When resorts start rolling out their season passes, it’s usually a sign that the end of the current ski and snowboard season is near.
Not this year, at least not in Utah.
Vail Resorts and Alterra Mountain Resorts both unveiled their 2023-24 multi-resort season pass plans last week as did individual resorts like Utah’s Cherry Peak and Snowbasin. With between 200-600 inches of snow on the ground and more in the forecast, though, none of the local resorts connected to those passes are anywhere close to closing up shop on this season. Some will even let future passholders ride their fresh snow today.
Here’s a look at the offers so far:
Individual resort passes
Beaver Mountain • New passholders can start skiing and snowboarding right away with the purchase of a 2023-24 pass at this Logan-area mountain as long as they don’t use the dispersed payment plan. An unlimited, no blackouts adult pass goes for $600 with a discount for returning passholders. A pass with blackouts is $450. Season passes cannot be used for night skiing.
The best deal at Beaver, though? The child’s season pass, good for kids 5 and under, which is free until Nov. 30.
Cherry Peak • Unlike other Utah resorts, the season passes to this Logan ski area are good for 365 days from the date of purchase and include night skiing. In addition, a family pass covers up to six immediately-related people and reciprocal benefits at “dozens” of ski resorts. Family passes currently range from $749-$1,149. Individual adult passes sans blackout dates range from $249-269.
Eagle Point • No more wickets at Eagle Point: The Beaver-area ski hill is going to RFID chips for the 2023-24 season. It’s also taking payment plans for the first time, but skiers and riders might not need that if they buy early. An adult pass with no blackouts costs $499 through April 30, when prices go up.
In addition to Eagle Point, the pass is part of the Freedom Pass group. That means free days without restrictions at Cherry Peak in Logan, Snow King in Wyoming and Bogus Basin in Idaho, among many others. It also garners three free days at Beaver with holiday blackouts.
Powder Mountain • Good luck snagging a season pass to this resort, which has about 6,000 people on the waitlist for its unlimited pass. However, the resort has made some concessions to help people who have a little more flexibility get on the mountain, which is the largest by sheer acres in North America.
One big change is that PowMow is moving Ogden Valley residents up the waitlist so they will have second dibs on any available passes after current passholders renew. For nonlocals, the best option might be a midweek pass, which goes for $899 for adults. Powder began selling those late in the game last year and they did not sell out, but that could change this year with its earlier roll out. Another way to go is the night pass ($279), which gives access to the resort from 3-9 p.m. People who purchase either of those passes are not guaranteed a season pass the following season.
Snowbasin • Snowbasin is having its seventh snowiest season historically and is one good storm away from reaching 400 inches on the season. It began selling its season passes Thursday and 2023-24 pass holders — except those that enroll in a payment plan — will have access through the end of the season, which is currently set for April 16. Passes range in cost from $899 for an adult value pass with blackout dates to $1,599 for an adult Premier Platinum Pass, which includes an Ikon Base Pass. Summer gondola access, six buddy passes worth 50% at the ticket window and five days of skiing at Sun Valley in Idaho are tacked onto both Premier options.
Snowbasin was added to Alterra’s multi-resort pass this season and will continue to only be available on the full Ikon Pass and with the Base Plus add-on in 2023-24.
Multi-resort passes
Ikon Pass • Speaking of the Ikon Pass, it also allows skiing and riding this spring at a limited number of resorts to purchasers of 2023-24 passes. In Utah, that only includes Solitude. The offer begins there April 3, but the resort has said it will stay open as long as it has snow on a run.
Ikon’s season-pass options range from $1,159 for a full pass to $829 for a Base Pass. The plus add-on is $220 and grants access in Utah to Alta Ski Area, Deer Valley Resort and Snowbasin. Solitude, Brighton and Snowbird are included on all Ikon passes.
Of note, Deer Valley will require Ikon passholders to make reservations in 2023-24.
Ikon passes go on sale March 16.
Epic Pass • For less than $1,000, Vail Resorts is offering unlimited access to 42 resorts plus limited access to almost 40 more with its full Epic Pass. In Utah, the pass only works at Park City Mountain, but Heavenly and Kirkwood in California and Telluride and Beaver Creek in Colorado are also on the ticket. Epic Pass holders will need to make reservations to ride at Telluride in 2023-24.
The full adult pass currently runs $909, while the Local Pass is $676. The Local Pass includes blackout dates that apply at Park City and seven other resorts, including those in the Lake Tahoe, Calif., area. It also provides 10 days at Vail, Beaver Creek and Whistler.
The Epic Pass doesn’t allow for any skiing or riding this spring. However, those who buy early enough will receive 10 buddy passes and six Ski With a Friend tickets. The cost of a lift ticket with a buddy pass at Park City Mountain will be $134. A Ski With a Friend ticket will be 20% off of the price at the ticket window.
Next season, Vail Resorts will be experimenting with Mobile Pass. The optional technology allows season passes to be uploaded onto a person’s phone, eliminating the need for plastic RFID cards.
This story is developing and will be updated.
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