resorts. Vermont is a popular weekend getaway from the cities and draws big crowds. The 18/19 season received decent snowfall in the area but East Coast snow conditions can be hit or miss each year. Buying a pass provides the option of Vermont weekend getaways when snow falls and a larger trip out West when it doesn’t.
Epic includes Mount Snow, Okemo, and Stowe. Ikon includes Stratton, Killington, Pico, and Sugarbush. Both passes have comparable offerings, with similar size resorts. Killington adds a bit more acreage to the group on Ikon Pass.
Epic Days | Acres | Epic Pass |
Unlimited | 600 | Mount Snow |
Unlimited | 667 | Okemo |
Unlimited | 485 | Stowe |
Ikon Days | Acres | Ikon Pass |
Unlimited | 625 | Stratton |
7 split | 1,509 | Killington |
7 split | 468 | Pico |
7 | 484 | Sugarbush (MC) |
Epic, Ikon, and Mountain Collective are all breaking even with 12 days of Vermont riding (hypothetically four long-weekends). If you live in the New York City or Boston metro areas, then either pass could be a solid choice for an annual pass if you plan on more than two weeks of riding in just this location.
Epic Days | Window | Epic Pass | Epic Location |
1 | $118 | $989 | Mount Snow |
2 | 112 | 495 | Mount Snow |
3 | 110 | 330 | Mount Snow |
4 | 85 | 247 | Mount Snow |
5 | 86 | 198 | Okemo |
6 | 86 | 165 | Okemo |
7 | 84 | 141 | Okemo |
8 | 83 | 124 | Okemo |
9 | 85 | 110 | Stowe |
10 | 86 | 99 | Stowe |
11 | 85 | 90 | Stowe |
12 | 85 | 82 | Stowe |
Ikon Days | Window | Ikon Pass | Ikon Location | MC Sugarbush |
1 | $104 | $1,099 | Stratton | $509 |
2 | 90 | 550 | Stratton | 255 |
3 | 85 | 366 | Stratton | 186 |
4 | 77 | 275 | Stratton | 152 |
5 | 85 | 220 | Killington | 132 |
6 | 88 | 183 | Killington | 118 |
7 | 90 | 157 | Killington | 108 |
8 | 89 | 137 | Killington | 101 |
9 | 89 | 122 | Sugarbush | 95 |
10 | 89 | 110 | Sugarbush | 91 |
11 | 87 | 100 | Sugarbush | 87 |
12 | 83 | 92 | Sugarbush | 84 |
Feeder Ski Resorts

Ikon Pass and Epic Pass both include several small- to medium-sized mountains dotted around the country. These work as feeder resorts to get locals interested in snowboarding and skiing (a very good thing) and going on a vacation to a larger resort. Ideal as day-trips, they don’t necessarily warrant a longer-distance trip. Both passes have added more of these ski resorts.
Ikon has more notable locations on its list, especially near Seattle (Crystal and Snoqualmie) and in Maine (Sugarloaf and Sunday River) that double as destinations as well as local spots. Epic added 17 mountains from Peaks Resorts to the pass for the 2019/2020 season. If you live near one of these local resorts, it might make sense to get the pass to get several days local for practice and then bundle it with a larger trip.
Without the larger trip elsewhere, the pass will not pay for itself, though. Ikon offers seven days at most of these locations with a few unlimited. These ski hills are perfect for locals, as well as beginner and intermediate level riders. Some of the mountains have impressive terrain parks and extra activities, like tubing. (Growing up in the Midwest, the local hill only had 35 acres and it was all I needed starting out.)
Epic Days | Acres | Nearest City | Epic Pass |
Unlimited | 1,125 | Seattle, WA | Stevens Pass |
7 + 50% | 820 | Quebec City, QC | Stoneham |
7 + 50% | 450 | Quebec City, QC | Mont-Sainte Anne |
Unlimited | 320 | New York City | Hunter Mountain |
Unlimited | 300 | St Paul, MN | Afton Alps |
Unlimited | 120 | Milwaukee, WI | Wilmot |
Unlimited | 130 | Detroit, MI | Mt Brighton |
Unlimited | 65 | St. Louis, MO | Hidden Valley |
Unlimited | 25 | Kansas City, MO | Snow Creek |
Unlimited | 65 | Louisville, KY | Paoli Peaks |
Unlimited | 72 | Cleveland, OH | Alpine Valley |
Unlimited | 79 | Cleveland, OH | Boston Mills |
Unlimited | 79 | Cleveland, OH | Brandywine |
Unlimited | 144 | Columbus, OH | Mad River |
Unlimited | 100 | Harrisburg, PA | Liberty |
Unlimited | 103 | Harrisburg, PA | Roundtop |
Unlimited | 109 | Harrisburg, PA | Whitetail |
Unlimited | 100 | Poconos, PA | Jack Frost |
Unlimited | 107 | Poconos, PA | Big Boulder |
Unlimited | 230 | Concord, NH | Mount Sunapee |
Unlimited | 105 | Jackson, NH | Attitash |
Unlimited | 225 | Jackson, NH | Wildcat |
Unlimited | 100 | Bennington, NH | Crotched |
Ikon Days | Acres | Nearest City | Ikon Pass |
7 | 600 | Vancouver, BC | Cypress |
Unlimited | 748 | Los Angeles, CA | Big Bear |
Unlimited | 2,600 | Seattle, WA | Crystal |
7 | 1,914 | Seattle, WA | Snoqualmie |
7 | 1,240 | Carrabassett, ME | Sugarloaf |
7 | 870 | Newry, ME | Sunday River |
Unlimited | 630 | Montreal, QC | Tremblant |
7 | 370 | Lincoln, NH | Loon |
Unlimited | 244 | Snowshoe, VW | Snowshoe |
Unlimited | 364 | Ontario, CA | Blue Mountain |
7 | 435 | Boyne Falls, MI | Boyne Highlands |
7 | 415 | Pleasant View, MI | Boyne Mountain |
International (Outside North America) Ski Resorts
Traveling internationally for a snowboarding trip is a unique experience. Being immersed in the local culture, snowboarding on foreign slopes, and enjoying on-mountain culture, are all reasons to cross the Atlantic or Pacific for powder. People ride unique gear, trail signs are atypical, trail maps are distinctive, terrain is rated differently, and sometimes the lifts decide to not run at all (cue breaking out the split board to get up the mountain).
Each of the passes includes days at ski resorts in Europe, Asia, South America, and Oceania. I’ve wondered how many people actually use the pass for a long-haul ski trip? Is it worth the price of a pass or does it just make you feel happy to have the option, but probably won’t actually take a passport-required trip?
European Ski Resorts
Europe is home to some of the largest ski resorts in the world. Epic Pass dominates the European options with 19 total days including seven days at Les 3 Vallees in France. This is the largest ski network worldwide with 26,000 acres across eight mountains. The French Alps have excellent terrain too; though it’s well-known for all-day après, it’s not just about sitting on the mountain drinking bubbly all day.
Epic also includes seven days and 50% off additional days at Skirama Dolomiti in Italy and five days with the purchase of participating lodging at 4 Vallees in Switzerland. Ikon and Mountain Collective only offer one location each in Europe. Ikon includes seven days at Zermatt Matterhorn network in Switzerland, and Mountain Collective includes two days at Chamonix collection of mountains.
European lift tickets are generally cheaper than U.S. resorts (and not due to currency conversion). The passes are not going to pay for themselves if you only use them at one ski resort in Europe. You’ll have to snowboard additional days in the U.S. to make a pass purchase a good value.
Country | Epic Days | Acres | Epic Pass |
France | 7 | 26,000 | Les 3 Vallees |
Val Thorens Meribel Courchevel Les Menuires Saint Martin de Bellevelle La Tania Orelle Brides-Les-Bains | |||
Italy | 7 + 50% | a bunch | Skirama Dolomiti |
Madonna di Campiglio Pinzolo Folgaria-Marilleva Pejo Ponte di Legno-Tonale Andalo-Fai della Paganella Monte Bondone Folgaria-Lavarone | |||
Switzerland | 5 w/hotel | a bunch | 4 Vallees |
Verbier Nendaz Veysonnaz Thyon |
Country | Ikon Days | Acres | Ikon Pass |
Switzerland | 7 | 3,500 | Zermatt Matterhorn |
Rothorn Gornergrat Schwarzsee-Matterhorn | |||
Italy | Cervinia-Valtourmenche |
Country | MC Days | Acres | Mountain Collective |
France | 2 | 15,000 | Chamonix |
Brevent-Flegere Grands Montets Balme Tour Vallorcine Vormaine Chosalets Savoy Planards |
On Epic, if you go 17 days across the three included mountain resorts, it pays off. And hey, flights to Europe during the winter are off peak, there are plenty of affordable lodging options and of course the food and wine is superb, so why not, your work won’t miss you that much. Make this the year you finally use all your vacation days. (My next article, what does 17 straight days of snowboarding do to you?).
Epic Days | Window | Epic Pass | Epic Location |
7 | $57 | $138 | Les 3 Vallees |
7 | 52 | 138 | Skirama Dolomiti |
5 | 69 | 194 | 4 Vallees |
19 | 58 | 51 | All Epic Days |
Days | Window | Ikon or MC Pass | Location |
2 | $57 | $245 (MC) | Chamonix |
7 | 63 | 150 (Ikon) | Zermatt |
Japanese Ski Resorts
Home to some of the lightest and fluffiest powder in the world, Japan is world-renowned for its deep snow and scenic slopes. Here, it’s not powder it’s Ja-pow. The ski regions are among the snowiest, with close to 600 inches of annual snowfall. There are two areas of Japan included on the passes. The main area is the north island of Hokkaido and home to the 1972 Olympics. Here, you find Niseko United, which is on Ikon and Mountain Collective. Niseko United includes Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, Hanazono, and Annupuri. A 40 minute drive away is the smaller but less crowded Rusutsu available on Epic.
Epic Pass also includes access to Hakuba Valley. It is Japan’s largest ski area with 10 separate resorts (Hakuba47, Goryu, Iwatake, Jiigatake, Tsugaike Kogen, Cortina, Happo-one, Norikura Onsen, Kashimayari, and Sanosaka). Happo-one is the largest and most popular. It’s located in central Japan near Nagano and hosted the 1998 Olympic events. Only two Hakuba resorts are inter-connected by lifts so you will need to take a shuttle service or drive between the 10 locations, similar to the mountains in Aspen, Colorado.
Epic Days | Acres | Epic Location |
5 | 1,524 | Rusutsu (West, East, Isola) |
5 | 2,372 | Hakuba Valley |
Days | Acres | Ikon & MC Pass |
7 (Ikon) | 2,191 | Niseko United |
2 + 50% (MC) |
Similar to Europe, lift tickets in Japan are around 60% less than U.S. resorts. The passes will not pay for themselves with only a Japan trip. You’ll need to snowboard more days in the U.S. to make buying a pass worth it and get a better average cost per day than window rates.
Epic Days | Window | Epic Pass | Epic Location |
5 | $54 | $198 | Rusutsu |
5 | 51 | 198 | Hakuba Valley |
10 | 53 | 99 | All Epic Days |
Days | Window | Pass | Location |
7 | $46 | $157 | Niseko (Ikon) |
7 | 46 | 100 | Niseko (MC) |
Southern Hemisphere
For those adventurous travelers who want to extend their riding season into the summer (June through early October), there are a few resorts on the passes in the Southern Hemisphere. The two areas included on the passes are Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) and South America’s Chile. In terms of cost, I consider how much additional value each pass has at the locations. Since window prices are less expensive you wouldn’t buy a pass just to go to one location.
Oceania: Australian/New Zealand Ski Resorts
Epic Pass has three locations in Australia with unlimited access. Perisher is the largest ski resort in Australia and most visited ski resort in the southern Hemisphere. Nearby is Thredbo, which is included on the Ikon and Mountain Collective Passes. Thredbo has the longest runs in the country and is near the highest peak in Australia. These locations are remote (a six-hour drive from Sydney or Melbourne, or 2.5 hours from nearest airport Canberra.)
The other Australian locations on Epic Pass are Falls Creek and Hotham, which are farther south. They are a two-hour drive apart and within driving distance from Melbourne (five hours). Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective include access to Mt. Buller, which is about a three-hour drive from Melbourne. If you’re up for longer drives and the odd kangaroo obstacle, Australian resorts are solid options on each pass. Day pass prices range from $90 to $115 so a seven-day Australia trip is worth $630 to $805 (USD) value on your pass.
There are two ski resorts on the Mountain Collective Pass and three ski resorts on the Ikon Pass in New Zealand. Mountain Collective and Ikon passholders get access to The Remarkables and Coronet Peak. These are neighboring resorts close to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world. Mt. Hutt is the additional location on Ikon Pass and is a top rated ski resort on the South Island. It is a six-hour drive north from the other two resorts and 90 minutes from Christchurch. But, if you’re traveling from the U.S. you’ll probably be there at least a week or two exploring around the island and can make the trek around to the different snowfields. Day pass prices range from $80 to $90 so a seven-day New Zealand trip is worth $560 to $630 USD value on your pass.
Country | Epic Days | Acres | Epic Pass |
Australia | Unlimited | 3,080 | Perisher |
1,110 | Falls Creek | ||
790 | Hotham |
Country | Days | Acres | Ikon / MC Pass |
Australia | 7 / 2 +50% | 1,186 | Thredbo |
740 | Mt Buller | ||
New Zealand | 7 / 2 +50% | 690 | Coronet Peak |
540 | The Remarkables | ||
900 | Mt Hutt (not MC) | ||
Chile | 7 / 2 +50% | 2,300 | Valle Nevado |
South American Ski Resorts
The other option in the Southern Hemisphere, with less jet lag, is in the Andes Mountains of Chile in South America. Valle Nevado is 90 minutes outside of Sanitago and offers 2,300 acres of powdery back bowls and wide open riding as the resort is entirely above tree line from 9,300 feet up to 12,000 feet. This resort is included on Ikon and Mountain Collective passes. Valle Nevado is connected to La Parva and El Colorado resorts, adding up to a combined 7,000 acres of Tres Valles. An additional ticket must be purchased to access all lifts. The daily ticket price of Valle Nevado is around $75 so with seven days of riding you can extract $525 USD from your pass.
You Should Buy A Multi-Pass Now If…
Multi-passes are still a good buy now if you’ll plan to ride nine days on Epic Pass or Ikon Pass, or six days on Mountain Collective. That’s how many days you need to log to beat out the window prices.
In the past, the number of days you had to ride on Epic was closer to five days, but this year Vail Resorts introduced the Epic day pass program, which effectively dropped day-rates. This ticket option is made for skiers and snowboarders who only visit the resorts a few days each season. Kudos to Vail for welcoming more people on the mountain at a reasonable cost at the risk of lower pass sales.
Summary: Early bird still gets the worm
While you can clearly get plenty of value buying a pass late, it still pays to plan ahead and buy a season pass in March/April when they first go on sale. The passes are cheapest and include summer hiking and biking lift access as well as early-purchase bonuses. Mountain Collective includes one extra day at one location for early buyers, boosting its already high value. Ikon went one step further in 2019 and gave late season lift access to early buyers, resulting in essentially a season and a half of use. Alternatively some resorts, like Jackson Hole and Aspen season passes included a code for a free Ikon base pass for the 19/20 season. It’s their way to appease the locals when the Ikon masses descend.
Bonus value… There are other features included in the Epic pass such as buddy and ski-with-a-friend passes that can also add more value to the pass. Families with adult and child passes will have additional scenarios to consider. (In general, the child pass breaks even with a similar number of days as adult passes.)
Overall Epic and Ikon Passes are comparable. Picking one over the other is more a personal preference of region/type of resorts than the price/value. Mountain Collective directly competes with Ikon Pass in a few locations and wins every time. Proof: I’ve purchased Mountain Collective the past two years, and I hope it doesn’t go away as it offers exceptional value for snowboarders and travelers.
A multi-resort pass isn’t the only way to get in days on the slopes. If you don’t grab a pass, you can buy multi-day tickets in advance or at the window and mix and match between resorts to explore new places and without any pass restrictions, but uncertain prices.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading my thesis paper on multi-resort season passes. I’m awaiting a response from my professor and hope to receive my Snowboard Traveler PhD soon.
Beaver Creek Colorado Photo: Jeff Nied Revelstoke Mountain British Columbia Photo: Jennifer Nied Hunter Mountain New York Photo: Jennifer Nied Aspen Highlands Photo: Jeff Nied Snowbasin Utah Photo: Jeff Nied