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Epic vs. Ikon vs. Mountain Collective vs. Indy: Which Should You Choose? 2022-23
- Thread starter ski diva
- Start date
contesstant
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm not getting any of them. Mostly in protest, but I will support the Indy resorts next season as much as I can if the snow is good. The cost of a day ticket at most Indy resorts makes them affordable enough to get a sample at several of them. I do get some perks being a Snowbasin premier passholder, including 5 days at Sun Valley and 50% off Mountain Collective resorts. This will allow me to take a few quick trips to Targhee and Sun Valley and a day or two at Alta if I want without gagging on the cost. We hit Beaver Mountain a few times a year anyway, and it's on the Indy pass but we were told by a close friend in management there that the Indy has had a negative impact on the mountain.
I really, really hate what the cheap mass passes have done to the resorts and the skier experience that are on them and will not support those passes. I get a lot of comments from Ikon passholders who don't know Snowbasin that there has to be other reasons, and to those people I say, "you have no idea."
I really, really hate what the cheap mass passes have done to the resorts and the skier experience that are on them and will not support those passes. I get a lot of comments from Ikon passholders who don't know Snowbasin that there has to be other reasons, and to those people I say, "you have no idea."
KayOss
Certified Ski Diva
At every resort I skied this year, I heard at least one person commenting how they either borrowed a pass or loaned theirs out. This contributes to the issues mentioned above.
To me it's also like "self checkout" at the market -
But to the OP, unless there are major changes the IKON pass works out better for the areas we frequent.
To me it's also like "self checkout" at the market -
But to the OP, unless there are major changes the IKON pass works out better for the areas we frequent.
jthree
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Oof that's disheartening.
To @ski diva's question, I think so much of it depends on where you live, what your travel plans are, and when you are able to take vacation.
Since I live in Vermont, planning on attending Diva East plus one week-long family trip in car-driving distance, and not really interested in a ski-fari type trip (which works with the 2-day tix from Indy pass), I think either Ikon or no pass at all makes sense. With Ikon we might try Sunday River for our family trip, and I can also have a few ski days at Sugarbush, Killington, and maybe Stratton. Alternatively we could buy a multi-day for Sunday River, a Bash badge for Smuggs, and a Stark card for MRG. If I volunteer again for VT adaptive I'll get some free skiing at Bolton and/or Sugarbush.
I'm not sure how I feel about the mass passes overall... I know many feel they have ruined their favorite resorts. But they are also keeping some resorts going (maybe?). It hasn't been easy for any ski resort, independent or not, to keep going with the uncertainty each season.
mustski
Angel Diva
^^^ This. I live in Big Bear, CA summer until January 1 and then Reno, NV winter and spring. In the middle is Mammoth Mountain. Alterra (Ikon) owns all 3 Big Bear ski areas, Mammoth, and Palisades Tahoe. For us, there is no other reasonable “choice.” We do also buy a Mt. Rose season pass.
They're not even "cheap" anymore. At least, Ikon isn't. (Maybe I'm cheap, and therefore, not viewing the pass as cheap. Lol.)
Epic is still pretty cheap compared to IKON, simply because they have more pass varieties to choose from. Here in the East, that's meant the Epic resorts are much more crowded than the IKON resorts -- in my experience, anyway. For example, I have both passes, so I ski at both Okemo (Epic) and Stratton (Ikon). These are comparable resorts, and they're not that far from one another. Okemo is considerably more crowded than Stratton, at least during the week.
elemmac
Angel Diva
I’m in the same mindset as others above, whatever makes sense for your home-hill location/vacation destination choice. I buy the Boyne New England pass to ski Sunday River (and a couple trips a year to Sugarloaf and/or Loon). I feel like I crunch the numbers every year to decide if I should get another pass (IKON, Epic or Indy), and they never pan out. Sure, we could make any of those worth it if we tried…but I don’t like to be pigeonholed into certain destinations for vacation. I love traveling internationally, and generally speaking, lift tickets are sooo much cheaper anywhere else in the world. With the crowding I hear about at the resorts on these passes, it really turns me off from visiting them anyways.
This whole topic is a bit ironic to me considering my thoughts 10 years ago. I was visiting a friend in Colorado and he had an Epic Pass which gave him access to 5(?) incredible mountains…and it was stupid cheap (like $400 or something). I really wished something like that would come to the Northeast. At that time I never imagined what it would blow up into and the effect it would have on the current crowding situations.
). But I’d say they’re “cheap” compared to the alternatives…
Pre-mega passes, season passes to many mountains were equivalent or more expensive than the current offerings.
OR…
Buying single day/multi-day lift tickets at most of those mountains that are on mega-passes. I say most, because there definitely are exceptions, especially when it comes to Indy pass mountains.
This whole topic is a bit ironic to me considering my thoughts 10 years ago. I was visiting a friend in Colorado and he had an Epic Pass which gave him access to 5(?) incredible mountains…and it was stupid cheap (like $400 or something). I really wished something like that would come to the Northeast. At that time I never imagined what it would blow up into and the effect it would have on the current crowding situations.
I agree, they’re not that cheap anymore (maybe I’m just cheap too
). But I’d say they’re “cheap” compared to the alternatives…Pre-mega passes, season passes to many mountains were equivalent or more expensive than the current offerings.
OR…
Buying single day/multi-day lift tickets at most of those mountains that are on mega-passes. I say most, because there definitely are exceptions, especially when it comes to Indy pass mountains.
I’ve heard the same about some of the small mountains in Japan that have been added to IKON/Epic/Indy, most notably the Indy Pass (since those are smaller, lesser known ski areas to begin with). I am glad that the Indy Pass owners seem to be acknowledging this by pulling their passes “off-sale. Time will tell what the impact really will be.
skinnyfootskis
Angel Diva
Oooo. I’d love to be in BB all winter. Sure Reno is way better but my family would be closer.
marzNC
Angel Diva
For those seriously considering Ikon, all Ikon prices will increase $100 on April 21.
Full Ikon (7 days where limited): $1159 goes up to $1259
Ikon Base Plus (5 days where limited, non-holiday, all Partners): $1049 goes up to $1149
Ikon Base (5 days where limited, non-holiday, some Partners): $829 goes up to $929
The Partners that require Base Plus or Full Ikon are Alta, Deer Valley, Snowbasin, Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, Taos, and Aspen/Snowmass. (Sun Valley and Snowbasin have the same owner.)
Full Ikon (7 days where limited): $1159 goes up to $1259
Ikon Base Plus (5 days where limited, non-holiday, all Partners): $1049 goes up to $1149
Ikon Base (5 days where limited, non-holiday, some Partners): $829 goes up to $929
The Partners that require Base Plus or Full Ikon are Alta, Deer Valley, Snowbasin, Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, Taos, and Aspen/Snowmass. (Sun Valley and Snowbasin have the same owner.)
BlizzardBabe
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I bought full IKON again this year. I also get a local 6 day EPIC for my infrequent trips to Whitetail and Liberty. My home mountain (Massanutten) is unaffiliated, so that's yet another pass. And I have a 4th pass for Timberline in WV. Its a little dizzying.
marzNC
Angel Diva
I'll be using the Indy Pass for 2 days at Massanutten plus getting senior day tickets since I'm not skiing there as much now that I do longer trips out west starting in December. Can also do day trips to Bryce with Indy.
I'm likely to spend a couple days in Davis, WV to ski Timberline and perhaps a half-day at Canaan Valley using Indy. Did that the first year Indy existed and it worked out well.
I have Full Ikon and MCP for trips out west in 2023-24.
TiffAlt
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My home (and so far favorite) mountain is Crystal Mountain, so we bought a full pass for it since we prefer not to have to deal with blackout dates or not being able to ski weekends. We want to ski basically every chance we can and we already have to deal with our son's school and extracurricular activity schedule. Well, it comes with a full IKON pass, so now we have one of those too! Not gonna lie, the Crystal Mountain pass was expensive, but since we were gonna bite the bullet anyway, it coming with a full IKON pass made the blow hurt a bit less.
nopoleskier
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Full Ikon- and probably Epic- my skiing friends group are going to Telluride
I think I need to move out west to make up for this year!
I think I need to move out west to make up for this year!
We went with Epic for our first-ever passes. I've always just done individual tickets, but getting 20% off lodging makes it worthwhile. Staying at Kirkwood is so convenient but it was wildly expensive this year.
We have three area resorts on Epic and only one on Ikon, so that was an easy choice. My husband got the Epic Local and I went with the $100-cheaper Tahoe Local pass, because I just don't think we're that likely to fly somewhere else to ski.
We have three area resorts on Epic and only one on Ikon, so that was an easy choice. My husband got the Epic Local and I went with the $100-cheaper Tahoe Local pass, because I just don't think we're that likely to fly somewhere else to ski.
ilovepugs
Angel Diva
Full IKON, full Mad River Glen. Can’t possibly imagine wanting any more lift-served skiing access. I will probably be able to score some free Jay Peak and Bolton tickets which is nice to have but I will be just fine without.
I also got the weekday Nordic/backcountry/uphill pass to Bolton Valley for fitness and will get a season pass to my local Nordic skiing center. The local pass includes mountain biking and hiking access in the summer which is nice for my pups.
I also got the weekday Nordic/backcountry/uphill pass to Bolton Valley for fitness and will get a season pass to my local Nordic skiing center. The local pass includes mountain biking and hiking access in the summer which is nice for my pups.
Peaheartsmama
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
We have the Ikon Base - as an adult with two kids under 12, you really can’t beat the child discount and having a whole season for only about $1200 for the three of us. Even cheaper than getting just the Camelback pass we used to get. Weekend passes at Stratton are $180-200! Love being able to explore multiple resorts without thinking about lift costs. Once they age up though it’s going to hurt paying so much more for the kids.
skinnyfootskis
Angel Diva
Yes please do….
