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Ikon Options for 2020/2021

BlizzardBabe

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Full IKON will get you only 7 days at Aspen. There are a bunch of locations on the full IKON that are not unlimited. The pass decision is frustrating.

I know, but it is two days more than the base pass which counts for something since tix are so $$$. Plus, one trip may be in a blackout date time frame under the base pass.
 

just jane

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
For CO locals, it’s a LOT less attractive this year. Extra $$ for Aspen/Snowmass, and only 5-7 days at A Basin - AND they raised the price?
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
For CO locals, it’s a LOT less attractive this year. Extra $$ for Aspen/Snowmass, and only 5-7 days at A Basin - AND they raised the price?
Probably fair to say that CO locals aren't the primary target market for Ikon. They aren't as likely to book resort lodging for a week, or at least stay for a week nearby. The A-Basin days on Ikon serve to attract travelers interested in a late season trip when many destination resorts have closed already.

When the Mountain Collective Pass was first introduced, it was perhaps a surprise at how many SLC residents considered getting the MCP instead of a local season pass. These days a premium season for an MCP resort includes 50% off at all other MCP locations. Presumably so long time season passholders would be less likely to get the MCP instead of a season pass.
 

just jane

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I don’t know... most CO skiers get either Epic or Ikon (I know a few who get both), not individual resort passes (except the ones who opt for local season passes at Loveland or Monarch and the like but I think they’re the minority). We’re the bread and butter skiers. The majority of skiers at A Basin, Copper and Winter Park are absolutely local/front range. People like to have options.

We may not do a week but many do weekends. I know a lot of folks with timeshares or condos in the mountains so they don’t have to do that horrific ski commute for one day. We’re too big a chunk of the market for all the Summit and Eagle county resorts - and Steamboat and Winter Park - not to pay really close attention to us.

I think a lot of locals were thrilled when A Basin left Epic last year, and disappointed when they teamed up with Ikon. I’ve heard directly conflicting reports - that parking and crowding on the mountain wasn’t as bad this year, and/or that it was just as bad or worse as when they partnered with Epic. I wonder if it‘s A Basin - not Alterra - trying to find that sweet spot of continuing to cater to locals and still have the partnership with one of the big guys for the additional revenue.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I don’t know... most CO skiers get either Epic or Ikon (I know a few who get both), not individual resort passes (except the ones who opt for local season passes at Loveland or Monarch and the like but I think they’re the minority). We’re the bread and butter skiers. The majority of skiers at A Basin, Copper and Winter Park are absolutely local/front range. People like to have options.
I don't doubt that CO skiers/boarders made use of Epic and Ikon in the last couple years. Vail Resorts is obviously well aware of that market given that there are CO-only options for Epic (Summit Value, Keystone Plus). What the thinking is behind Ikon pricing and days offered in CO is hard to guess.

Copper and ABasin have 1-location season passes that are competitively priced compared to Ikon. Looks like Winter Park only has Ikon.

For sure, people who live within day trip distance of locations on a major multi-resort pass have a much more complicated decision process. Meaning in comparison to someone who must fly and book lodging to use Epic/Ikon/MCP at a destination resort.
 

Christy

Angel Diva
Unlimited access to Copper, Winter Park and Eldora, and days at Steamboat and A-Basin, for $649 renew/$699 new, sounds awfully cheap to me. I think $150 for an Aspen and Jackson add on is a great deal too. Are CO people used to super cheap season passes? Is $649 more than you guys used to pay for any of those resorts individually?
 

just jane

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
We got annual season passes at Copper for years before they joined Ikon. IIRC, we paid between $400 - $500. There was a joint Rocky Mountain Super Pass with Copper, Winter Park and 6 days at Steamboat too. We never got that because Steamboat is a smidge too far and the DH doesn’t like Winter Park’s terrain. I don’t remember how much it was. Less then Epic, I’m pretty sure.

Ironically, we left the year Ikon started - not because of that, but because we had friends get a place in Crested Butte who extended a standing invitation, and another friend who moved to Ridgway (near Telluride) who also offered us free lodging and Epic started looking really good.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
For a different view of the cost of a season pass . . . the price for 2020-21 for early buyers at my home mountain in northern VA will be $428. That's for slopes that cover 75 acres, with 1100 ft vertical, no off-piste terrain, and 4 fixed-grip chairlifts. A long run from top to bottom takes an advanced skier no more than 5 min, perhaps 10 min for an advanced intermediate willing to load the fixed-grip quad to the summit. Note that the resort is a successful 4-season resort with lots of lodging and includes 6000 acres overall.

Copper has almost 2500 skiable acres and over 20 lifts.

Bottom line is that as with buying real estate, location matters.

As an aside, Copper was was bought by Intrawest in 1997. Intrawest did a lot of the base development at Copper. Intrawest almost went bankrupt in 2008 (had $1.7 billion in loans). Copper was sold to Powdr in 2009. In 2017 Alterra bought the resorts still owned by Intrawest. In addition to Alterra locations, Ikon includes several partners that are owned by Powdr and Boyne.
 

CarverJill

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
So glad I have done Jackson the past 2 years and Aspen the year before. After 5 minutes I'm pretty much decided I'm getting the renewal base pass for me and my 2 kids. Mammoth, June, Big Bear and wherever my other IKON ski trip takes me.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Not surprisingly, there are a few articles out about the Ikon offerings for 2020-21. The announced pricing that starts March 5 is good until April 22. For people who don't have Ikon for 2019-20, spring season usage starts on March 5 at a few places owned by Alterra and April 13 at the others.

Pretty clear that a family with 1-2 kids who can make a decision about Ikon before April 22 stands to benefit by saving $100 for one kid or $200 for two kids.

As I remember, someone who bought Ikon Base early to get the renewal discount could upgrade later to Full Ikon.

Most thorough write up I found was by The Points Guy. He gives an example of Steamboat for the new Ikon 4-day option. I'll be interested to see if Steamboat does their 3-day deal again next season. It was sold in the fall for $199 for 3 days from Jan. 13 thru thru Pres. Day in 2020. I was paying attention for my ski buddy, Jason, who didn't have Ikon and joined me at Steamboat for 3 days or skiing over Pres. Day weekend.

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/ikon-ski-pass/
" . . .
For the 2020–2021 ski season, the initial Ikon Base Pass prices are:


$699 for adults ($649 renewal price before April 22)
$539 for those 13–22 years old ($499 renewal price before April 22)
$529 for college students/military
$269 for kids ($169 with purchase of an adult pass, up to two discount child passes per adult pass through April 22)
$169 for those 4 and under (though many mountains offer free skiing to 4-year-olds)
The Base Pass has a few peak blackout dates, unlimited skiing at 14 destinations and up to five days at 24 additional mountains. You can also add on five-day access to Jackson Hole and Aspen Snowmass for an additional $150. (Blackout dates include Dec. 26, 2020–Jan. 2, 2021, Jan. 16–17, 2021 and Feb. 13–14, 2021; Thredbo blackout dates include July 4–19, 2020 and July 26–July 11, 2021.)


For the 2020–2021 ski season, the full Ikon Pass prices are:

$999 for adults ($899 renewal price before April 22)
$739 for those 13–22 years old ($659 renewal price before April 22)
$709 for college students/military
$309 for kids ($209 with purchase of an adult pass, up to two discount child passes through April 22)
$209 for those 4 and under (though many mountains offer free skiing to 4-year-olds)
This pass has no blackout dates, unlimited skiing at 15 destinations and up to seven days at 25 additional mountains.


For the 2020–2021 ski season, the Ikon Session Pass 4-Day pricing is:

$399 for adults
$339 for those 13–22 years old
$339 for college students/military
$249 for kids 0–12 (though many mountains offer free skiing to younger kids)
This pass gives you four days of skiing at 30 destinations, although blackout dates apply at most resorts. For an adult, this means $100 per day, which may or may not be a good deal depending on where you are looking to ski. For example, at Steamboat, a one-day walk-up lift ticket could cost as much as $199 and a four-day consecutive ticket is between $460 to $620, depending on the time of the year. This makes the four-day pass potentially worth it. Although, if you are an East Coast skier, you might not find it to be as good of a deal.
. . ."
 

CarverJill

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I got my IKON pass already, who else committed early? $170 off the base pass for military and the kids passes were only $169.
 

Peaheartsmama

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I haven’t yet but I’m doing it soon! With two kids it’s a great deal. Between that and my employee/ dependent passes at Camelback we should be good for next year. I was really hoping CBK would end up on the ikon though.
 

BlizzardBabe

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I did it yesterday. I got $100 off on my upgrade to the full pass.
 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm still debating between full and base pass. I'm leaning towards the base pass this year.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
So the info I posted in Posts #9 and #32 is completely obsolete because of COVID-19. Recently a larger renewal discount and a later deadline date was announced for Ikon. The new deadline for the early bird price is May 27. The renewal discount for Full Ikon is $200 and $100 for Ikon Base. Still $150 to add 5 days each for JH and Aspen to Ikon Base.

Screen Shot 2020-04-15 at 10.24.41 PM.jpg
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
The other update is that nurses get the same deal that military and college folks get. They certainly deserve it!

Be good if first-responders were added to this list too.

Screen Shot 2020-04-15 at 10.28.17 PM.png
 

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