# 19/20 Epic or Ikon pass?



## SlvrDragon50 (Mar 25, 2017)

poverty said:


> So it was going to be my third Epic pass year but it looks like the price has gone up. I’m really leaning towards Ikon. Any thoughts on the price hike or the Ikon program? I enjoyed my epic pass and there was definitely value there. Ikon just seems a bit more competitive. Plus Ikon offers discounts for renewals but I don’t see that for Epic.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Would really evaluate based on what mountains you can go to. Ikon has Big Sky, Jackson which are pretty awesome. Otherwise if you have a special destination in mind, pick the respective pass.

For me, Ikon has a hefty college discount. Epic's is a joke.


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

Interesting Epic is increasing price while Arapahoe Basin (which is relatively close to Vail) is leaving the pass. That was their best early/late season ski area. I'm guessing it's a simple question of supply & demand. Demand is ^&*%$# huge just in Colorado, which is sort of Epic's (Vail Resorts) headquarters with Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, & Breckenridge all so close. 

there are too many people who are addicted to this sport (and skiing) and they have us by the [email protected]


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I have a bad feeling bachelor is going to join ikon this season. Great for prospective visitors, not great for local riders/skiers. Although since bachelor isnt really a resort with any sort of slopeside accommodations closer than 16 miles from the lifts, that limits the people that want to come given the need to drive up the "horrible" mountain road in storms from bend. 

However, they did hit 2 record number days for skier visits this season. Lol


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## coloradodirtbag (Feb 9, 2017)

deagol said:


> Interesting Epic is increasing price while Arapahoe Basin (which is relatively close to Vail) is leaving the pass. That was their best early/late season ski area. I'm guessing it's a simple question of supply & demand. Demand is ^&*%$# huge just in Colorado, which is sort of Epic's (Vail Resorts) headquarters with Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, & Breckenridge all so close.
> 
> there are too many people who are addicted to this sport (and skiing) and they have us by the [email protected]


Plan is to open Keystone early season and extend Breck late season.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Argo said:


> I have a bad feeling bachelor is going to join ikon this season. Great for prospective visitors, not great for local riders/skiers. Although since bachelor isnt really a resort with any sort of slopeside accommodations closer than 16 miles from the lifts, that limits the people that want to come given the need to drive up the "horrible" mountain road in storms from bend.
> 
> However, they did hit 2 record number days for skier visits this season. Lol


We talked about this before when I brought up Bachelors insane increased season pass cost with reduction in value. Bachelor cost isn't going to chase riders away, just increase money for the resort. Days roads are worst are the busiest on Hood and I'm sure the same down there most of the time. Ski fever is one that isn't chased away but rather just accepted and dealt with. For their absurd season ticket price you're just getting ripped off currently. It's not curbing crowds at all but yet you paid more this year and got less out of it in added benefits. For that price I'd demand inclusion in an IKON pass or the like. The crowds won't go up really, Weekend it's about at capacity as is anyway and weekday usage increase will not be life changing.

But so as to not sidestep convo. If access and usage would be equal, IKON no question for me. Big Sky and Jackson Hole alone are worth it


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

lab49232 said:


> We talked about this before when I brought up Bachelors insane increased season pass cost with reduction in value. Bachelor cost isn't going to chase riders away, just increase money for the resort. Days roads are worst are the busiest on Hood and I'm sure the same down there most of the time. Ski fever is one that isn't chased away but rather just accepted and dealt with. For their absurd season ticket price you're just getting ripped off currently. It's not curbing crowds at all but yet you paid more this year and got less out of it in added benefits. For that price I'd demand inclusion in an IKON pass or the like. The crowds won't go up really, Weekend it's about at capacity as is anyway and weekday usage increase will not be life changing.
> 
> But so as to not sidestep convo. If access and usage would be equal, IKON no question for me. Big Sky and Jackson Hole alone are worth it


Over all the crowds are down this season from last. Just hildays are up. Mid week powder days are not busy at all. The prior couple years with max pass it was definitely busier. I dont mind the price personally and would pay more to keep it a single resort pass access mountain. What is funny is they bumped up the day tickets to 119 on the last holiday, no one said a thing. They just purchased it and moved on.... 9994 visits that Saturday, which is the new record.... i know better and stayed home....


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## baileycolasanto (Dec 1, 2018)

deagol said:


> Interesting Epic is increasing price while Arapahoe Basin (which is relatively close to Vail) is leaving the pass. That was their best early/late season ski area. I'm guessing it's a simple question of supply & demand. Demand is ^&*%$# huge just in Colorado, which is sort of Epic's (Vail Resorts) headquarters with Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, & Breckenridge all so close.
> 
> there are too many people who are addicted to this sport (and skiing) and they have us by the [email protected]


Trueeeeee gotta grab the new Keystone Plus pass


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## SteezyRidah303 (Oct 5, 2010)

poverty said:


> So it was going to be my third Epic pass year but it looks like the price has gone up. I’m really leaning towards Ikon. Any thoughts on the price hike or the Ikon program? I enjoyed my epic pass and there was definitely value there. Ikon just seems a bit more competitive. Plus Ikon offers discounts for renewals but I don’t see that for Epic.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I think keys park has been slacking this year...Don't get me wrong A-51 is pretty dope but the Woodword guys are killing it over at Copper.


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## jerry gnarcia (Feb 11, 2017)

Argo said:


> Over all the crowds are down this season from last. Just hildays are up. Mid week powder days are not busy at all. The prior couple years with max pass it was definitely busier. I dont mind the price personally and would pay more to keep it a single resort pass access mountain. What is funny is they bumped up the day tickets to 119 on the last holiday, no one said a thing. They just purchased it and moved on.... 9994 visits that Saturday, which is the new record.... i know better and stayed home....


What’s funny is you used to rag on people who didn’t want vail buying their mountain and bringing the epic pass, like there was no good reason other than just wanting to be haters.

Now you get it.

Big Sky and Jackson were a lot worse this year. Licals had “Ikont wait for you to leave” stickers.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

jerry gnarcia said:


> What’s funny is you used to rag on people who didn’t want vail buying their mountain and bringing the epic pass, like there was no good reason other than just wanting to be haters.
> 
> Now you get it.
> 
> Big Sky and Jackson were a lot worse this year. Licals had “Ikont wait for you to leave” stickers.


I was on the inside(of living in Vail), Now im not. If my current mountain needed the financial backing to keep running or something for infrastructure then I'd be pushing for it. Now im kind of impartial, I like the idea of my property values going up and getting more for my pass, if i wanted to ise the other resorts. I dont love the idea of more crowds.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Here's my thing about Ikon. It's a great travel pass due to the scope of resorts you can visit. I got it because I was going to get a Copper Pass anyway. But going to Utah and being able to hit Brighton and Solitude in between going to Pow Mow was nice. Then you have most of California's big stuff on there from Mammoth to Squaw. As someone that had a Copper pass for 2 years before Ikon I can say the crowd mid week is exactly the same, it's the Saturday crowd that is WAY bigger.


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## cliffjumper68 (Nov 30, 2018)

I got a good system going hitting a basin, keystone and breck mid week and beaver on weekends/ holidays. For some crazy reason Beaver doesn't get as packed on weekends and holidays. Vail next door will be stuffed but beaver 5 minute lines (plus fresh free cookies at days end). If you live in Colorado its hard to go wrong with either pass and if you go often both are pretty good deals. I got 62 days so far so thats about $15 a day and still going. Looking forward to summer biking making it even a better deal. Bummer to loose A basin, but Crested butte was a good add, pain to get out there but great runs and cheap rooms in gunnison. If you go to Lifetime Fitness (or know someone who does) they have passes to copper for $50 so you can scratch that itch a few times.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

cliffjumper68 said:


> I got a good system going hitting a basin, keystone and breck mid week and beaver on weekends/ holidays. For some crazy reason Beaver doesn't get as packed on weekends and holidays. Vail next door will be stuffed but beaver 5 minute lines (plus fresh free cookies at days end). If you live in Colorado its hard to go wrong with either pass and if you go often both are pretty good deals. I got 62 days so far so thats about $15 a day and still going. Looking forward to summer biking making it even a better deal. Bummer to loose A basin, but Crested butte was a good add, pain to get out there but great runs and cheap rooms in gunnison. If you go to Lifetime Fitness (or know someone who does) they have passes to copper for $50 so you can scratch that itch a few times.


Hate to break it to you but you have to buy the bike haul pass in summer if your gonna do DH biking...


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## benjinyc (Feb 24, 2017)

I am a MC pass holder this season, but since Snowbasin isn't on it for 19/20, i will probably get Ikon pass


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

Argo said:


> Hate to break it to you but you have to buy the bike haul pass in summer if your gonna do DH biking...


Hey Argo, I remember mountain-biking with you at Vail all those summers ago. However, I've never been able to find a way up Beaver Creek, though. I was there to pick up friend who rode the Triple Bypass roadbike tour and tried to ride up BC while waiting for them. I ran into no trespassing signs pretty low on the mountain and wasn't able to continue. Is there anything worth MTBing at BC ?


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

deagol said:


> Hey Argo, I remember mountain-biking with you at Vail all those summers ago. However, I've never been able to find a way up Beaver Creek, though. I was there to pick up friend who rode the Triple Bypass roadbike tour and tried to ride up BC while waiting for them. I ran into no trespassing signs pretty low on the mountain and wasn't able to continue. Is there anything worth MTBing at BC ?


Take a loop from avon, park somewhere, ride up to beaver creek, ther is a trail on the north east side of the resort that drops in to eagle vail called paulies plunge. Moderately difficult downhill. Definitely not an up hill. The loop back to parking. You should be able to google the trail and find it or go to "mtb project" website, its there for sure.


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## BuckarooBanzai (Feb 2, 2017)

I'm definitely going to get the Epic Local passes again for me and my 9yo. His only went up $10 and mine $30. We're well ahead on the cost of the pass. Sunapee is a great one-day trip for us (under 2 hours each way) and we hit up Stowe a couple times a year for multiple days. The buddy tickets have come in handy too for the few times the wife joined us...


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## Zodi (Mar 8, 2019)

I'd get the Ikon pass if I could travel, Vail resorts are getting too packed for my liking (other than BC which mostly attracts locals from the surrounding areas). Organizing a trip to BC always involved trying to convince my spoiled friends to get up early when they were used to a 10 minute drive to Keystone. Vail splitting up with ABay is both sweet and sour. On one hand, I agree with their decision. ABay is my number one pick when it dumps with super fun terrain, it is a small resort with a different vibe and it never really fit in with Vail's values ($). It's sad at the same time because a lot of my friends will continue to get the Vail pass and won't be going to ABay.


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## livingminimal (Mar 8, 2019)

I feel like geography and proximity are the most important factors in choosing...
You can build excellent trips around either pass. 
I do Ikon because I live in Orange County, CA and it has BBMR and Mammoth. 
Mammoth qualifies as travel in my mind, 5-6 hours away. On top of that we get everything else Ikon offers.


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## SteezyRidah303 (Oct 5, 2010)

livingminimal said:


> I feel like geography and proximity are the most important factors in choosing...
> You can build excellent trips around either pass.
> I do Ikon because I live in Orange County, CA and it has BBMR and Mammoth.
> Mammoth qualifies as travel in my mind, 5-6 hours away. On top of that we get everything else Ikon offers.


Its a tough choice here in Denver...I have been on epic for years considering the switch to Ikon next year and possibly Arapaho basin (gonna be even better next year with an even smaller crowd)

Here's how i'm thinking about it...

Winter park and breck in my mind are equal

Woodward does an incredible job with Coppers park, copper and keystone in my mind are equal

--Ikon Pros-- 

Eldora for the rare weekend day, much less traffic than going up i-70


Great travel benefits, lots of mtns outside the state...Jackson!? 

--Ikon Cons--

Gonna really miss Vail and crested butte on the glory days, could care less about beaver...Steamboat and aspen are great "replacements" but even further of a drive than Vail is.

Didn't get a chance to go to whistler but that was a nice option on the EPIC to have

---------------
Apparently nobody gets Arapaho Basin which is actually really awesome..... The new terrain they opened this year is incredible, considering getting a pass there as well. I like to ride loveland pass in the morning and then abay into the afternoon, its the best place to go when i have my dog with me. Always other dogs for her to play with and the parking lot is really close to the hill. 



I think the make or break will be what most of the Homies end up with :embarrased1:


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## Funks (Dec 28, 2015)

livingminimal said:


> I feel like geography and proximity are the most important factors in choosing...
> You can build excellent trips around either pass.
> I do Ikon because I live in Orange County, CA and it has BBMR and Mammoth.
> Mammoth qualifies as travel in my mind, 5-6 hours away. On top of that we get everything else Ikon offers.


I live in the Bay Area / SF and I chose Mountain Collective again for 2020 (bought it for 2019). Decided two years ago I'm done with the 3.5 -> 4 hour drives grind to the Tahoe area. Been awesome for me, gave me access to Squaw (3x), Niseko, Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise. Hitting up Snowbird / Brighton April, then Mammoth May. 

Next season, gonna hit up Revelstoke, Squaw (local), Big Sky, Jackson Hole, and Snowbird..

Quality over Quantity - Tahoe resorts are variable at best so it's better IMO to plan trips - 2016-2017 season was awesome (lots of snow spread through out the season) - 2017-2018 season sucked!, and 2018-2019 (breaking records, lots of snow). Previous years were downright awful.


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## Zodi (Mar 8, 2019)

SteezyRidah303 said:


> Apparently nobody gets Arapaho Basin which is actually really awesome..... The new terrain they opened this year is incredible, considering getting a pass there as well. I like to ride loveland pass in the morning and then abay into the afternoon, its the best place to go when i have my dog with me. Always other dogs for her to play with and the parking lot is really close to the hill.
> 
> I think the make or break will be what most of the Homies end up with :embarrased1:


I think ABay is pretty amazing! My favorite place when it dumps... if you get out there early, you can ride your board all the way to the car, people are friendlier, lifties and I were on a first name basis, completely different experience. This coming from someone who worked for Vail resorts...

I ditched my homies one year and just got the ABay pass... they kept going to Keystone and I was going to ABay but as the saying goes "no friends on powder day", I have no regrets!


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## 161210 (Feb 9, 2018)

Both Loveland and A Basin are a done deal then considering the other passes. Military vet here so it will depend on deals I suppose...and possible trips next winter. Since epic was so cheap for military this season I have both epic and ikon local...haven't hardly used either as Luv and A Bay have held my attention this season.

I might just also do the gems card and tour the smaller areas for fun next year if not planning a major trip elsewhere...Monarch is fun....few more to check out for weekend trips.

Then there is the Silverton spring pass....that would be worth it.


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

Viper21 said:


> Both Loveland and A Basin are a done deal then considering the other passes. Military vet here so it will depend on deals I suppose...and possible trips next winter. Since epic was so cheap for military this season I have both epic and ikon local...haven't hardly used either as Luv and A Bay have held my attention this season.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Yes. This. Although I’m wishing the ikon had a veterans discount.


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## 161210 (Feb 9, 2018)

Scalpelman said:


> Yes. This. Although I’m wishing the ikon had a veterans discount.


With you on that as I am not retired but am a combat vet (yes...actually fought...2004 OEF)....seems off that if you actually fought (but not retired...as in not having 20 yrs in) you can't get the military discount with them...but I am grateful for where the discount does exist.

Fwiw I wrote epic and a few other indy resorts about that issue last year. I know Active Duty can be tough but there are people that hung out for 20 years...did not have a tougher job...did not deploy and wind up in combat...and they get the discount and combat vets don't...I think if a few more of us point that out to the resorts maybe we can make some headway with that issue. Just does not seem fair to me.


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## may8705 (Mar 1, 2021)

Funks said:


> I live in the Bay Area / SF and I chose Mountain Collective again for 2020 (bought it for 2019). Decided two years ago I'm done with the 3.5 -> 4 hour drives grind to the Tahoe area. Been awesome for me, gave me access to Squaw (3x), Niseko, Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise. Hitting up Snowbird / Brighton April, then Mammoth May.
> 
> Next season, gonna hit up Revelstoke, Squaw (local), Big Sky, Jackson Hole, and Snowbird..
> 
> Quality over Quantity - Tahoe resorts are variable at best so it's better IMO to plan trips - 2016-2017 season was awesome (lots of snow spread through out the season) - 2017-2018 season sucked!, and 2018-2019 (breaking records, lots of snow). Previous years were downright awful.


I’m in the Bay Area too. Do you still recommend mountain collective over epic or ikon? I’m pretty new to snowboarding and have only been to Tahoe Donner and Diamond Peak but definitely upgrading my pass for next season.


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## Funks (Dec 28, 2015)

may8705 said:


> I’m in the Bay Area too. Do you still recommend mountain collective over epic or ikon? I’m pretty new to snowboarding and have only been to Tahoe Donner and Diamond Peak but definitely upgrading my pass for next season.


If you are planning on making multiple trips next year and not really travel (5-10 trips), I suggest you check out the cheapest season pass you can find given you are still a beginner. I'm not sure what Dodge Ridge, and Bear Valley sells their season passes for but those resorts are the shortest drive from the bay. My opinion is that for now, you need quantity over quality.

Mountain Collective is still sweet for the price though, I've used it 3X at Alpine/Squaw so far, will be using it 2x at Mammoth later this month, and I've already gone to Aspen SnowMass, Aspen the Mountain, A-Basin, Big Sky, Grand Targhee, and Jackson Hole this season. But you really won't enjoy any of those mountains at this stage being a beginner.

Once you become an intermediate rider (can ride down steep blues, and blacks), you'll switch from Quantity -> Quality and should revisit the MC pass. Some of the California resorts went crazy this year with their day use lift tix, for example Squaw/Alpine was selling day passes for *229$ *on weekends - lol.


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## may8705 (Mar 1, 2021)

Funks said:


> If you are planning on making multiple trips next year and not really travel (5-10 trips), I suggest you check out the cheapest season pass you can find given you are still a beginner. I'm not sure what Dodge Ridge, and Bear Valley sells their season passes for but those resorts are the shortest drive from the bay. My opinion is that for now, you need quantity over quality.
> 
> Mountain Collective is still sweet for the price though, I've used it 3X at Alpine/Squaw so far, will be using it 2x at Mammoth later this month, and I've already gone to Aspen SnowMass, Aspen the Mountain, A-Basin, Big Sky, Grand Targhee, and Jackson Hole this season. But you really won't enjoy any of those mountains at this stage being a beginner.
> 
> Once you become an intermediate rider (can ride down steep blues, and blacks), you'll switch from Quantity -> Quality and should revisit the MC pass. Some of the California resorts went crazy this year with their day use lift tix, for example Squaw/Alpine was selling day passes for *229$ *on weekends - lol.


I’ve been doing blues for awhile and recently started doing blacks. Granted, these are diamond peak blacks so I doubt they’re at the level that you’re talking about. But feel like I’ve progressed pretty quickly. It was my first season snowboarding and probably did a total of 20-25 days and a ton of runs every time I go.


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