It may officially be summer until September 23, but if you want to hit the slopes this winter, you might want to buy your lift tickets soon. The Epic Pass, which gives holders access to more than 80 of the best ski resorts worldwide, is one of the most cost-effective ways to spend time on the mountains. But its price is set to increase on September 4.
From now through September 3, skiers and snowboarders age 13 and older can still purchase an Epic Pass at the lower rate of $929 (or $473 for kids under 12). After that, the price will go up, although Vail Resorts, the company behind Epic Pass, has been tight-lipped about what the higher rate will be.
Here’s what you need to know about the Epic Pass ahead of the 2023–2024 season.
Why you should get a ski pass now instead of single lift tickets later in the season
Epic only sells so many passes. Once they’re out, they’re out, and the only option left to skiers and snowboarders after that is to purchase a single-day lift pass at the ticketing window.
If you plan on skiing for more than three days this winter, opting for a season pass is cheaper per day than single-day lift tickets. Once the season officially begins (which is around mid-November at most resorts), the average price of a one-day lift ticket is an eye-watering $299.
Where can you ski on the Epic Pass?
The Epic Pass provides unlimited access to 36 resorts across the United States (including Vail in Colorado, Park City in Utah, Heavenly in California and Nevada, Stowe in Vermont, and Hunter Mountain in New York). The pass also includes unlimited access to five international destinations: Canada’s Whistler Blackcomb, Switzerland’s Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis, and Australia’s Perisher, Falls Creek, and Hotham. That means there are no black-out days for holidays, and you can literally go as many days as you want (or can) throughout the season.
All the resorts Epic pass holders have unlimited access to.
Courtesy of Epic Pass
That’s only half of the resorts accessible on the pass, though. The remaining resorts, which include ski destinations across North America, Europe, and Japan, only have limited access. That means there’s a set number of total days that skiers and snowboarders can use their pass on that mountain. In the USA, the only resort with limits is Telluride in Colorado, which gives pass holders seven days on the mountain. After that, pass holders can buy single-day lift tickets at 50 percent off. Seven days is also the cutoff for the six resorts in the Canadian Rockies region—that’s seven days throughout the season spread across the resorts, not seven days at each. In Japan, it’s five consecutive days, split among the 10 resorts in the Hakuba Valley and five consecutive days at Rusutsu Resort.
Finally, Epic Pass also includes limited access (ranging from three to seven consecutive days) to 26 partner resorts in France, Italy, Switzerland, and Austria.
What other perks come with purchasing an Epic Pass?
Epic Pass holders receive exclusive early access to Vail Resorts’ Winter Getaway Sale on lodging near the resorts and save an additional 20 percent off the already discounted lodging rates.
Additional pass holder perks include:
- Six additional single-day lift tickets for friends and family at up to a 45 percent discount
- 20 percent off gear rentals at all participating resorts
- 20 percent off ski and snowboarding group lessons
- 20 percent off on-mount food and drinks (up to $150/day)
- 20 percent off the Epic Mountain Express shuttle from Denver International Airport (which brings guests to their lodging in Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Frisco, or Keystone) and Eagle County Regional Airport (serving Beaver Creek and Vail)
What are the other Epic Pass options?
For those looking for something less pricey, there’s also the Epic Local Pass, which currently costs $689 (or $359 for children under 13). It allows unlimited access to 29 resorts (such as Crested Butte in Colorado and Roundtop Mountain in Pennsylvania) and holiday-restricted access (meaning it can’t be used November 24–25, December 26–31, January 13, or February 17–18) to eight other resorts (including Vail in Colorado, Park City in Utah, and Stowe in Vermont).
There’s also the option to purchase discounted day passes until September 4. Mountaingoers can purchase between one and seven flexible day lift tickets (good for any of the Epic Pass mountains) for up to 65 percent off. The price breakdown ranges from $49 for a single nonpeak day at select resorts, up to $725 for seven days, including peak periods, at any of the resorts.
All passes are available for purchase on epicpass.com.
