Whats your choice of the best Multi-mountain Ski passes across America for Traveling.

[MidnightJester]

Best Ski Passes for a Van Life Winter Road Trip - 2023/24 Edition - Ski Burrito

I can’t believe it’s already that time of year to decide on ski passes for the 2023/24 season. Next season will be our sixth on the road and we’ve visited dozens of resorts using Brundage, Loveland (with Powder Alliance), and Indy Passes since we started RV and van life. We’re excited to...

homeis.blog

1. Silverton Mountain
2. Powder Alliance
3. Monarch Mountain
4. Indy Pass
5. Epic
   
   1. #1 Epic Pass
   2. #2 Epic Local Pass
   3. #3 Tahoe Local Pass
6. Ski Utah Gold Pass
7. Ikon
   
   1. #1 Ikon Pass
   2. #2 Ikon Base Pass
8. Mountain Collective
9. Power Pass
10. Ski California Gold Pass
11. Ski Utah Yeti Pass
12. Anticipated Passes

 

[ThatGuy]

I think Ikon is the best Multi-Mountain pass. Gives you lots of options in many geographic areas, and most of their mountains are superior to their Epic counterparts. Only exception is the North-East and Colorado in my opinion and even that can be argued.

 

[abc]

I think Ikon is the best Multi-Mountain pass. Gives you lots of options in many geographic areas, and most of their mountains are superior to their Epic counterparts. Only exception is the North-East and Colorado in my opinion and even that can be argued.

Agree.

In a nutshell, Vail locked in Colorado Front Range. And once they bought the Northeast collection, they got a big footprint. The rest of the country, IKON is evenly spread and better in many other areas.

The rest of the “passes” are only 2-3 days in each mountain. That’s just not enough skiing for the amount of moving around.

 

[ss20]

Mountain Collective is very good for an intermountainer like myself

 

[BenedictGomez]

I think IKON is the best value, and I say that as someone who owns an EPIC pass.

 

[RH29]

I think IKON is the best value, and I say that as someone who owns an EPIC pass.

I don't think IKON is the best value, but it sure is the best pass. Epic gives the best value by combining bigname destinations with locals in the Northeast and Midwest.

 

[jimk]

Best Ski Passes for a Van Life Winter Road Trip - 2023/24 Edition - Ski Burrito

I can’t believe it’s already that time of year to decide on ski passes for the 2023/24 season. Next season will be our sixth on the road and we’ve visited dozens of resorts using Brundage, Loveland (with Powder Alliance), and Indy Passes since we started RV and van life. We’re excited to...

homeis.blog

1. Silverton Mountain
2. Powder Alliance
3. Monarch Mountain
4. Indy Pass
5. Epic
   
   1. #1 Epic Pass
   2. #2 Epic Local Pass
   3. #3 Tahoe Local Pass
6. Ski Utah Gold Pass
7. Ikon
   
   1. #1 Ikon Pass
   2. #2 Ikon Base Pass
8. Mountain Collective
9. Power Pass
10. Ski California Gold Pass
11. Ski Utah Yeti Pass
12. Anticipated Passes

IIRC, over the last eight years I've had Epic 3 times, Ikon base 2 times, MCP 1 time. Usually I had them separately. I did not have them overlapping in the same season. Frankly, they are all great, with a big caveat. You have to spend money to save money . In other words, unless you live near a qualifying mountain, you are likely to spend big bucks on travel expenses to take best advantage of your fabulous mega pass. This coming season will be my third in a row on Ikon base (I also have a dedicated Snowbird season pass).

On AZ and other places you will hear a lot of people bemoan the mega passes. These are often folks who have long skied at one or a select few resorts and now their formerly quiet resort(s) are on a mega pass and much busier and more inconvenient to ski. But for a person who likes variety and has the time and money to pursue it, the mega passes open a treasure trove on amazing ski areas all across North America and beyond.

Factors for choosing a particular pass:
1. you get a pass because you want to ski one or more specific resorts on the pass
2. you get a pass because your friends have the pass and you want to ski with them
3. you buy a certain pass because the price is right

The following are some gross generalizations, but probably some truth especially for US West mountains. The Epic resorts are more appealing to luxury skiers, people who want great grooming, beautiful intermediate terrain, fancy infrastructure, upscale apres ski stuff like fine dining and pricey shopping, think Vail, Beaver Creek, Whistler, Breck, Stowe, Mt. Snow, Park City, etc. Ikon resorts can be just as pricey in their own way, but often have more serious double black terrain, think Aspen, Jackson Hole, Taos, Alta/Bird, Palisades/Tahoe, Big Sky, Sugarbush, Killington.

MCP (last had it back in 2018) if I'm not mistaken, is sort of Ikon-lite with many of the same mountains, but you only get 2 days at each instead of 5 to 7 days or in certain cases unlimited.

OOPS, just realized the OPs article focused on ski bumming/van life and what pass may be best for that. Probably none of the big three I mentioned. You'd want to go to places that allow sleeping in vans in their parking lots or have nearby free or cheap camping grounds. The article indicates Indy Pass has a lot of mtns that allow this. This begs the question, do you spend time, talent, and treasure for a lengthy tour of a bunch of smaller maybe soulful mountains, or spend it on touring big, bada$$, frenetic mountains?

 

[BenedictGomez]

Epic gives the best value

I guess it depends where you live really. For me EPIC locks me into skiing just one ski resort all year even though it's a mega pass. The next closest EPIC resort is a 6 hour drive for me.

 

[ThatGuy]

I guess it depends where you live really. For me EPIC locks me into skiing just one ski resort all year even though it's a mega pass. The next closest EPIC resort is a 6 hour drive for me.

Utah Epic options definitely suck

 

[crank]

We've been full Ikon for the last 5, I think seasons. We spend a lot of $ on travel trying to get our lift pass cost down into the $40 per day range. Like to get it even lower!

We've used it at Steamboat and Aspen in CO. Everywhere in UT except Deer Valley. Staying at Snowbird for 5 days in January this season! Used it at Jackson Hole just a week before the pandemic shutdown and the last 2 seasons as well. We tend to ski about 8 or 9 days at Sugarbush each year and a couple at Stratton and 3 or so at Killington. Have used it at Loon. In '21, we did the Covid test and affidavit thing to be able to spend a week and Sunday River and Sugarloaf. We occasionally hit Windham for a day trip; it's about 2.5 hours drive.

Oh - Europe too. We used it for Dolomiti Superski and are considering Chamonix in Feb.

Ikon works for us. Our passes came in the mail mid-October.

 

[4aprice]

For me a full Ikon is great. We have a connection that allows us to ski Aspen every year (worth every cent of the pass right there), my BIL has a place in Cottonwood Heights between the 2 Canyons, and 20 minutes from our place in Granby, Winter Park's season pass is the Ikon. I have been carrying 3 passes (Ikon, Camelback and Granby Ranch) for a couple of years but that will change with Camelback PA going on Ikon even if we spend 1 more year on the east coast. 3 weekends planned for New England, Stratton in Jan,, Killington at our friends house in Feb, and Loon in early March. I get my moneys worth out of it.

 

[Smellytele]

For me a full Ikon is great. We have a connection that allows us to ski Aspen every year (worth every cent of the pass right there), my BIL has a place in Cottonwood Heights between the 2 Canyons, and 20 minutes from our place in Granby, Winter Park's season pass is the Ikon. I have been carrying 3 passes (Ikon, Camelback and Granby Ranch) for a couple of years but that will change with Camelback PA going on Ikon even if we spend 1 more year on the east coast. 3 weekends planned for New England, Stratton in Jan,, Killington at our friends house in Feb, and Loon in early March. I get my moneys worth out of it.

4aprice,
I am staying a few days this winter near granby. Any suggestions for dinner in the area?
Also going to ski Granby - any beta?

 

[abc]

The following are some gross generalizations, but probably some truth especially for US West mountains. The Epic resorts are more appealing to luxury skiers, people who want great grooming, beautiful intermediate terrain, fancy infrastructure, upscale apres ski stuff like fine dining and pricey shopping, think Vail, Beaver Creek, Whistler, Breck, Stowe, Mt. Snow, Park City, etc. Ikon resorts can be just as pricey in their own way, but often have more serious double black terrain, think Aspen, Jackson Hole, Taos, Alta/Bird, Palisades/Tahoe, Big Sky, Sugarbush, Killington.

Some Ikon mountains are just as “luxury“, if not more so, as the Epic mountains, Aspen, Big Sky totally match, Vail/Whistler, if not put them to shame!

The rest of the Vail portfolio, Breck/Park City/Stowe, however nice their facilities are, aren’t exactly “luxury”. Or, no more “luxury” than Jackson, Deer Valley, Sun Valley, or for that matter, Wyndham.

I think you’re equating ”luxury” with people who can’t quite ski double black diamond terrains. In that regard, Epic “beats” Ikon. Because as ”luxury” as Aspen is, so much of its terrain are too demanding for the one-week-a-season skiers. So for the groomer cruisers, Epic is a better fit.

 

[abc]

OOPS, just realized the OPs article focused on ski bumming/van life and what pass may be best for that. Probably none of the big three I mentioned. You'd want to go to places that allow sleeping in vans in their parking lots or have nearby free or cheap camping grounds. The article indicates Indy Pass has a lot of mtns that allow this. This begs the question, do you spend time, talent, and treasure for a lengthy tour of a bunch of smaller maybe soulful mountains, or spend it on touring big, bada$$, frenetic mountains?

If money is tight, “spending it” on big, bada$$ mountain isn’t always a viable option.

I’m not one who can even fathom sleeping in a van. But if that’s the only way I get to ski some far away mountains without paying through the nose on hotels, an Indy pass would be high on the priority.

Apart from that, I personally don’t care for the busy, frenzy atmosphere of some of the ”big, badass” mountains. So yeah, I would be motivated towards the Indy mountains for more than one reason.

That said, I’m not sure I’d go for the Indy pass. 2 days in a mountain, even a small one, just isn’t how I like to ski. The only way to justify the Indy pass is to use it on a “scouting” trip, for potential candidates to spend a season later.

 

[crank]

Snowbasin is pretty luxe!

 

[abc]

Snowbasin is pretty luxe!

So is Telluride.

But I think both of them are “free agents”. They can flip their alliance.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Utah Epic options definitely suck

Exactly. I basically view my EPIC pass as a $689 traditional season pass to a single resort.

 

[jimk]

Exactly. I basically view my EPIC pass as a $689 traditional season pass to a single resort.

I've occasionally skied Park City as far back as the '80s. I've skied it about 5 times since the merger with The Canyons including one day last April. The combined resort is really huge. You can spend a season exploring it all. It may not have the most snow or burliest terrain in Utah, but it's got the most skiable acreage for a single resort in UT. (I don't buy the acreage numbers for Powder Mtn, it doesn't ski anywhere near as large.) If you can ski only one place in UT (or all of America) Park City ain't a bad choice! And the town is quite fun. If you have ski buddies visiting from out of state the Park City area is overall a fun destination.

 

[abc]

I've occasionally skied Park City as far back as the '80s. I've skied it about 5 times since the merger with The Canyons including one day last April. The combined resort is really huge. You can spend a season exploring it all. It may not have the most snow or burliest terrain in Utah, but it's got the most skiable acreage for a single resort in UT. (I don't buy the acreage numbers for Powder Mtn, it doesn't ski anywhere near as large.) If you can ski only one place in UT (or all of America) Park City ain't a bad choice! And the town is quite fun. If you have ski buddies visiting from out of state the Park City area is overall a fun destination.

PC really isn’t my favorite. And that’s after skiing the Canyons for many years before the merger: I have friends there I could crash with, plus as local insider guide.

After the merger, I tried it more than once, primarily focus on the Park City side. Still not my favorite.

I just don’t get the ”big, huge” thing. The Combined PC maybe “huge”, but it’s a pretty “horizontal” mountain, as someone termed it. Most of its runs are short and over with quickly. The lack of challenge just exaggerates that “short run” feeling. The long lift lines makes it so much worse. Much of what I remember of my time there are the lift rides. OK, with friends I only see once every few winters. Pleasant enough but nothing memorable skiing-wise.

That said, since I know where to go on a powder day. I‘ve been over there when the Cottonwoods are closed. And I got my share of lovely powder runs. There’re areas of the mountain that has good snow and good terrain that I would zero in on. So in a way, it’s a nice mountain. Only not “big”, never mind “huge”, as the only part worth skiing is the size of a medium size mountain of the west!

If that’s the only resort I get to ski in Utah, I don’t think I‘d choose it.

My friends who live at PC. They’re happy to have only the Epic pass, as they‘re happy to ski a small part of the mountain. These days, when I come to visit, they use me as the excuse to venture over the pass to ski the Cottonwood mountains.

 

[jimk]

There are parts of @abc 's post that I agree with. But still I think it's kind of crazy to say Park City sucks. Too harsh. Probably the most damning thing I can say about Park City is the horizontal thing ABC referred to. The mountain is not very Alpine looking. The layout is kind of reminiscent of Killington or Sunday River on steroids, but there is nothing wrong with those two, just maybe Park City is a bit visually disappointing if you flew from NJ and are wanting to see jagged rocky spires.


My favorite advanced terrain at Park City, from left to right on the trail map, include the bumps of McConkey’s, the chutes of Jupiter, the trees of Peak 5, the bowls of Ninety-Nine 90, the glades of Tombstone, and the off piste from Super Condor. Most days you’ll find moderate to minuscule lines at all of these lifts. The new Quicksilver gondola very effectively connects the old PCMR and Canyons ski areas and serves its own secluded expanse of off-piste terrain called Pinecone Ridge.