Category: Ski Passes

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INDY PASS ADDS PREMIER INTERNATIONAL RESORTS – PASS SALES RESUME TODAY

Kiroro Resort. INDY PASS ADDS PREMIER INTERNATIONAL RESORTS - PASS SALES RESUME TODAY Photo Courtesy to Indy Pass.

Indy Pass: SkiWelt, Austria; Big White, BC; and Kiroro, Japan, join Montana Snowbowl to lead the 23/24 class of new resorts totaling 183 worldwide.

The Indy Pass announced today that 54 new partner resorts (see below) have signed on for the 23/24 season, including some of the biggest in Europe, Japan, and Western Canada, and dozens of independent Alpine and Nordic resorts across North America.

SkiWelt, the largest resort in Austria with 88 lifts, paves the way for European resorts seeking to tap into Indy’s passionate passholders. Similarly, Kiroro Resort in Northernmost Hokkaido, Japan, and Big White in British Columbia, both major destination resorts in their respective countries, have joined the alliance, now numbering 183 resorts worldwide.

Big White photo. Courtesy of Indy Pass. INDY PASS ADDS PREMIER INTERNATIONAL RESORTS - PASS SALES RESUME TODAY
Big White photo. Courtesy of Indy Pass. INDY PASS ADDS PREMIER INTERNATIONAL RESORTS – PASS SALES RESUME TODAY

Along with these notable international destinations, Indy Pass has added 30 total Alpine resorts, including Montana Snowbowl, and 24 cross-country resorts, including Whistler Olympic Village, British Columbia, and Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont.

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Two lucky winners for an Indy Pass

Castle Mountain, one of the resorts in the Indy Pass. Two lucky winners for an Indy Pass.

Two lucky winners for an Indy Pass

The end of our competition came, and we have pulled names of two lucky winners of the Indy Pass. Please note that if not claiming the offer, the draw will be done again. The idea is that these passes are enjoyed by someone!

The Indy Pass is a season pass that allows you to ski on 44 independent resorts in North America. This pass allows you to ski or ride two days per resort, that is 88 days in the season! These independent resorts are the heart and soul of North America, where you can have a pristine experience of what skiing should be, in a down-to-earth unspoilt environment.

Canaan Valley, another resort on the Indy Pass. Two lucky winners for an Indy Pass.
Canaan Valley, another resort on the Indy Pass. Two lucky winners for an Indy Pass.

The Indy Pass offers a third day at participating resorts at a discount, and discount for kids lift tickets. Lessons and rentals discounts are offered, and they vary per resort.

So, (a bit of fanfare) … the lucky winners of this year’s competition are:

Continue reading “Two lucky winners for an Indy Pass”

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Arapahoe Basin is now part of the IKON Pass

Arapahoe Basin photo: Dave Camara. Arapahoe Basin is now part of the IKON Pass.

Arapahoe Basin is now part of the IKON Pass

Arapahoe Basin has made the news recently for leaving the alliance with Vail Resorts and being part of the Epic Pass due to major problems with overcrowding, including parking on US6 that was making it just dangerous for visitors and drivers alike.

Arapahoe Basin Cam. Arapahoe Basin is now part of the IKON Pass.
Arapahoe Basin Cam. Arapahoe Basin is now part of the IKON Pass.

I guess it is difficult to be an independent resort in the current climate of concentration of the ski market in the US, so now A Basin will be part of the competitor of the Epic Pass – the IKON Pass. The IKON Pass can be used in 40 global ski destinations, including six in Colorado, now with A Basin:

Aspen Snowmass, Steamboat, Winter Park Resort, Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, and Eldora Mountain Resort.

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After discussions, Schilthorn remains a member of the Top4 ski pass

After discussions, Schilthorn remains a member of the Top4 ski pass. Photo Top 4 Kleine Scheidegg Ski Eiger, Mönch Jungfrau Winter.

After discussions, Schilthorn remains a member of the Top4 ski pass.

From HTR.ch 

In mid-May 2019 it was decided to continue the Top4 ski pass without the Mürren-Schilthorn ski area. After discussions with the Schilthornbahn, the partners have come back to their decision and in the winter sports season 2019/2020 will continue to accept the Top4 subscription in all subareas.

Buyers of the Top4 ski pass can now ski at no extra charge in the Mürren-Schilthorn area.

After discussions, Schilthorn remains a member of the Top4 ski pass.The Schilthorn Panorama Restaurant has a 360 views of the Alps. Photo: Schilthorn/Piz Gloria
After discussions, Schilthorn remains a member of the Top4 ski pass.The Schilthorn Panorama Restaurant has a 360 views of the Alps. Photo: Schilthorn/Piz Gloria

On the occasion of its collective bargaining conference, the association partners of the Jungfrau Ski Region decided in mid-May 2019 by a large majority to adjust the scope of the Top4 subscription and without starting the Mürren-Schilthorn area into the upcoming winter sports season. The network includes the Jungfrau Railways, the Grindelwald-Männlichen gondola lift, the Schilthorn cable car, the Wengen-Männlichen aerial cableway, the Bumps ski lift, the Wengiboden ski lifts and the Bodmi double ski lift. The decision to continue the Top4 ski pass without the Mürren-Schilthorn ski area has now been withdrawn.

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Due to a year of lots of avalanches, summer operations might be delayed as digging out will take time.

Country Road 2, north of Silverton, is buried under 80 to 120 feet of snow. Photo: Will Tookey. Durango Herald. Due to a year of lots of avalanches, summer operations might be delayed as digging out will take time.

Due to a year of lots of avalanches, summer operations might be delayed as digging out will take time.

Story from Durango Herald

Heavy snowpack could affect summer recreation near Silverton.

While spring is in full swing in most of Southwest Colorado, impacts of heavy snowfall and unprecedented avalanche activity this winter are expected to be felt for months.

“It’s more than just lingering issues,” said Pete Maisel, a former Silverton town trustee. “It’s part of our life now.”

Silverton Officials are worried that ATV riders, hikers and mountain bikers will not be able to use the terrain until later in the summer. Photo: Rutsy Melcher. - Durango Herald. Due to a year of lots of avalanches, summer operations might be delayed as digging out will take time.
Silverton Officials are worried that ATV riders, hikers and mountain bikers will not be able to use the terrain until later in the summer. Photo: Rutsy Melcher. – Durango Herald. Due to a year of lots of avalanches, summer operations might be delayed as digging out will take time.

The snowpack was epic.

When Southwest Colorado’s snowpack peaked April 5, it became the third-biggest snow year since 1986, falling just behind 1993 and 2005.

And with the heavy snow, an untold number of avalanches came down across Colorado. In the southwest corner alone, Colorado Avalanche Information Center data show nearly 230 slides were recorded since Nov. 1 – and that’s just avalanches reported to the center.

Now comes the aftermath, and the cleanup, of all that snowfall and avalanche activity.

Continue reading “Due to a year of lots of avalanches, summer operations might be delayed as digging out will take time.”

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The Indy Pass will get you skiing for just USD 199 at North America’s authentic independent resorts

Indy Pass - Hoodoo Ski Area in Central Oregon. The Indy Pass will get you skiing for just USD 199 at North America’s authentic independent resorts.

The Indy Pass will get you skiing for just USD 199 at North America’s authentic independent resorts.

The Indy Pass is the gathering of independent ski areas to offer you a deal as the market in North America concentrates its offer around the IKON and the EPIC passes.

The Indy Pass will get you skiing for just USD 199 at North America’s authentic independent resorts.
The Indy Pass will get you skiing for just USD 199 at North America’s authentic independent resorts.

But this pass is very sweet for those skiers and boarders watching their wallet, or who are not that committed to go skiing every single day of the season, as the price it is going to sell for, starting September 1st is of USD 199.

With this pass, you receive the following:

Catamount Ski Area in Massachusetts, one of the partner ski areas of the Indy Pass. The Indy Pass will get you skiing for just USD 199 at North America’s authentic independent resorts.
Catamount Ski Area in Massachusetts, one of the partner ski areas of the Indy Pass. The Indy Pass will get you skiing for just USD 199 at North America’s authentic independent resorts.
  • 2 free days at each partner resort in the USA and Canada
  • A minimum of one additional discounted lift ticket
  • Discounted kids’ tickets for those 12 and under, when redeeming an adult ticket
  • Special offers from participating resorts for lodging, rentals, lessons and more…

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A-Basin quits the Epic Pass cash cow due to their lack of parking.

Photo: Arapahoe Basin- Dave Camara. Matt and Rio on the lift. A-Basin quits the Epic Pass cash cow due to their lack of parking.

A-Basin quits the Epic Pass cash cow due to their lack of parking.

Arapahoe Basin revenues doubled during the decade it was part of the Epic Pass, but parking problems outweigh the benefits of cash flow

From The Colorado Sun

Too many Epic Pass weekend skiers have forced A-Basin to abandon its decade-long partnership with Vail Resorts.

“We are pretty darn full on weekends and we don’t need any more people on weekends. If anything, we could probably whittle those numbers down a little bit,” Arapahoe Basin’s longtime leader Alan Henceroth said Monday, the day the resort announced it had pulled the plug on the Epic Pass partnership for the 2019-20 ski season. “Our parking is our pinch point.”

Pond Skimming at the end of the season at Arapahoe Basin. Photo: Ashey Ojala. Arapahoe Basin. A-Basin quits the Epic Pass cash cow due to their lack of parking.
Pond Skimming at the end of the season at Arapahoe Basin. Photo: Ashey Ojala. Arapahoe Basin. A-Basin quits the Epic Pass cash cow due to their lack of parking.

Arapahoe Basin, a local’s favorite with a rowdy selection of daunting steeps and a rootsy vibe, has thrived for 10 years under a deal with Vail Resorts that included the 1,428-acre ski area on the industry-dominating Epic Pass. Last fall the company sold more than 825,000 of those passes, offering skiing at 65 different locations.

Vail Resorts once owned Arapahoe Basin for a hot minute. But the U.S. Department of Justice in 1997 forced Vail Resorts to sell the ski area near the summit of Loveland Pass, citing antitrust issues after Vail acquired Ralston Resorts’ Summit County ski areas: Breckenridge, Keystone and A-Basin.

Vail’s Summit County ski areas have partnered with Arapahoe Basin on various shared passes since 1998.

Arapahoe Basin, which is owned by Canada’s Dundee Resort Development, was Vail Resorts’ first partner resort on the Epic Pass, which now includes access to privately owned, independent resorts such as Telluride, Sun Valley and Snowbasin.

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Sun Valley and Snowbasin Join the Epic Pass

Snowbasin's full mountain. Photo: Snowbasin Mountain Resort. Sun Valley and Snowbasin Join the Epic Pass.

Sun Valley and Snowbasin Join the Epic Pass

  • Sun Valley Resort and Snowbasin Resort join the Epic Pass, Epic Local, Epic 7-Day and Epic 4-Day passes beginning with the 2019-20 winter season in a multi-year alliance.
  • Epic Pass holders will receive seven days of skiing or snowboarding with no restrictions at both Sun Valley and Snowbasin.
  • Epic Local Pass holders receive two days at each resort with minimal restrictions.
  • Epic 7-Day pass holders can use any or all of their seven days and Epic 4-Day pass holders can use any or all of their four days with no restrictions at both resorts.
  • Epic, Epic Local, Epic 7-Day and Epic 4-Day pass holders will receive 50 percent off one-day window lift ticket prices after their respective days have been redeemed.
  • The industry-leading Epic Pass features access to world-class mountain resorts throughout eight countries for the 2019-20 season, more than any other season pass in the world.
Family skiing at Snowbasin- Photo credit: Snowbasin Ski Resort. Snowbasin's full mountain. Photo: Snowbasin Mountain Resort. Sun Valley and Snowbasin Join the Epic Pass.
Family skiing at Snowbasin- Photo credit: Snowbasin Ski Resort. Snowbasin’s full mountain. Photo: Snowbasin Mountain Resort. Sun Valley and Snowbasin Join the Epic Pass.

Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN), Sun Valley Resort and Snowbasin Resort jointly announced today that both resorts will join the industry-leading Epic Pass in a multi-year alliance beginning with 2019-20 winter season, adding two new destinations to the world-class access found on the  Epic Pass. Epic Pass holders will receive seven days of skiing or snowboarding with no restrictions at both resorts. Epic Local Pass holders will receive two days at each resort with minimal restrictions. Epic 7-Day pass holders can use any or all seven of their total days, with no blackouts, while Epic 4-Day pass holders can use any or all four of their total days of skiing and snowboarding with no restrictions at both resorts. Sun Valley is consistently ranked one of the top ski resorts in North America and Snowbasin is known as a great family-friendly destination, conveniently located near Salt Lake City.

“Sun Valley is a four-season renowned mountain resort and provides visitors from around the world with diverse mountain experiences and world-class dining and shopping. Together with nearby Park City Mountain Resort, Snowbasin has an incredibly rich winter sports history and this expanded access provides two great options for Epic Pass holders in Utah,” said Kirsten Lynch, chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts.

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Vermont Lift Ticket Prices Up 6%-Read it Here.

Stratton Mountain- Vermont- Alterra Mountain Company Announces $181 Million in Capital Improvements for the 2019/2020 Winter Season.

Vermont Lift Ticket Prices are Up by 6% . The average weekend non-holiday adult ticket price is now $93.12.

Post from New England Ski Industry. Vermont remains the most expensive state in New England, as the average weekend full day adult lift ticket at a chairlift served area has climbed to $93.12. Six areas now have retail lift ticket prices greater than $100 per day.

Vermont Lift Ticket Prices. Vermont Lift Ticket Prices Up 6%.
Vermont Lift Ticket Prices. Vermont Lift Ticket Prices Up 6%.

Vail Resorts does not publish ticket window rates, so January 5th window prices referenced in the online store were used for Okemo and Stowe.

Stowe is once again the most expensive in the state, rising from $131 to $139. Killington and Stratton posted the largest increases, jumping 12% to $129 with new lifts being installed.

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My Voucher Codes ranking of the Best European Ski Resorts 2018

Les 3 Vallées in France. What Will Happen to the English Consumers of the French Mountains after March 29?

My Voucher Codes put together a ranking of the best European ski resorts 2018   sorting the 55 largest ski resorts in Europe from bigger to smaller, with the things that matter the most of most skiers – from the variety of slopes to the price of the six-day ski pass.

Their verdict is that if you are a thrill seeker, you should head to Les 4 Vallées where you can get over 100 km of back runs. On the other hand, if you are a beginner, the 312 km of Les 3 Vallées will suit any first timer.

Les Portes du Soleil, the second area in the ranking of My Voucher Codes. My Voucher Codes ranking of the Best European Ski Resorts 2018.
Les Portes du Soleil, the second area in the ranking of My Voucher Codes. My Voucher Codes ranking of the Best European Ski Resorts 2018.

The top 10 resorts ranked are:

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