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Austin Wood had many options and little background when it came to buying a snowboard season pass for the next winter.
The 30-year-old filmmaker took up the sport after moving to Utah three years ago. Like many of us, he has visited a handful of the state’s 15 resorts, but has not assessed whether it was material from the Home Mountains at the time. When he opted for a season pass this spring, he felt more overwhelmed than excited. He wasn’t sure if sticking to a single resort would suit him better or mistaking it for a mega multi-resort pass. Then there was the question of incentives – from access to the summer lift to discounts on meals and free skiing for children. Some had substance. Others felt more like fluff.
In the end, Wood went with what, or rather with whom – his friends and neighbors.
“It was difficult because I was walking back and forth in Brighton for a season pass or maybe the Epic (multi-resort pass),” said Wood. “But at the end of the day, it ultimately came down to all the skiers I know have Ikon.”
Utah seems to have almost more season pass options than elevators these days. Each resort has its own product as well as spin-offs that vary based on the age or occupation of the skier or the days of the week the pass is valid. Almost 10 multi-resort offers are overlaid, also with their own variations. There is a lot to sort out.
The Ikon Pass chosen by Wood, which makes more than 40 resorts of varying degrees of accessibility, including five in Utah, has gained a strong following in Utah. A Tribune Twitter poll found that 35% of 229 respondents prefer the Ikon Pass for their winter game. This is second only to the passes offered by the individual resorts.
Of those who prefer a multi-resort pass in a separate online tribune poll, nearly half selected the Ikon, followed by Epic (23%), Alta-Bird (11.4%), and Mountain Collective (Aug. , 6%). Those who prefer individual resorts split their loyalty almost equally among Brighton, Alta, Snowbird, and Snowbasin.
But what’s good for the park rat isn’t necessarily good for the powder hound. The reasons people chose the pass were as varied as their choices. They covered everything from terrain to a variety of resort options to military discounts and location.
One respondent remarked, “While the idea of traveling between ski resorts is tempting, the reality is that Snowbird, 10 meters from my front door, makes it almost impossible to miss 90% of my (and my family’s) ski days. “
Which pass is right for you? We are here to help.
Below we have listed some circumstances and the pass option that we believe will best suit you. The prices reflect the current prices for adults. Most passes will go up in price before June.
Do you think we’re wrong and there is something better out there? That’s what email and comments are for. We’ll take your two cents (hey, every penny counts if you’re looking to lose $ 1,000 or more per person). Maybe we can do this right together.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) A skier in Solitude on Saturday April 17th, 2021.
The best pass if you …
Have an unlimited budget and feel generous
Ski Utah Gold Pass, $ 5,700
Think of the Gold Pass like Willy Wonka’s golden ticket. Only you can win a friend over if one day you don’t really feel like trying the everlasting gobstopper. The Gold Pass is valid every day at all ski and snowboard establishments in Utah (no blackouts) and also grants access to the summer lift. Plus, it’s fully transferable so that a friend, family member, or even the cute girl or guy at the gym can ride on your dime without breaking any rules.
The less magnanimous among us can pick up the Silver Pass for $ 3,700. It has all of the benefits of the Gold Pass except that it cannot be shared.
You have to sell your bike to buy a pass
Epic Local Pass, $ 583
Vail Resorts took the bold move in the wake of the pandemic to cut the price of its range of Epic passes to multiple resorts by 20% for the 2021-22 season. That is lower than in five years. While the pass is good at 70 resorts around the world, only two of them are in Utah. One is Park City Mountain Resort, which has the largest ski area in the country. Two days in the Snowbasin are also included.
If you can get a little extra cash on this bike, you can’t get power outages at PCMR and seven days at Snowbasin with the full Epic Pass for $ 783.
If you’ve been hoping to use your bike this summer, consider leaving the $ 49 non-refundable security deposit to help secure these rates. The balance is due in September.
I don’t even have a bike to sell
Cherry Peak Season Pass, $ 219
Yes, it’s one of the smallest resorts in Utah, but it’s reasonably priced. For the price of a day pass in some resorts, you get full access for summer and winter every day and in the evening, as well as two buddy night passes for this ski slope in Logan. Bring the whole family (up to six) for $ 749.
(Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune)
How to have options
Ikon Pass, $ 1,049
Ikon Pass gets a bad rap for bringing hordes of skiers and snowboarders to some of Utah’s best ski resorts. But it’s no wonder so many have this passport in their pocket. The pass gives full access to 15 resorts, including Solitude. Seven days each in Brighton, Deer Valley and Alta / Snowbird are on the ticket.
“I like having options on a day, so I love the Ikon,” wrote Brooke Fredrickson in response to The Tribune’s poll. “The weather in Park City can sometimes be very different than in the mountains of the canyons, so it’s nice depending on what I feel like choosing.”
Thirty other resorts in the US and Canada as well as some in Australia, Switzerland, Japan and Chile are also packed into the pass. Another benefit for 2021-22 is the First Tracks program, which gives pass holders early access to lifts once a month in January, February and March.
Get the same blackout dates and five days at any resort deal on the Ikon Base Pass for $ 270 less.
Have an adventurous mind and a tight budget
Mountain Collective, $ 499
If this pass is only used in Utah, it is no exception. At Alta and Snowbird, it’s only two days each. However, if you want to use skiing as an excuse to travel the world, this is not a bad way to go. How does two days at Chamonix in France sound? Or carve a summer on the slopes of The Remarkables in New Zealand, Mt. Buller or Thredbo in Australia, Niseko United in Japan, and Valle Nevado in Chile. If you opt for an additional day, you will receive a 50% discount on additional lift tickets.
Do you have a small family of rippers
Summit 4-pack, $ 2,099
Not only does Snowbird have the longest season in Utah, it also has the best terrain. If you, your spouse, and two children are advanced skiers or snowboarders, this might be the best ticket in town. Basically, you buy two passes for adults and two children (up to the age of 18) free of charge. The price is good until June 10th.
If you’re a skier, you should confuse it with the Alta-Bird 4-pack. It costs $ 3,199, but it gives you two resorts and can save nearly $ 1,400 if you buy the passes separately. Alta also has its own four-pack family contract.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Zac Beveridge is skiing with 3-year-old Finley on Friday, November 20, 2020, on opening day in Park City.
Have enough kids to set up a ski team
Brighton Family Package, $ 1,698 and up for a family of 5
Do you have a bigger family Brighton has a bargain for you. New this year, you can bundle your parent and child passes at the BCC Resort at a price that could actually be less than buying two individual adult passes. The two-parent offer costs $ 799 per adult pass (a saving of $ 100 each over the Unlimited Pass) plus $ 199 for each child 11-18 years old, or just $ 50 for each child under 10 years.
There is no limit to the number of children and there is a separate option for single parents. Added bonus: it includes night skiing and horse riding.
Do you have a family of newbies
Power Kids Pass, $ 0
Yes, you read that right: Everyone under the age of 12 has unlimited access to the Nordic Valley in Ogden, Brian Head Resort near Cedar City, and three other resorts in the southwest. If you are the child’s adult and also study, or enjoy driving or living near these resorts, an Adult Pass is $ 599 with the same benefits.
And don’t worry if you’re moving faster than expected. Nordic Valley now has a high-speed six-pack that gives access to slightly more difficult terrain. Brian Head is nothing to make fun of, and those who buy early get a bonus day at Sundance.
Want a Utah ski sampler
Yeti Pass, $ 649
Designed as a companion for parents with children in the fifth or sixth grade pass program of Ski Utah, the Yeti offers a single day of skiing or riding at every resort in Utah. Be warned, however, that power outage days may hamper you.
You don’t want to spend your Saturdays staring at taillights
Snowbasin Premier Pass, $ 899
All of the traffic in Cottonwood Canyons last winter was a lot of noise. Even after the pandemic, that won’t go away. Instead of worrying about whether an avalanche, snow storm or two-wheel drive Honda Civic will add hours to your ski trip during this time, you can drive an hour in the opposite direction to the Snowbasin.
In addition to getting blackout dates and no access to the summer lift, Premier Pass holders also receive 50% off tickets at Epic Pass resorts like Park City Mountain Resort, which is easily accessible from I-80.
A midweek pass can also solve the travel time problem. Snowbasin also offers one of these, as do Solitude, Deer Valley, and Alta.
(Courtesy photo of Sam Watson | Snowbird Resort) Junior Bounous, 95, former Director of Mountain School and Director of Skiing at Snowbird, is going on a backcountry heli-ski trip near Snowbird on Monday April 5, 2021 . With the expedition, Bounous is said to have become the oldest person in helicopter skiing.
Believe age is just a number
High Senior Pass, $ 50
We can’t all be Junior Bounous, who just set the Guinness World Record when he was the oldest person to heliski at 95 years old. But we can dream of getting on our skis at the age of 80 and taking advantage of this screaming deal. It’s a $ 800 discount off what those 65-79 will be paying.
Don’t worry, snowboarder, you won’t be left standing in the cold when you’re old. Anyone 75 years or older can carve Powder Mountain for $ 80 for the season.
And on the other end of the spectrum, several resorts – notably Brighton, Brian Head, and Snowbird – offer “young adult” passes at hundreds of dollars off.
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