Image Credit: Telluride Japanese Resorts Covered by the Epic Pass View of Telluride from the ski resort gondola. If you use up the 7-day access at these resorts, you can use your pass to purchase additional lift tickets with a 50% discount.
The Epic Pass also gives you 7 days of access to Telluride, CO, Snowbasin, UT, Sun Valley, ID, and 6 resorts in the Canadian Rockies with no blackout dates. Starting from $841 for adults and $428 for kids between 5 and 12, the Epic Pass will give you unlimited, unrestricted skiing at Vail’s own resorts and a whole swathe of other resorts in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Australia. The Epic Pass from Vail Resorts is available in 3 options, depending on where you want to ski/ride and how often. The Epic Pass bills itself as the most all-inclusive season pass on the market, but is it necessarily the best? Let’s find out… We’ll dissect the many other benefits that come with each pass to help you make the most informed decision possible regarding your next alpine escape.īottom Line: When you consider that a single-day lift ticket at Vail can cost nearly $200 per person, a trip longer than 4 days makes purchasing a season pass much more viable. If you and your family are only planning a single trip, perhaps a weekend away at your local resort, then a pass isn’t necessarily for you. But not all ski passes are created equal, and savvy skiers need to ensure they’re aware of pass limitations, such as blackout dates, maximum day usage, and even the timing of when they purchase them (more on this later).īefore we jump in and start traversing the big-3-multi-resort-ski-pass terrain, it’s worth pausing and considering whether you actually need it. Image Credit: Lukas Pictonįortunately, snow lovers are spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing a pass that will let them access their favorite ski resorts and multiple mountains on almost every continent. After all, the Swiss did invent mountains! It’s totally true - look it up! Mont Fort, Switzerland. Some people prefer the feel of Japanese powder under their skis or the sweet sensation of Swiss snow as they ski under the watchful gaze of the majestic Matterhorn. The collection of mountains now owned and operated by Vail Resorts is extensive, but not everyone wants to ski at Breckenridge or Keystone. This was in addition to the purchase of another 2 Australian ski fields - Falls Creek and Hotham. In July 2019, Vail went shopping again and added another 17 resorts to its portfolio with the acquisition of Peak Resorts. Like a crazed, cashed-up contestant on “Supermarket Sweep,” the organization continued to acquire ski resorts, both internationally and at home. Image Credit: Lukas Pictonīut Vail Resorts didn’t stop at Perisher. Ask any local, and they’ll tell you why Whistler is also affectionately known as “Whistralia.” My partner, Greg Stone, during our most recent trip to Whistler Blackcomb. With an innate love of both local snow and overseas pow, Australian skiers and snowboarders embraced this new ability to escape our long, sweltering summer to shred the gnar at Northstar, hit the terrain park at Park City, or enjoy après in the Afton Alps. Essentially, 1 ticket could buy you a year’s worth of skiing in both hemispheres, ushering in the 365-day ski season. and vice versa.īottom Line: Vail’s acquisition of Perisher changed the game. Instantly, season pass holders at Perisher could access Vail’s already extensive network of resorts in the U.S. For the very modest sum of AU$176.6 million (~$136 million), Vail Resorts became the only mountain resort company at the time to operate ski resorts on 2 continents.
Vail Resorts acquired Perisher in 2015 as its first international mountain acquisition. Perisher Ski Resort - the largest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere. Their minds are blown even more when I tell them that Australia is also home to the largest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere: Perisher. The Southern Hemisphere ski season is somewhat perplexing and unheard of to many international travelers.Īs an Aussie snowboarder, when I travel overseas and tell people that I live in Sydney and can be on powder in 4.5 hours from my front door, they are most often completely shocked. As the seasons change, those in the Northern Hemisphere have thoughts turning to the fluffy white gold that will soon fall from the skies and turn our beloved alpine areas into winter wonderlands.īut for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, we still have numerous crisp, bluebird days and spectacular spring skiing to look forward to, as our season extends into mid-October because of significant snowfalls.
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